I think Greg, the 'truth' is that you are certainly entitled to your reading
of Foucault's position vis-a-vis truth. Still, your reading does reveal a
residual Cartesianism - natural truth vs social truths. Moreover, I use the
quote simply as a means of portraying the trend in Foucault's thought that
truth _does exist_ independent of the thought of truth. The full quote is:
"What I try to achieve is the history of the relations which thought
maintains with truth; the history of thought insofar as it is the thought of
truth. All those who say truth does not exist for me are simple minded."
>Foucault states that he does not deny all verifiable truth (such things as
the >sun rises every morning), but he denies the absolute truth of morality,
>philosophy and most of social life as being "the" truth, it only functions
as >such.
The Cartesian split? Also given the full quote we can, I think, see Foucault
grappling with the relation between thought and that which thought is about;
Truth. As for it being Nietzschean, you are absolutely right. But then again
I don't suppose your are arguing that Nietzsche, anymore than Foucault,
solved truthfully that is, the problem of truth. Thus, of course,
establishing truth as an alterity distinct from the thought of truth.
I think you have quite nicely decided to read Foucault in a particular way,
a way that is, that elides the difference between the thought of truth and
truth. What would Foucault say about this. I can only guess of course, but
probably something like, 'All those who say truth does not exist for me are
simple minded.' :-)
--------------------------------------------------------
"All those who say truth does not exist for me are simple minded" (Foucault)
Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DA
--------------------------------------------------------
of Foucault's position vis-a-vis truth. Still, your reading does reveal a
residual Cartesianism - natural truth vs social truths. Moreover, I use the
quote simply as a means of portraying the trend in Foucault's thought that
truth _does exist_ independent of the thought of truth. The full quote is:
"What I try to achieve is the history of the relations which thought
maintains with truth; the history of thought insofar as it is the thought of
truth. All those who say truth does not exist for me are simple minded."
>Foucault states that he does not deny all verifiable truth (such things as
the >sun rises every morning), but he denies the absolute truth of morality,
>philosophy and most of social life as being "the" truth, it only functions
as >such.
The Cartesian split? Also given the full quote we can, I think, see Foucault
grappling with the relation between thought and that which thought is about;
Truth. As for it being Nietzschean, you are absolutely right. But then again
I don't suppose your are arguing that Nietzsche, anymore than Foucault,
solved truthfully that is, the problem of truth. Thus, of course,
establishing truth as an alterity distinct from the thought of truth.
I think you have quite nicely decided to read Foucault in a particular way,
a way that is, that elides the difference between the thought of truth and
truth. What would Foucault say about this. I can only guess of course, but
probably something like, 'All those who say truth does not exist for me are
simple minded.' :-)
--------------------------------------------------------
"All those who say truth does not exist for me are simple minded" (Foucault)
Colin Wight
Department of International Politics
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
SY23 3DA
--------------------------------------------------------