On Wed, 14 Oct 1998, Stuart Elden wrote:
> A detailed reading of Heidegger shows how his work is important to
> Foucault,
Speaking of which: I've only just begun reading Heidegger seriously;
today I came across this: "The supposition of the they that one is
leading and sustaining a full and genuine 'life' brings a
*tranquillization* to Da-sein, for which everything is in 'the best order'
and for whom all doors are open.... This tranquillization in inauthentic
being, however, does not seduce one into stagnation and inactivity, but
drives one to uninhibited 'busyness'" (_Being and Time_ tr. Stambaugh,
166). Interesting how this resonates with Foucault's comments about the
"anaesthetizing" effect his work was supposed to have on social workers (I
think in "Questions on Method", but I'm not sure)--in line with Heidegger,
Foucault would argue that his work might jolt social workers out of the
anaesthesis/tranquillization which had kept them uninhibitedly "busy"
previously.
Heidegger's critique of "welfare work" in Ch. IV of Div. I is also very
interesting a propos to Foucault....
Matthew
---Matthew A. King---Department of Philosophy---York University, Toronto---
Those who feel the breath of sadness - sit down next to me
Those who find they're touched by madness - sit down next to me
Those who find themselves ridiculous - sit down next to me
----------------------------------(James)----------------------------------