Hello list-
A quick intro, since I've been reading the list for a
couple of months but have yet to post. My name is Tom
and I'm working on my doctorate in philosophy in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My studies are concentrated
within continental philosophy, understood in a very
broad sense, which is to say that it aspires to be
interdisciplinary.
Regarding Ben's question about Foucault and analytic
philosophy: what Foucault calls 'mots d'ordre', which
is rendered in English as "order-word" or "password"
denotes the manner in which language functions
socially as a reinforcement of the major discourses
of, say, science, politics, psychology... Similarly,
order-words participate in "language-knowledge
systems" (cf. "Society Must Be Defended," 154) and
effect a subjugation of "minor" knowledges. As to the
reference for order-words, I am at a loss (Discipline
and Punish, maybe?) Consider also the effect of the
'enonce' ("statement"): see, for instance, 'The
Archeaology of Knowledge' and 'The Discourse on
Language'.
As far as Anglo-American philosophy goes, Foucault is
definitely thinking of Austin and Searle. However, one
might also look to two philosophers who have a great
affinity with certain Anglo-American language
philosophy: Lyotard and Bakhtin. Their respective
formulation of the sociality of language play right
into Foucault's concern with the power-effects of
language; the major focus is on the "pragmatics" of
language (you see this in Lyotard's 'The Postmodern
Condition' and 'The Differend'). A really great
discussion of all of this, which frames Foucault's
ties with analytic philosophy (but does not mention
him explicitly, I think) is the fourth plateau in
Deleuze and Guattari, 'A Thousand Plateaus'--"November
20, 1923: Postulates of Linguistics". D/G are drawing
heavily from Foucault's influence, in particular the
latter's engagement with analytic philosophy.
Hope this helps.
-Tom
> At 05:25 AM 3/17/2005, you wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I am interested in learning more about the
> influence that analytical
> >philosophy had on Foucault and his ideas of power
> and discourse. In
> >'Foucault and His Interlocutors', in the chapter
> entitled 'Structures and
> >Strategies of Discourse', Davidson quotes Foucault:
> >
> >"For Anglo-Saxon analytic philosophy it is a
> question of making a critical
> >analysis of thought on the basis of the way in
> which one says things. I
> >think on could imagine, in the same way, a
> philosophy that would ... bear
> >rather on relations of power than on language
> games."
> >
> >Davidson later cites Foucault's early engagement
> with linguistic philosophy
> >and Wittgenstein in particular as evidence that
> Foucault's philosophy grew
> >from influences that weren't purely continental.
> >
> >I was wondering if anyone knew of any other
> statements by Foucault or
> >otherwise, in which this relationship is discussed?
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Ben Sorgiovanni
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Foucault-L mailing list
>
> _______________________________________________
> Foucault-L mailing list
>
__________________________________
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A quick intro, since I've been reading the list for a
couple of months but have yet to post. My name is Tom
and I'm working on my doctorate in philosophy in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My studies are concentrated
within continental philosophy, understood in a very
broad sense, which is to say that it aspires to be
interdisciplinary.
Regarding Ben's question about Foucault and analytic
philosophy: what Foucault calls 'mots d'ordre', which
is rendered in English as "order-word" or "password"
denotes the manner in which language functions
socially as a reinforcement of the major discourses
of, say, science, politics, psychology... Similarly,
order-words participate in "language-knowledge
systems" (cf. "Society Must Be Defended," 154) and
effect a subjugation of "minor" knowledges. As to the
reference for order-words, I am at a loss (Discipline
and Punish, maybe?) Consider also the effect of the
'enonce' ("statement"): see, for instance, 'The
Archeaology of Knowledge' and 'The Discourse on
Language'.
As far as Anglo-American philosophy goes, Foucault is
definitely thinking of Austin and Searle. However, one
might also look to two philosophers who have a great
affinity with certain Anglo-American language
philosophy: Lyotard and Bakhtin. Their respective
formulation of the sociality of language play right
into Foucault's concern with the power-effects of
language; the major focus is on the "pragmatics" of
language (you see this in Lyotard's 'The Postmodern
Condition' and 'The Differend'). A really great
discussion of all of this, which frames Foucault's
ties with analytic philosophy (but does not mention
him explicitly, I think) is the fourth plateau in
Deleuze and Guattari, 'A Thousand Plateaus'--"November
20, 1923: Postulates of Linguistics". D/G are drawing
heavily from Foucault's influence, in particular the
latter's engagement with analytic philosophy.
Hope this helps.
-Tom
> At 05:25 AM 3/17/2005, you wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> >I am interested in learning more about the
> influence that analytical
> >philosophy had on Foucault and his ideas of power
> and discourse. In
> >'Foucault and His Interlocutors', in the chapter
> entitled 'Structures and
> >Strategies of Discourse', Davidson quotes Foucault:
> >
> >"For Anglo-Saxon analytic philosophy it is a
> question of making a critical
> >analysis of thought on the basis of the way in
> which one says things. I
> >think on could imagine, in the same way, a
> philosophy that would ... bear
> >rather on relations of power than on language
> games."
> >
> >Davidson later cites Foucault's early engagement
> with linguistic philosophy
> >and Wittgenstein in particular as evidence that
> Foucault's philosophy grew
> >from influences that weren't purely continental.
> >
> >I was wondering if anyone knew of any other
> statements by Foucault or
> >otherwise, in which this relationship is discussed?
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Ben Sorgiovanni
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Foucault-L mailing list
>
> _______________________________________________
> Foucault-L mailing list
>
__________________________________
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