[Foucault-L] historical ontology and ontological history

Dear listers,

I was wondering if someone could explain to me the difference between “ontological history” and “historical ontology.” Are these terms simply synonymous, or is there a clear difference between them?

I know Foucault mostly uses the phrase "historical ontology of ourselves" but in some of the lectures at Berkely he also uses "ontological history of ourselves." is the latter simply the result of the French way of saying things being transposed into English (ontologie historique de nous-mêmes), or is Foucault uses these two phrases interchangably?

I’ve tried goggling, but haven’t got much further that realising that the former term has been associated with Heidegger, Merleu-Ponty, and the like, and that latter is associated with Foucault, Hacking, etc., but I have come across no discussion of the similarities or differences between two phrases.

Is the difference that whereas “ontological history” deals with the “being of history,” “historical ontology” addresses the “history of being”?

Any help with this – explanation, description, being pointed in the right direction, references, etc. – would be most warmly received.

Kind regards,
Kevin.


Folow-ups
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    • From: Chetan Vemuri
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