Bill Yanelli

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Edidin, Aron

Keywords

Ethics, Conscience, Foucault, Michel, Heidegger, Martin, Continental Philosophy, European Philosophy

Area of Concentration

Philosophy

Abstract

Discussing Michel Foucault's research of the history of ethical systems, this thesis argues for the viability of a properly Foucauldian political ethics�one informed by, but distinct from, the historical examples he studied. Such an ethics would stand in opposition to what Foucault called "domination" (not to be confused with "power"). Domination is an emergent structure of human relations that fortifies itself against any significant change, by: a) inducing participants in the structure to experience it as immutable (what Foucault called "subjectivation"); and b) creating spectacles that direct participants' conduct (what Foucault called "veridiction"). But to formulate an ethical procedure that opposes domination requires more "theorizing" than Foucault himself was willing to undertake. Hence the thesis argues for a strong connection between Foucault's works and Martin Heidegger's ontology. Specifically, Being and Time (the founding document of what later became known as "existentialism") can be read as a critique of subjectivation, and Heidegger's later writings on technology and art can be read as critiques of veridiction. In the end, this Heideggerian critique of Foucault's theoretical vagueness simultaneously functions as a Foucauldian critique of Heidegger's lack of attention to politics and ethics.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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