A Critical Analysis of Michel Foucault’s Historical Analysis of Power: Can he avoid the goods of freedom and truth?

Abstract

Michel Foucault argues that no notions of truth lie outside of systems of power. The methodology of the study is restricted to philosophical analysis and reflection based on two of Foucault’s major works, Discipline and Punish, and History of Sexuality, Vol. I. For Foucault, modern power is a pervasive and ubiquitous phenomenon that cannot be avoided by rational agents. He thinks that the modern power operates, unlike the old system of power which manifests itself through the physical infliction of pain on a subject, in a more insidious way through discourses which again operates under the guise of science. In other words, there is no truth that can be defended against systems of power. But, we shall argue that Foucault cannot consistently defend this position. And the significance of the study is to show that that there are implicit notions of the good and truth in Foucault’s historical analysis and thus he commits a performative contradiction. The results and discussions of the study merely focused on articulating the relevance of philosophy to our everyday life and we shall conclude that such goal cannot be achieved without the presupposition of truth.