The Government of Self and Others: Lectures at the Collège de France 1982–1983 (Michel Foucault, Lectures at the Collège de France)

An exciting and highly original examination of the practices of truth-telling and speaking out freely (parr?sia) in ancient Greek tragedy and philosophy. Foucault discusses the difficult and changing practices of truth-telling in ancient democracies and tyrannies and offers a new perspective on the specific relationship of philosophy to politics. An Exciting And Highly Original Examination Of The Practices Of Truth-telling And Speaking Out Freely (parresia) In Ancient Greek Tragedy And Philosophy. Foucault Discusses The Difficult And Changing Practices Of Truth-telling In Ancient Democracies And Tyrannies. The Lectures Given By Michel Foucault In 1983 At The Collège De France Launch An Inquiry Into The Notion Of Parrẽsia And Continue His Rereading Of Ancient Philosophy. Through The Study Of This Notion Of Truth-telling, Of Speaking Out Freely, Foucault Re-examines Greek Citizenship, Showing How The Courage Of Truth Forms The Forgotten Ethical Basis Of Athenian Democracy. He Describes How, With The Decline Of The City-states, The Courage Of Truth Is Transformed And Becomes Directed Personally To The Prince's Soul, Giving Us A New Reading Of Plato's Seventh Letter. The Platonic Figure Of The Philosopher King, The Condemnation Of Writing, And Socrates' Rejection Of Political Involvement Are Some Of The Many Topics Of Ancient Philosophy Revisited In Foucault's Lectures. In The Midst Of Brilliant Interpretations Of Greek Tragedy, Political Theory, And Philosophy, Foucault Allows Us To Rethink The Role, The Significance, And The Transformation Of Practices Of Parrẽsia From Antiquity To The Present. Moreover, In These Lectures Foucault Constructs A Figure Of The Philosopher In Which He Recognized Himself And With This Rereading Of Greek Thinkers He Assures His Own Placement In Philosophical Modernity, Problematizes His Own Function, And Defines His Mode Of Thinking And Being. -- Jacket. Introduction: Arnold I. Davidson -- Translator's Note -- 5 January 1983: First Hour -- 5 January 1983: Second Hour -- 12 January 1983: First Hour -- 12 January 1983: Second Hour -- 19 January 1983: First Hour -- 19 January 1983: Second Hour -- 26 January 1983: First Hour -- 26 January 1983: Second Hour -- 2 February 1983: First Hour -- 2 February 1983: Second Hour -- 9 February 1983: First Hour -- 9 February 1983: Second Hour -- 16 February 1983: First Hour -- 16 February 1983: Second Hour -- 23 February 1983: First Hour -- 23 February 1983: Second Hour -- 2 March 1983: First Hour -- 2 March 1983: Second Hour -- 9 March 1983: First Hour -- 9 March 1983: Second Hour -- Course Context -- Index Of Notions -- Index Of Names. Michel Foucault ; Edited By Frédéric Gros ; General Editors, François Ewald And Alessandro Fontana ; Translated By Graham Burchell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Translated From The French. "The course given by Michel Foucault from February to March 1984, under the title 'The Courage of Truth', was his last at the Collège de France. His death shortly after, on June 25th, tempts us to detect a philosophical testament in these lectures, especially in view of the prominence they give to the theme of death, notably through a reinterpretation of Socrates' last words--'Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius'--which, with Georges Dumézil, Foucault understands as the expression of a profound gratitude towards philosophy for its cure of the only serious illness: that of false opinions and prejudices. These lectures continue and radicalize the analyses of those of the previous year. Foucault's 1983 lectures investigated the function of 'truth telling' in politics in order to establish courage and conviction as ethical conditions for democracy irreducible to the formal rules of consensus. With the Cynics, this manifestation of the truth no longer appears simply as a risky speaking out, but in the very substance of existence. In fact, Foucault offers an incisive study of ancient Cynicism as practical philsophy, athleticism of the truth, public provocation, and ascetic sovereignty. The scandal of the true life is constructed in oppositon to Platonism and its world of transcendent intelligible forms"--Publisher's description, p. [2] of dust jacket. The lectures given by Michel Foucault in 1983 at the College de France launch an inquiry into the notion of parrA"sia and continue his rereading of ancient philosophy. Through the study of this notion of truth-telling, of speaking out freely, Foucault re-examines Greek citizenship, showing how the courage of truth forms the forgotten ethical basis of Athenian democracy. He describes how, with the decline of the city-states, the courage of truth is transformed and becomes directed personally to the Prince's soul, giving us a new reading of Plato's seventh letter. The platonic figure of the philosopher king, the condemnation of writing, and Socrates' rejection of political involvement are some of the many topics of ancient philosophy revisited in Foucault's lectures. In the midst of brilliant interpretations of Greek tragedy, political theory, and philosophy, Foucault allows us to rethink the role, the significance, and the transformation of practices of parrA"sia from antiquity to the present. Moreover, in these lectures Foucault constructs a figure of the philosopher in which he recognized himself and with this rereading of Greek thinkers he assures his own placement in philosophical modernity, problematizes his own function, and defines his mode of thinking and being Cover Title Page Copyright CONTENTS Foreword Translator’s Note One: 5 January 1983: First Hour Two: 5 January 1983: Second Hour Three: 12 January 1983: First Hour Four: 12 January 1983: Second Hour Five: 19 January 1983: First Hour Six: 19 January 1983: Second Hour Seven: 26 January 1983: First Hour Eight: 26 January 1983: Second Hour Nine: 2 February 1983: First Hour Ten: 2 February 1983: Second Hour Eleven: 9 February 1983: First Hour Twelve: 9 February 1983: Second Hour Thirteen: 16 February 1983: First Hour Fourteen: 16 February 1983: Second Hour Fifteen: 23 February 1983: First Hour Sixteen: 23 February 1983: Second Hour Seventeen: 2 March 1983: First Hour Eighteen: 2 March 1983: Second Hour Nineteen: 9 March 1983: First Hour Twenty: 9 March 1983: Second Hour Course Context Index of Names Index of Concepts and Notions "Modern philosophy is a practice which tests its reality in its relationship to politics. It is a practice which finds its function of truth in the criticism of illusion, deception, trickery, and flattery. Finally, it is a practice which finds the object of its exercise in the transformation of the subject by himself and of the subject by the other. Philosophy as exteriority with regard to a politics which constitutes its test of reality, philosophy as critique of a domain of illusion which challenges it to constitute itself as true discourse, and philosophy as ascesis, that is to say, as constitution of the subject by himself, are what constitute the modern mode of being of philosophy" This lecture, given by Michel Foucault at the Collge de France, launches an inquiry into the notion of parresia and continues his rereading of ancient philosophy. Through the study of this notion of truth-telling, of speaking out freely, Foucault re-examines Greek citizenship, showing how the courage of the truth forms the forgotten ethical basis of Athenian democracy. The figure of the philosopher king, the condemnation of writing, and Socrates' rejection of political involvement are some of the many topics of ancient philosophy revisited here.