Resisting Truth: Foucault and Power

Paper Summary:

Philosopher Michael Foucault has had an extraordinary impact on the way in which power and sexuality are understood in modern society. This paper aims to enlighten the reader towards a broader understanding of sexuality and power according to Foucault. It also tests and questions Foucault's theories as they exist when practically applied.
Outline
Introduction
Foucault on Power
Foucault on Resistance and Freedom
Foucault and Sexuality
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Foucault has gone on in his later work to clarify the practice of freedom. Foucault talks of a subject as a work of art and as being ruled by the self upon the self, with intentional and voluntary acts . It is within this later work that Foucault appears to contradict himself. He requires that this rule not be prescriptive from an outside source and yet in his earlier work he made it clear that self-regulation with regards to an external, prevailing discourse is so prevalent in modern society as to be barely discernible. Whilst it may not be a true contradiction, it is hard to marry the two theories and to distinguish between the negative self-regulation and the positive rule applied by self upon self. "

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