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Product Description
Product Description
Foucault is one of those rare philosophers who has become a cult figure. Born in 1926 in France, over the course of his life he dabbled in drugs, politics, and the Paris SM scene, all whilst striving to understand the deep concepts of identity, knowledge, and power. From aesthetics to the penal system; from madness and civilisation to avant-garde literature, Foucault was happy to reject old models of thinking and replace them with versions that are still widely debated today. A major influence on Queer Theory and gender studies (he was openly gay and died of an AIDS-related illness in 1984), he also wrote on architecture, history, law, medicine, literature, politics and of course philosophy, and even managed a best-seller in France on a book dedicated to the history of systems of thought. Because of the complexity of his arguments, people trying to come to terms with his work have desperately sought introductory material that makes his theories clear and accessible for the beginner. Ideally suited for the Very Short Introductions series, Gary Gutting presents a comprehensive but non-systematic treatment of some highlights of Foucault's life and thought. Beginning with a brief biography to set the social and political stage, he then tackles Foucault's thoughts on literature, in particular the avant-garde scene; his philosophical and historical work; his treatment of knowledge and power in modern society; and his thoughts on sexuality.
About the Author
Gary Gutting is considered a leading expert on Foucault. Currently Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, Gutting has published several works on Foucault, including French Philosophy in the Twentieth Century (CUP, 2001); Michel Foucault's Archaeology of Scientific Reason (CUP, 1989); and was the editor of he Cambridge Companion to Foucault (CUP, 1994).
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think the reviewer before me was a little harsh on what is a short introduction to one of France's greatest intellectuals. This text book helped me through out my university years in grasping some of the key elements behind Foucault's text and also offers an insight into his thinking through out the years. I don't think the book is arbitrary (as mentioned by the previous reviewer) in covering what is a very massive body of work. It takes us through his ideas of power, politics, the birth of the institution, sexuality in a very accessible way. Notably, it is obviously not as concise as actually reading Foucault's writing, which can be very rewarding. But this little is a good book is effective in immersing you within Foucault's philosophy. My main criticism is that the last chapter on sexuality is somewhat a little meandering. Although it isn't classed as Foucault's strongest work, I do feel it doesn't capture the essence of 'history of sexuality' well enough. Overall i highly recommend it for those who want to an effective stepping stone into Foucault's work.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is ideal for an introduction to Foucault. It begins with a mini biography,followed by an ntroduction to his major works, including a clear introduction to both Foucault's Geneology and Archeology. It is concise, well written and would suit a reader at an undergraduate level. The sources and further reading are excellent for giving pointers to other authors related.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
According to Gayatri Chakravority Spivak, Gary Gutting (along with Paul Rabinow) is part of a wider Anglo-American trend who want to "save [Foucault] for Philosophy... One feels the tension of making Foucault fit for the consumption of American students and colleagues; the will to regularize him, normalize him, disciplinarize him." Gutting is one of a select few philosophers -alongside Christopher Norris- who seem fairly at ease both with Anglo-American Philosophy and its Continental counterpart. Like Norris's attempts to utilise and explain Derrida in Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, Gutting attempts to 'save' Foucault from the many common misconceptions of his work, including the common charge that he is an epistemic relativist or a moral nihilist. Indeed, whilst there is some truth in Spivak's charge that the American appropriation of Foucault and Derrida (thanks in no small part to the works of Stanley Fish and Richard Rorty) have misrepresented their wider projects, Gutting himself manages the deft trick of showing that, while there can be multiple 'readings' of Foucault -of his life and his work- there are still ways to read him against the grain of his intentions. As such, Gutting offers a frank discussion of Foucault's life and work, and teases out the contradictions, difficulties and strengths of a brilliant but opaque individual. And he does a wonderful job, giving the limits of the format and the obtuseness of much of Foucault's work.
Gutting doesn't get it pitch-perfect. This book often requires a little background knowledge from the reader- a section on a discussion about limit-experiences and the public/private dichotomy that involves a critique from Richard Rorty moves too fast for the uninitiated. Similarly, readers more familiar with Continental Philosophy might find Gutting's discussion of whether or not Foucault commits the Genetic Fallacy a tad too analytical. But these are small blips in a book that is lucid, honest, and open.
In the end, I think Spivak's charge against Gutting is unfair and possibly even ignorant. Simplicity and clarity can be political tools just as easily as obscurantism and multiplicity, and if this book exposes people to the 'toolbox' that Foucault attempted to provide to allow them to resist oppression then so much the better. (On the topic of Foucault's often difficult prose, Daniel Dennett recounts a discussion between John Searle and Michel Foucault: 'John Searle once told me about a conversation he had with the late Foucault: 'Michel, you're so clear in conversation; why is your written work so obscure?" To which Foucault replied "That's because, in order to be taken seriously by French Philosophers, twenty-five percent of what you write has to be impenetrable nonsense."I have coined a term for this tactic, in honor of Foucault's candor: eumerdification.') This book is not impenetrable nonsense, but learned, scholarly, and a worthwhile read, both for the uninitiated and the Foucault scholar.
Gutting doesn't get it pitch-perfect. This book often requires a little background knowledge from the reader- a section on a discussion about limit-experiences and the public/private dichotomy that involves a critique from Richard Rorty moves too fast for the uninitiated. Similarly, readers more familiar with Continental Philosophy might find Gutting's discussion of whether or not Foucault commits the Genetic Fallacy a tad too analytical. But these are small blips in a book that is lucid, honest, and open.
In the end, I think Spivak's charge against Gutting is unfair and possibly even ignorant. Simplicity and clarity can be political tools just as easily as obscurantism and multiplicity, and if this book exposes people to the 'toolbox' that Foucault attempted to provide to allow them to resist oppression then so much the better. (On the topic of Foucault's often difficult prose, Daniel Dennett recounts a discussion between John Searle and Michel Foucault: 'John Searle once told me about a conversation he had with the late Foucault: 'Michel, you're so clear in conversation; why is your written work so obscure?" To which Foucault replied "That's because, in order to be taken seriously by French Philosophers, twenty-five percent of what you write has to be impenetrable nonsense."I have coined a term for this tactic, in honor of Foucault's candor: eumerdification.') This book is not impenetrable nonsense, but learned, scholarly, and a worthwhile read, both for the uninitiated and the Foucault scholar.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Foucault unfogged
A clear and engaging introduction to one of the less accessible philosophers of the twentieth century by an expert who makes Foucault's most obscure musings as comprehensible as... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dr. Trevor G. Stammers
Pocket-sized Godsend
Focault was a confused and complicated individual whose work fortunately whilst verbose introduced some extremely worthwhile concepts into the modern philosophical arena. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Lois
great
This book was just what I was looking for.I became interested in knowing about Foucault studying the social sciences and I found out a great deal from this introduction.
Published 18 months ago by watcher
Excellent review of Foucault's work
This is the first book of its kind that I've felt has taken me into Foucault's mind and work. He's a notoriously difficult author and he's been accused of deliberate obfuscation,... Read more
Published on 15 July 2009 by R. Napier
Opaque writing
I already knew some Foucault when I picked up this book and I expected to race through it like it did with the excellent Very Short Introduction to Litterary Theory. Read more
Published on 25 May 2007 by asp
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