Stephen Scheidell

Dr. Benson
PHIL 280
Word count: 252
Foucault What is nli!hten"ent # Su$%ect and Po&er
What is Enlightenment?
Foucault see"s to call 'or a ne& critical(historical approach to stud)in! the
nli!hten"ent. *ather than pic+in! and a''ir"in! ,!ood, ideas and re%ectin! the ,$ad-,
&e are to reco!ni.e the historical li"itations o' the epoch. /ritical(historical anal)ses
$eco"es- then- understandin! our o&n li"itations in our !i0en te"poral state. We are not
'ree and autono"ous indi0iduals a$le to do &hate0er &e please- $ut &e are su$%ect to our
!i0en po&er structures.
1his ne& approach allo&s 'or ne& interpretations 'or the nli!hten"ent- or 'or
that "atter an) historical e0ent or period. He ar!ues to start see+in! &ithin the
nli!hten"ent its li"itations- $oth 'ro" &hich it arose and to &hich it !a0e rise.
2onetheless- his ad0ice is not "erel) ne!ati0e and restricti0e. He also ar!ues to see+
&ithin those li"itations the possi$ilities no& re0ealed. 1his approach to the
nli!hten"ent allo&s us to 0ie& the nli!hten"ent as a necessar) step 'ro" oppressi0e
"onarchial polities and to&ard a "ore 'ree and de"ocratic societ)- rather than acceptin!
or re%ectin! as a &hole.
Subject and Power
1his essa) continues the the"e in ,What is nli!hten"ent3,. 1his criti4ue "a)
"ost li+el) $e s)"pto"atic o' the li"ited e5posure I ha0e to Foucault- $ut I personall)
'ail to see ho& this insi!ht into our condition re0eals "ore than the si"ple notion o' our
'inite and li"ited options. Perhaps his &or+ ai"s pri"aril) at those hopelessl) still
clin!in! to nli!hten"ent ideals o' autono"ous li$ert).