Quote:
"It is perhaps risky to consider the opposition between true and false as a third system of exclusion, along with those just mentioned. How could one reasonably compare the constraint of truth with divisions like those, which are arbitrary to start with or which at least are organized around historical contingencies; which are not only modifiable but in perpetual displacement; which are supported by a system of institutions which impose them and renew them"
Question:
How do you feel about Foucault's claim that our conception of truth is rooted in our historical and social context and is easily modifiable and in perpetual change? Do you agree with it?
I agree with Foucault and I feel like his reference to past conceptions of truth in the Middle Ages is very much in line with the notion of scopic regimes we learned about earlier in class. While we seek true discourse, what we consider to be true is wholly defined based on our access to knowledge, and our pursuit of knowledge is often driven by our perceptions of what it means for something to be true.
ReplyDeleteI would agree that our conception of truth is rooted in historical and social context, however I do not think I necessarily agree that it is easily modifiable, even though it will always be perpetually changing. While I do also agree that a good deal of our knowledge comes from our relations with others and institutions, I also think that some knowledge does come from observation.
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