Desire itself is neither good nor bad. It is a natural consequence of the kind of beings we are and the way we relate to our world. Through reflective consciousness, we develop a sense of causality, time, and distinction between objects. We form beliefs about the world’s present state through our experience of it, and we form desires about its future state. While we sometimes directly choose what we desire, this process more often happens automatically.
Desires are a way of conceptually realizing our needs. We perceive a need that must be met, and we find a way of meeting it through a particular goal. An intentional desire is nothing other than a conceptual pathway built out of logic and reason that leads to the completion of our goal. That we can see this causal linkage so clearly and certainly is what makes it so easy for us to become attached.
Poststructuralism as a Regime of Truth: Foucault and the Paradox of Philosophical Authority
Foucault’s critique of power and knowledge shaped poststructuralism, yet its rejection of truth risks becoming its own orthodoxy. To remain...