Every intention is the product of a reflective judgment. When I have a concern about something it is because I have reflected on a possible future that I judge will be bad for me in some way. Since this judgment could always be otherwise, the aversion that I have to this outcome is intentional. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I’ve given conscious thought to the matter. Reflective judgments like this often happen so automatically that it feels like they don’t happen at all.
When I then tell you about my concern, you might also reflect on the matter and form a similar judgment. In this way, my intention is passed on to you, which means we now share the same aversion. If we also become attached to this aversion, then we will suffer from anxiety. In this way, worry can spread quickly through a large group of people.
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...