Read the full article which is published on Philosophy Bits (external link)Most of the rules we follow are enforced by ourselves and the people around us. Often we do not even recognize these as rules, they are simply what we know we should do. By holding people to account, we remind others to follow the rules. If someone fails to respect the rules, we might apply a punishment as an incentive for them to follow the rules in the future.
But adding a new rule is not straightforward. It requires others to agree with us that the new rule should be enforced. If such an agreement has not been reached, then the rule will be powerless and it might as well not exist.
This is true even when the rule is imposed by an outside authority. Imposed rules are often supported by institutional enforcement in the form of policing and a system of justice. But even these rules might not be followed when agreement is lacking. If there is no agreement supporting a rule it can be met with disregard, scorn, or even hatred.
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...
