Read the full article which is published on Philosophy Bits (external link)When we think about how we can improve our lives, the range of our imagination is often limited. We have been raised and educated within the context of a given society. The options open to us seem predetermined by the ideals of that society and the existing lives of its members. Any possible change to the society itself seems unlikely or even impossible. We cannot imagine a major change, as we have never experienced one before.
We find ourselves trapped in a game with a limited set of moves. This is the game that corresponds to our society’s existing form of life. In deciding how to live, we feel forced to choose from the moves that are permitted within the game, and this places heavy restrictions on what we can do and be.
The task of art is to expand the scope of the game. It is to show us that there are possible moves that are not included in the official rules. It is to show us that the game is only a small part of a richer and more diverse world.
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...
