Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Michel Foucault on Regenerative Relatedness of Power/Knowledge and Truth

  • Published:
Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Michel Foucault (1926–1984) suggests that there is an implicit conjunction between knowledge, power and truth. Even if knowledge and power are two different phenomena, each regulates the production of the other. Thus, it follows that knowledge does not exist prior to power as a determining factor for its being and nor even does it control while it comes to exist; on the contrary, knowledge and power are intimately and productively related to each other, the relationship that ultimately determines the production of truth. Just as power and knowledge are closely knit ensuring the existence of each other, so also truth that always exists together with power and knowledge. In ‘Truth and Power,’ Michel Foucault counters the major theoretical trends like Marxism and traces the instances of truth and power as they intertwine in the exercise of power relations. Truth and power sustain and produce each other which uncompromisingly affirm Foucault’s claim of power, knowledge and truth being intrinsically connected.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980a). ‘Truth and Power,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 133.

  2. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books. P. 93.

  3. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980b). ‘Body/Power,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 59.

  4. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books. P. 23.

  5. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books. P. 35.

  6. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books. P. 45.

  7. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980g). ‘Two Lectures on Power,’ Lecture 2, in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 98.

  8. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980g). ‘Two Lectures on Power,’ Lecture 2, in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 98.

  9. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books. P. 93.

  10. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980d). ‘Prison Talk,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 52.

  11. Ammann (2019). Who Said ‘knowledge is Power’? February 13. Accessed March 7, 2019. https://www.quora.com/who-said-knowledge-is-power.

  12. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980d). ‘Prison Talk,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 52.

  13. Foucault, Michel, trans. Alan Sheridan. (1979b). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books. P. 28.

  14. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980h). ‘Two Lectures on Power,’ Lecture One, in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 81.

  15. Ibid., 86.

  16. Foucault, Michel. trans. Robert Hurley. (1990). The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction. London: Penguin Books.

  17. Foucault, Michel, eds. P. Foss and P. Taylor. (1984/5). " ‘Interview: The Regard for Truth’”, in Art and Text, Burnout, 16, 29.

  18. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980e). ‘Power and Strategies,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 145.

  19. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980b). ‘Body/Power,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 62.

  20. Foucault, Michel. (1991). ‘Discourse on Power.’ In Remarks on Marx, by trans. R. James Goldstein and James Cascaito. New York: Semiotext(e), Columbia University. P. 174.

  21. Kendall and Wickham (1999). Using Foucault’s Methods. London: Sage.

  22. Foucault, Michel, trans. Alan Sheridan. (1979a). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books. P. 107.

  23. Foucault, Michel. (1970). The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences. London: Tavistock. P. 347.

  24. Daimary and Baglari (2015). The 150 Years Celebration: Northern Assam Deanery, Church of North India. Guwahati: Udalguri. P. 23.

  25. Parashar and Rana (2019). IAF Pilot Abhinandan's Return Delayed as Pakistan Forces Him to Record Propaganda Video. March 2. Accessed March 4, 2019. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/iaf-pilot-abhinandan's-return-delayed-aspakistan-forces-him-to-record-propaganda-video/articleshow/68225793.cms.

  26. Foucault, Michel. (1988b). ‘Critical Theory/Intellectual Theory.’ In Politics, Philosophy, Culture: Interviews and Other Writings, 1977–1984, by ed. Lawrence D. Kritzman Routledge. London: Routledge. P. 39.

  27. Foucault, Michel. (1988e). ‘The Dangerous Individual.’ In Politics, Philosophy, Culture: Interviews and Other Writings, 1977–1984, by ed. Lawrence D. Kritzman. London: Routledge. P. 127.

  28. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980f). ‘Truth and Power,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 131.

  29. Foucault, Michel. (1988d). ‘The Concern for Truth.’ In Politics, Philosophy, Culture: Interviews and Other Writings, 1977–1984, by ed. Lawrence D. Kritzman. London: Routledge. P. 257.

  30. Foucault, Michel, ed. C. Gordon. (1980f). ‘Truth and Power,’ in Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books. P. 131.

  31. Foucault, Michel. (1981). ‘The Order of Discourse.’ In Untying the Text: A Post-Structuralist Reader, by ed. R. Young. London: Routledge, Kegan and Paul. P. 56.

  32. Foucault, Michel. (1988a). ‘Power and Sex: Discussion with Bernard-Henri Levy,’ In Politics, Philosophy, Culture: Interviews and Other Writings, 1977–1984, by ed. Lawrence D. Kritzman. London: Routledge. P. 112.

  33. Foucault, Michel. (1979a). ‘Truth and Power,’ In Michel Foucault: Power/Truth/Strategy, by eds. M. Morris and P. Patton. Sydney: Feral Publications. P. 46.

  34. Ibid., 46.

  35. Eribon, D., trans. Betsy Wing. (1991). Michel Foucault. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.

  36. Eribon, D., trans. Betsy Wing. (1991). Michel Foucault. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.

  37. Eribon, D., trans. Betsy Wing. (1991). Michel Foucault. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.

  38. Foucault, Michel. (1988c). ‘Technologies of the Self.’ In Technologies of the Self, by H. Gutman and P. H. Hutton eds. L. H. Martin. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. P. 18.

References

  • Ammann, E. (2019). Who said “knowledge is power”? February 13. Retrieved March 7, 2019 from https://www.quora.com/who-said-knowledge-is-power.

  • Daimary, K., & Baglari, C. E. (2015). The 150 years celebration: Northern Assam Deanery, Church of North India. Guwahati: Udalguri.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eribon, D., trans. Betsy Wing. (1991). Michel Foucault. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.

  • Foucault, M. (1970). The order of things: An archaeology of the human sciences. London: Tavistock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1979a). Truth and power. In M. Morris & P. Patton (Eds.), Michel Foucault: Power/truth/strategy (Vol. 46). Sydney: Feral Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1979b). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). Harmondsworth: Penguin.

  • Foucault, M. (1980a). Truth and power. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. Harvester: Brighton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980b). Body/power. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980c). Body/power. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980d). Prison talk. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980e). Power and strategies. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980f). Truth and power. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980g). Two lectures on power, lecture 2. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1980h). Two lectures on power, lecture 1. In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge. New York: Pantheon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1981). The order of discourse. In R. Young (Ed.), Untying the text: A post-structuralist reader (Vol. 56). London: Routledge, Kegan and Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1984/1985). Interview: The regard for truth. In P. Foss, & P. Taylor (Eds.), Art and text, Burnout, Vol. 16, p. 29.

  • Foucault, M. (1988a). Power and sex: Discussion with Bernard-Henri Levy. In L. D. Kritzman (Ed.), Politics, philosophy, culture: Interviews and other writings, 1977–1984 (Vol. 112). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1988b). Critical theory/intellectual theory. In L. D. Kritzman (Ed.), Politics, philosophy, culture: Interviews and other writings, 1977–1984 (Vol. 39). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1988c). Technologies of the self. In H. Gutman, P. H. Hutton, & L. H. Martin (Eds.), Technologies of the self (Vol. 18). Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1988d). The concern for truth. In L. D. Kritzman (Ed.), Politics, philosophy, culture: Interviews and other writings, 1977-1984 (Vol. 257). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1988e). The dangerous individual. In L. D. Kritzman (Ed.), Politics, philosophy, culture: Interviews and other writings, 1977–1984 (Vol. 127). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foucault, M. (1990). The history of sexuality: An introduction (R. Hurley, Trans.), Vol. 1. London: Penguin Books.

  • Foucault, M. 1991. Discourse on power. In Remarks on Marx (R. James Goldstein, & J, Cascaito, Trans.), Vol. 174. New York: Semiotext(e), Columbia University.

  • Kendall, G., & Wickham, G. (1999). Using Foucault’s methods. London: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Parashar, S., & Rana, Y. (2019). IAF pilot Abhinandan’s return delayed as Pakistan forces him to record propaganda video. March 2. Retrieved March 4, 2019 from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/iaf-pilot-abhinandan’s-return-delayed-as-pakistan-forces-him-to-record-propaganda-video/articleshow/68225793.cms.

Download references

Acknowledgements

Being the author, I would like to thank both the unknown reviewers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya, India

    Jagadish Basumatary

Authors
  1. Jagadish Basumatary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jagadish Basumatary.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Basumatary, J. Michel Foucault on Regenerative Relatedness of Power/Knowledge and Truth. J. Indian Counc. Philos. Res. 37, 323–341 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-020-00224-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40961-020-00224-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation