"What is critique?" Critique and contemporaneity in the late Foucault

Guest lecture by Knut Ove Eliassen

1978 sees the turning of page in Michel Foucault's oeuvre as he reengages with the philosophy of history of Immanuel Kant. Confronting Kant's writings on contemporary and historical issues with his three critiques Foucault endeavors to rearticulate a concept of critique that is compatible with the Nietzschean notion of genealogy. The lecture will in particular deal with a less known intervention of Foucault at the Société francaise de la philosophie in May 1978, published posthumously under the title "What is Critique?"

Knut Ove Eliassen, dr. philos, is Professor of comparative literature, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. Books and articles on post war French philosophy, media archaeology, early modern literary history, etc. Currently involved in ocean research, specifically exploring representations of the ocean from the point of view of resource politics and regulatory governance. His latest books are Foucaults begreper (2016) and Kvalitetsforståelser (m/Øyvind Prytz) (2016).

All are welcome

Organised by The Contemporary Condition research project at Aarhus University, and made possible by a grant from the Danish Council for Independent Research. contemporaneity.au.dk