File spoon-archives/foucault.archive/foucault_1994/F-3, message 38


Date: Wed, 19 Oct 94 12:19:58 CST
From: Walt Stein <walt-AT-epsilon.rhesys.mb.ca>
To: foucault-AT-world.std.com
Subject: Re: Foucault and 'the starving millions'


In Article <510BA44A1-AT-its.dundee.ac.uk>
k.j.mcphail-AT-dundee.ac.uk writes:

> trivialise Foucaults and Derrias fictions.  It is very difficult to 
> tell someone who has witnessed the 'reality' of genocide that 'world 
> itself is nothing other than art', and that 'there is no true world.' 
> Is Foucault really working at such a superficial level?  What is the 
> scope and context of Foucaults work?

Since I am sure that this query will probably produce a great deal
of replies, I wish only to point you in an interesting direction.
Quite coincidentally, I was recently directed by another member of
the group to the volume, Michel Foucault, Philosophe, and--just last
night--happened to be reading the essay by James Bernauer, entitled
(quite relevantly) "Beyond Life and Death. On Foucault's
post-Aushwitz ethic". I don't know that I agree with Bernauer on
many of his points, but a quick read of this essay and its
rejoinders reminds us of what someone (Frank Lettrichia or
Jameson(sic!), I think) said elsewhere of Foucault---that it is
impossible to miss the white hot rage in his texts.  Nor, from a
reading of the David Macey bio, the white hot rage in his lived
experience.  Suggest you have a look at the essay.

I think I detect such rage in Derrida too....although, admittedly,
maybe not so much in some of his acolytes.

Yours,
Walt

   

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