Image by Nemomain, via Wikimedia Commons
Michel Foucault (1926-1984) was an enormously influential French philosopher who wrote, among other things, historical analyses of psychiatry, medicine, the prison system, and the function of sexuality in social organizations. He spent some time during the last years of his life at UC Berkeley, delivering several lectures in English. And happily they were recorded for posterity:
- Four Lectures on Truth and Subjectivity (1980)
- Six Lectures on Discourse and Truth (1983)
- Three Lectures on “The Culture of the Self” (1983)
These last lectures are also available on YouTube (in audio format).
One of Foucault’s more controversial and memorable books was Discipline and Punish (1977), which traced the transition from the 18th century use of public torture and execution to–less than 50 years later–the prevalence of much more subtle uses of power, with a focus on incarceration, rehabilitation, prevention, and surveillance.
Here he is in 1983 commenting on that book (thanks for the link to Seth Paskin). The Partially Examined Life podcast recently discussed the book with Katharine McIntyre, doctoral candidate at Columbia. Foucault’s image of the panopticon well captures modern privacy concerns in the electronic age.
Finally, we leave you with a Schoolhouse Rock-style presentation of Foucault’s book The History of Sexuality, Volume 1 and some vintage video of Foucault’s 1971 debate with Noam Chomsky. Foucault’s lectures have been added to our list of Free Philosophy Courses, part of our big collection, 1,700 Free Online Courses from Top Universities.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletter, please find it here.
If you would like to support the mission of Open Culture, consider making a donation to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your contributions will help us continue providing the best free cultural and educational materials to learners everywhere. You can contribute through PayPal, Patreon, Venmo (@openculture) and Crypto. Thanks!
Mark Linsenmayer runs the Partially Examined Life philosophy podcast and blog. He also performs with the Madison, WI band New People.
Related Content:
Jacques Lacan, Academic Rock Star, Gives a Public Lecture, 1972
Lovers and Philosophers — Jean-Paul Sartre & Simone de Beauvoir Together in 1967
Philosophy with a Southern Drawl: Rick Roderick Teaches Derrida, Foucault, Sartre and Others
100 Free Online Philosophy Courses (Part of Our List of 875 Free Courses Online)
gracias por este sitio.
quiero recibir actualizaciones..gracias.
Thanks for sharing. I feel grateful to have discovered this source of endeless Knowledge and Culture. I am going to listen Foucault lectures asap. To me he’s one of the most enlighted thinker of our times.
Great job you’re doing here!!… just a little mistake, the panopticon isn’t Foucault’s but Bentham’s, although Foucault did talk about it… keep the good work!
Great job you’re doing here!!… just a little mistake, the panopticon isn’t Foucault’s but Bentham’s, although Foucault did talk about it… keep the good work!!
Are the Berkeley links not working or is it just me?
a great source of entertainment; many thanx. That one of the greatest can be brought forward by technology and not only in reading…. very very rare
Stop nit-picking. We know you’re smart. Who cares who said it…Just know it.
This in wrong spot …is addressed to the person who counters that Foucault didn’t suggest the concept of The Panopticon. My teachings say he did anyway. That’s why I say again: “Stop nit-picking”. Bentham …Foucault….Take the info…fascinating concept and stop ‘levelling’ people.
You are doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work.
There nobody says that it is a concept of his, but the image that Foucault has of this idea.
Open Culture is an incredible way to review what you know
Learn what you never knew
Open your mind
Fascinating!
I send this site to many friends and family
Interested in receiving content from open culture.
What content would you like?
I does matter that the history of ideas is accurate. It is not nit picking.Your teachings can say whatever you decide you want them to be, but do make them accurate.
I am from Nepal I have read several articles and essays on any philosophical issues by Michael Foucault. Listening to him live will be like my dream come true.
With best regards,
Rajendra Prasad Koirala
Looking forward to , impatiently.
That’s good but, looking forward to your next post