Michel Foucault: The Hermeneutic of the Subject

Foucault, Michel. “The Hermeneutic of the subject.” In Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth, 93-106. London: Penguin, 1994.

Key Words: ‘care of the self,’ ‘true discourse,’ personal practice

Other Words: metaphors of struggle and medicine, 'truth,' principles of action, techniques, duty

‘The Hermeneutic of the Subject’ brings together some of Foucault’s core ideas about what he terms ‘care of the self’ (epimeleia heautou). Desipte the text’s title, he writes: “But there should be no misunderstanding; it is not a matter of uncovering a truth in the subject or making the soul the place where truth resides…The object, rather, is to arm the subject with truth it did not know’ (101-102). The text addresses this object by describing various technologies for performing the self as a being that becomes through the practice of knowledge.

Having identified ‘care of the self’ as a precept of both Christian asceticism (Gregory of Nyssa) and ancient philosophy (Socrates, Seneca, Plutarch, Marcus Aurelius), Foucault emphasizes the ancient prioritization of ‘care of the self’ over ‘know thy self,’ with the former comprising a set of complex and regulated techniques. The purpose of this project was, as Socrates observed, to develop better citizens. Only those with sufficient leisure could dedicate themselves to ‘care of the self,’ making it both a life-long duty and practice.

‘Care of the self’ is often described in pedagogic terms and presented through metaphors related to sport and warfare. To temper this emphasis on battle, Foucault draws out practice’s curative aspect. For example, he cites Marcus Aurelius’ comparison of on the discourse underpinning this practice to the instrument kit surgeons carry around with them (100).

Indeed, discourse (what Foucault terms ‘true discourse’) is an integral aspect of ‘care of the self.’’ It is through discussing and reflecting on these techniques that they become embedded in the subject as a resource for practice. The aim here is not to accumulate knowledge as an end in itself but rather ‘…to assimilate it so thoroughly that it becomes part of oneself, an abiding, always-active, inner principle of action’ (101). To this end, Foucault understands ‘care of the self’ not as a pastime but as a way of living, a program through which one comes to achieve self-sovereignty and, ultimately, self-enjoyment.

That there are clear commonalities between ‘care of the self’ as a principle or principles for action and what CP terms ‘transforming through doing,’ makes Foucault’s archeology a useful point of departure for exploring the themes of ‘paying attention’ and ‘care of the self’ that the cluster has chosen to focus on in the 2008/2009 year. How, for example, might we think of projects as both an individual and shared? Using discourse to investigate the interplay between the body or bodies of members comprising our research cluster and the ways in which individual constituents care for themselves could serve as a focus for our proposed work around ‘care of the self’.

In a similar vein, the final section of this essay might serve as preparatory reading for the twenty-four-hour retreat. It explores the distinctions between exercises carried out in real situations and training achieved through thought experiments, two kinds of activity that may well comprise this event.

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