An analysis of Foucault's "introduction to Kant's anthropology": Foucauldian archaeology as a search for a non-anthropological version of the fundamental

Official URL: http://192.168.1.20/record=b1295926 (Table of Contents)

Michel Foucault's relationship to several philosophers -whom Foucault himself declared openly his philosophical allegiances, such as Nietzsche, Marx or Heidegger- has been widely and repeatedly analyzed without much discord. His self proclaimed Kantianism on the other hand, starting particularly after his essay entitled "Qu’estce que la critique?" published in 1978, -in which Foucault provides his own interpretation of Kant's essay entitled "What is Enlightenment?"-, had been subjected to fierce criticisms. Primarily after Habermas' accusations Foucault's late return to Kant was mainly considered as an apologetic move, an inconsistent proclamation that does not fit well with the rest of his philosophical oeuvre; a sort of criticism which insists that this supposedly penitent move is an indication of Foucault finally realizing the dangers of ignoring to provide a normative background to his critical philosophy. With the new evidence provided by the recent publication of Foucault's complementary doctoral thesis (1961) on Kant's Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, this work defends the opposite thesis and puts forward that Foucault's relationship to Kant is much more intricate than previously thought. His Commentary on Kant's Anthropology provides enough evidence suggesting that his first encounters with (and immanent criticism of) Kantian philosophy more or less defines the path Foucault's own critical thought will follow. This work argues that Foucauldian critical project is a continuation of Kant's critical enterprise, while transforming it, in order to leave as little room possible for the transcendental. Therefore, at least during his archaeological period Foucauldian philosophy can be thought of as a sincere struggle with Kant and the philosophical link between these two philosophers should not be discarded hastily.