The Irony Of The Knowledge/Power

"Knowledge is Virture-Knowledge is Power-Knowledge is Utilitarian" is a typicall trajectory of western thinking. Through the study on the change of knowledge: "Virtue-Power-Utilitarian", we can see the characteristic of modern knowledge is the self production of power, which means knowledge is no longer the aim but the instrument. This change consists the inner reason of the crisis of modernity.The dissertation has three parts:Part1, knowledge is virtue, in which the wisdom of Socrates: "One knows that one is ignorant through oneself" has been discussed. This Socratic assertion focus on limitation, human power is limited by the virture. This wisdom is well exhibited in greek tragedy Antigone and Oedipus, which show us how gods constraint human power.Part2, knowledge is power. To Bacon, the knowledge was a tool which could be used to conquer the universe. Knowledge is no longer under the command of the virture but as an instrument to gain power. So that, the limits of human power has been lost, the place of god has been taken by human. Foucault elaborated how the knowledge could be used as a mean to achieve the rule between people. All above will be examined in this part.Part3, knowledge is utilitarian. This view emphasizes the effect of knowledge, and uses power to create the legitimacy. Through the reading of Taylor, we acknowledge his malaise of modernity:individualism, instrumental rationality, "liberalism". Instrumental rationality estimates everything under the principle of utility, even human value. Obviously, it leads to the materialization of human. Through the study on political romantic, such as the theory of Richard Rorty and Carl Schmitt, we extened the comprehension of modernity. In my opinion, Political romantic slide down into nihilism. The trajectory of knowledge: "Virtue-Power- Utilitarian" allows close integration of knowledge and power. Power can produce their own legitimacy, the rule of power is the only way to follow. If going on deteriorating, it would bring great harm to the culture of a nation, and the spirit of a nation would be lost.