Critique Of Knowledge

Foucault's life was dedicated to reveal and criticize modern Western mode of "subjectieviezation". Since the Enlightenment, one of the characteristics of western society is the increasingly crucial role of knowledge to the main building of modern society. The investigation to knowledge, especially for the critical thinking of modern western society, which has become Foucault's basic areas.This paper suggests Foucault's critical thinking from the diachronic and synchronic perspectives. Specifically, from the diachronic perspective, according to the themes, lines and methods of Foucault's study ,his knowledge thinking is divided into five phases: the period of history archeology of knowledge; the period of history structural archaeological of knowledge; the period of archeology methodology reflection of knowledge; the period of social function study of knowledge (knowledge and power relations);the exploration period of constructive function of the discourse knowledge to ethical subject. From the synchronic perspective, this paper analyzes the targets and the appropriate strategy of Foucault's criticism. Foucault's targets have two categories: Firstly, the inspection history of the development of knowledge, Foucault criticizes the Anthropological subjectivism or Humanist trying to build knowledge of archeology; Secondly, thinking about the birth of truth (that is, knowledge and power relations), Foucauit criticizes science / ideology mode, advocates "truth / power" mode of thinking.In addition, the paper also outlines the framework of Foucault's knowledge wholly. That Foucault's understanding of knowledge is constituted of "the targets of experience" and a "statement" is not the same in different times. They are decided by "episteme" or "The historical a priori". And specific "episteme" is closely related to the specific power mode. Under the integration of power, truth is a package of discourse (knowledge) for the selection, laws, distribution, and the role of the circulation procedures. The process of reflecting through the truth of the game or positioning themselves is so called Foucault's "subjectieviezation" process.Finally, this paper summarizes the origins and ideological background of Foucault's knowledge.