Parrhesiatic beatitude: The coming philosophy of life
LE3 .A278 2017
2017
Whitehall, Geoffrey
Acadia University
Master of Arts
Masters
Political Science
Politics
This thesis explores Giorgio Agamben’s hypothesis in “Absolute Immanence” that there is a coming philosophy of life situated in the work of Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault. In the essay, Agamben states that both Deleuze and Foucault revisit and subsequently reorient the concept of life just prior to their respective deaths. Agamben points to the concept of beatitude in Deleuze’s work and begins to locate this new philosophy of life. Beatitude is a life of pure joy and bliss and allows Deleuze to think life anew. While Agamben maintains the necessity of Foucault to the coming philosophy of life he fails to substantiate this claim. Therefore, a parallel concept to Deleuze’s beatitude is drawn out in Foucault’s work. Namely, Foucault’s concept parrhesia is shown to be a mode of truth telling where one risks their life in a courageous act. The concept of parrhesia indicates a movement in Foucault’s work and thus a different engagement with the concept of life. gamben’s hypothesis can, in conclusion, be answered through a dialogue staged between Deleuze and Foucault: together the concepts of beatitude and parrhesia are a way to think a coming philosophy of life.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1590