FOUCAULT AND PARRHESIA. THE PROBLEM OF DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

Abstract

In the last years of his life, Foucault undertook a genealogy of parrhesia (of truth-telling) in the fi eld of politics and in the history of philosophy. Basing his analysis on classical Greek and Roman sources, Foucault uncovered a scenario in which the courage of truth has always had a greater place in political experience. What we address in this work is to discuss some points that seem problematic in this Foucauldian genealogy, in particular, a reference to truth in democratic parrhesia and the relationship between philosophy and politics.

Keywords: Foucault. Parrhesia. Democracy. Philosophy.