BIOPOLITICS

The epistemology of biopolitics

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The epistemology of biopolitics: rediscovering Georges Canguilhem This research project will cast new light on the works of the philosopher of life and medical sciences, Georges Canguilhem. In the second half of the Twentieth Century a new and pressing issue emerged in international intellectual discourse: the ability of scientific rationality to intervene in the evolution of the human species. In the mid 1970’s, Michel Foucault defined this issue as “biopolitics”. Building upon the research of his mentor Canguilhem he described the simultaneous emergence of biological paradigms with the power of man over his own species. In Europe and the United States, the last decade has witnessed the hegemony of Foucault’s political focus in the research and intellectual debate concerning this issue. Meanwhile the fundamental epistemological focus of Georges Canguilhem has been unfortunately neglected. This project aims to rediscover and develop this focus in order to recast the debate about “biopolitics”. The project would be undertaken in collaboration with the “Centre Georges Canguilhem” located at the University of Paris VII. Research would be conducted upon at the CAPHES (Centre d’Archives de Philosophie d’Histoire et d’Édition des Sciences), where new unedited material contained in the “Fonds Canguilhem” has recently made available. The ultimate goal of the project is to build a new and fertile European research network within an international field, as well as to develop the professional career of the author.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

The ability of medicine and biology to intervene in all facets of human life is at the core of an ongoing research and intellectual debate, which is being conducted on an international scale. The 'The epistemology of biopolitics' (Biopolitics) project under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) delves into deeper understanding of this issue, seeking a new theoretical framework to apply to the debate.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

A radical idea in the history of human thought concerns the notion that through the dynamic forces of power and knowledge, people have the ability to control and modify the processes of life. Given this, life and the living being enter the realm of the political struggle.

A pressing issue which emerged in the second half of the Twentieth Century centred on this concept: how scientific rationality can intervene in the evolution of human beings. In the mid-1970s, Michel Foucault (1926-1984) French philosopher, sociologist and historian defined this concept as 'Biopolitics'. Foucault expanded upon the research of his mentor, Georges Canguilhem (1904-1995), a French philosopher and physician who specialised in the epistemology and the philosophy of science - biology in particular.

Foucault explored the notion of 'resistance' not in the negative sense as it is commonly known, but rather as a way to create and recreate, transform and process. He questioned how resistance impacts new forms of power relations and inclines the power relation to change along with it. The work of Foucault is still at the heart of the debate on biopolitics occurring over the last 15 years, in contrast to Canguilhem's work, which has been neglected.

This is precisely the impetus behind the Biopolitics project: rediscovering Canguilhem's work and its contribution to the contemporary debate on biopolitics. The project was involved in the editorial process of a book of Canguilhem's complete works. The publication of the first volume is set for this month (September 2010). Further, the primary research of the project focused on the unpublished works of the philosopher during the years 1929-1943 in order to understand the gradual rate of progression of his philosophical reflection on the epistemology of medicine and biology.

The research is likely to have a significant impact on the current biopolitics debate as well as a long-term societal impact in relation to other areas such as bioethics.