DEATH OF THE SUBJECT: HEIDEGGER AND FOUCAULT ON SUBJECT AND SUBJECTIVITY

Author

Qiuyue Chen

Date

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Philosophy

Committee Chair

Mary Beth Mader

Committee Member

James Bahoh

Committee Member

Daniel Smith

Abstract

The discourse on subjectivity, a central theme in philosophy, has garnered attention from thinkers like Heidegger and Foucault. Heidegger critiques subjectivity through a lens of metaphysics and ontology, while Foucault examines it as a social construct. This thesis aims to analyze their critiques and find common ground. The first chapter delves into Heidegger's critique of Cartesian subject and subject-object dualism in Being and Time and Being and Truth, arguing it obstructs a comprehensive understanding of human existence. In the second chapter, Foucault's analysis of subjectification, notably in The History of Sexuality, illustrates how the process of subjectification shapes self-knowledge and identities. The third chapter compares Heidegger’s and Foucault's perspectives, highlighting shared insights into subjectivity's historical and philosophical dimensions.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

Recommended Citation

Chen, Qiuyue, "DEATH OF THE SUBJECT: HEIDEGGER AND FOUCAULT ON SUBJECT AND SUBJECTIVITY" (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3533.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/3533