Freud And Foucaults Discipline And Punish - 1598 Words

In reading both Freud’s â€Å"Civilization and Its Discontents† and Foucault’s â€Å"Discipline and Punish† it is apparent that they have different views on the function of human society. Freud’s general claim in his writing is that the purpose of human life is happiness. Though our current civilization often does not offer direct, intense satisfaction of our carnal desires, it does offer a more stable lifestyle that avoids pain and results in smaller, simpler pleasures. Foucault’s claims, on the other hand, focus more on the mechanics of human civilization. We are given the illusion of choice but are actually being controlled and separated into organized groups that create a kind of hierarchy for the individual to climb. One specific context that†¦show more content†¦Freud quotes the poet, Goethe, to support his point that science and art are superior forms of obtaining happiness when compared to religion (40). Religion is a way to avoid pondering on the questions that we are unable to know the answer to. Religion does not provide happiness, but it does promise happiness to the disciple in the future if he lives a predetermined way. According to Freud, this is would be inefficient because the possibility of this happiness is not certain, especially not in the physical human lifetime. He specifically elaborates on how science and art satisfy this requirement of sublimation in society because they provide pleasure for one while benefiting many. Art specifically provides pleasure for both the artist and the observer because of the concept of beauty. â€Å"Beauty has no obvious use; nor is there any clear cultural necessity for it. Yet civilization could not do without it† (53). Because beauty is not being used to deflect emotions or avoid pain, it is more effective as a method of happiness. The idea of something being beautiful is ingrained in our society; it is a major appeal to visit somewhere or interact with someone. Museums, Beaches, Colleges, including Flagler, use the appeal of beauty to attract people and provide them with visual pleasure that is sought by everyone. The purpose of beauty does not often call for justification because it is simply based upon personal aesthetic appeal.Show MoreRelatedBiographical Paper Of Michel Foucault1272 Words   |à ‚  6 Pagespsychiatrist and wrote â€Å"Malasle mentale et personalite† which was a short book on mental illness. He supported structuralist and poststructuralist movements and also protested on behalf of homosexuals. Some of the things he studied and wrote books for was Discipline and Punishment, The History of Sexuality, Madness and Civilization, The Order of Things, The Archaeology, The Birth of The Clinic, The Birth of Biopolitics, Society Must Be Defended, Power/ Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, SecurityRead MoreEssay on Postmodernism and Social Praxis4522 Words   |  19 Pagesin which the deconstructive processes of Michel Foucault are key. Her theology is an amalgam of Foucaults poststructuralist concepts and liberation theologys action-oriented motivation. Welch claims the genealogical methods of Foucault are ideal motivators, urging the activist to political involvement. However, Michel Foucaults genealogy was not intended for such pragmatic appli cations. Foucaults purpose in writing genealogies was never action-oriented. 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To gain knowledge of these power technologies, we will investigate the Panopticon design by British philosopher Jeremy Bentham as the â€Å"simple architectural idea† that was of great inï ¬â€šuence on de development of the discipline society we live in, which is described by the french philosopher Michel Foucault in his theory of Panopticism. We will investigate how this model relates to modern surveillance and social control. The tendency of individualising society or theRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesinformation please contact your local Pearson Education sales representative or visit www.pearsoned.co.uk/mcauley . Preface Introduction Over the past hundred years or so, Organization Theory has developed into a distinctive social science discipline. It is a body of thinking and writing that describes, explains and influences what goes on in organizations. It provides an underpinning body of knowledge that enables us to explore and develop management and leadership theory. In recent decades