Foucault and the Art of Ethics - by Timothy O'Leary (Paperback)

About the Book

The work of Michel Foucault has been extremely influential in fields as varied as philosophy, history, cultural studies, sociology and sexuality studies. Foucault and the Art of Ethics argues that Foucault's exploration of the history of sexuality and his re-interpretation of the critical philosophical tradition combine to frame a new approach both to the way we understand the tasks of philosophy and to the way we live our lives. This is essential reading for all those working at the intersection of contemporary debates in philosophy, ethics, politics and cultural studies.

Book Synopsis

The work of Michael Focault has been extremely influential in fields as varied as philosophy, history, cultural studies, sociology and sexualilty studies. In his later work, Focault turned to the question of ethics. Working back through history, through the Christian interrogation of desire to the origins of the self in the texts of classical Greece, Focault attempted to concieve of ethics as an art of the self, as an aesthetics of existence and as a practice of liberty. Focault and the Art of Ethics argues that Focault's exploration of the history of sexuality and reinterpretation of the critical philosophical tradition combine to frame a new approach both to the way we understand the tasks of philosophy and to the way we live our lives. The book is essential reading for all those working at the intersection of contemporary debates in philosophy, ethics, politics and cultural studies. Timothy O'Leary is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. He has spent several years working in the Focault Archives and has published on Focault, aesthetics and literature.

Review Quotes

""Foucault and the Art of Ethics" provides a well-detailed and exhaustive study of Foucault's ethical thinking, providing worthy arguments to feed the debates...O'Leary's book makes a definitive contribution to the understanding of Foucault's etho-poetics in relation to ancient ethical practices and to contemporary philosophers".""" "--Sanford Lakoff

"Foucault and the Art of Ethics provides a well-detailed and exhaustive study of Foucault's ethical thinking while providing worthy arguments to feed the debates a definitive contribution to the understanding of Foucault's etho-poetics in relation to ancient ethical practices and to contemporary philosophers." Grasp--Sanford Lakoff

'Foucault and the Art of Ethics is an excellent, critical exploration of the contribution which Foucault's philosophy makes to the contemporary discussion of morality. It shows that Foucault is a significant thinker because, unlike so many other contemporary philosophers, he asked the most important questions: How are we to live?' James Bernauer, Boston College

"Timothy O'Leary's Foucault and the Art of Ethics is an excellent, critical exploration of the contribution which Foucault's philosophy makes to the contemporary discussion of morality. O'Leary shows that Foucault is a significant thinker because, unlike so many other contemporary philosophers, he asked the most important of questions: How are we to live?" James Bernauer, Boston College

""Foucaultand the Art of Ethics"provides a well-detailed and exhaustive study of Foucault's ethical thinking, providing worthy arguments to feed the debates...O'Leary's book makes adefinitive contribution to the understanding of Foucault's etho-poetics inrelation to ancient ethical practices and to contemporary philosophers".""" "--,

About the Author

Timothy O'Leary is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. He has spent several years working in the Foucault Archives and has published on Foucault, aesthetics and literature. He is the author of Foucault and the Art of Ethics (Continuum 2006).