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Foucault and the Human Subject of Science

  • Book
  • © 2018

Overview

Authors:
  1. Garðar Árnason

    1. Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

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  • Analyses Foucault’s work on scientific discourses and their interplay with individuals and society
  • Outlines a Foucauldian approach to science criticism and ethical issues regarding research with human subjects
  • Discusses the ethical controversy over plans to construct a genetic database encompassing the entire Icelandic nation

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Ethics (BRIEFSETHIC)

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Table of contents (6 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 1-6

  3. Foucault’s Archaeology of Knowledge

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 7-30

  4. Power, Knowledge, and the Politics of Truth

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 31-58

  5. Left-Handers as Subjects of Science

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 59-82

  6. Icelanders as Subjects of Science

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 83-104

  7. Conclusion

    • Garðar Árnason
    Pages 105-107
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Keywords

About this book

​This book offers a clear analysis of Foucault’s work on scientific knowledge and its relationship to individuals and society. It suggests a way of using Foucault’s tools for science criticism and resistance, while avoiding the pitfalls of vulgar relativism or irrational anti-science views. Two cases of scientific conflict are considered. The first considers left-handers as subjects of science, in particular studies which purport to show that left-handers die on average younger than right-handers. The second case considers Icelanders as subjects of science in the context of a partly failed attempt to construct a genetic database encompassing the entire nation.The book will be of interest to bioethicists and philosophers who are concerned with the interaction between science and its human subjects, as well as scholars concerned with Foucault’s work on science.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Garðar Árnason

About the author

​Garðar Árnason, Ph.D., studied philosophy at the University of Iceland and the University of Toronto. He is currently a researcher at the Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Tübingen. His main research interests include applied ethics (human and non-human research ethics, neuroethics, bioethics), free will, and the philosophy of science.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Foucault and the Human Subject of Science

  • Authors: Garðar Árnason

  • Series Title: SpringerBriefs in Ethics

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02813-8

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-02812-1Published: 13 November 2018

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-02813-8Published: 29 October 2018

  • Series ISSN: 2211-8101

  • Series E-ISSN: 2211-811X

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 107

  • Number of Illustrations: 2 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Philosophy of Science, Science and Technology Studies

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