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Foucault Research Paper

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Foucault argues that there are two key histories that create the history of sexuality starting in the seventeenth century. These two histories are the history of an attraction to speak and learn about sex, as well as a history of power. This paper will explain how both these histories have been used by Foucault to craft a historical account of sexuality. The history of speaking and learning about sex outlines that it has always been present in society. Foucault disagrees with the repressive hypothesis of sex by saying that with the rise of the bourgeoisie class never has sexuality never been more spoken of before. He claims that the tightening of language and the proper times to speak of sex has only changed the way it is thought of in …show more content…
It has led to a scientis sexualis approach to creating the truth of sex in the West, rather than an ars erotica, which is used most of the world. Beside our obsession with confession, the West uses scientis sexualis because we see one of the main functions of sex as being an instinct, which created a connection between the “knowledge of human sexuality and the biological sciences of reproduction.” Foucault argues that the study of non-normal sexualities fueled the scientific research of sex because it was thought necessary to save the person or even the species. Therefore, sex was created into something extremely important to understand for without this knowledge we may perish. The more sex is researched and new knowledge is created on it, the more sex will be spoke of and become an increasing point of focus in society. This quest for truth about sex has fueled discussion of sex rather than …show more content…
Previously, the main power system used was sovereign-juridical power, in which a ruler had the right to “take life or let live” basically a method of subtraction where he or she could take things. This society was one of blood due to its’ value of bloodlines, and the issues that caused swift deaths of many. Blood was the instrument of power deployment for the sovereign-juridical system. Today, society has moved away from this old power system and appointed a new one in conjunction with it. That new power system is bio-power, which “foster[s] life or disallow[s] it.” Foucault says within this system political, power is concerned with “the task of administering life” rather than the taking of it. This power is exercised through understanding the body and regulatory controls over life , which include sex. One of the ways this is done is through the deployment of sexuality, which helped control the body and populations. Some examples of this control that can be observed in society are birth control, public health, or architecture. If sex can be controlled, bio-power can control people and their reproduction through it. Therefore, sex an instrument of bio-power just as blood was an instrument of sovereign-juridical

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