60 pages • 2 hours read
The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences
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Book Brief
416
Book • Nonfiction
1966
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Order of Things by Michel Foucault explores the historical development of the human sciences, focusing on the shift from the Classical episteme of the 17th and 18th centuries to the 19th-century episteme. Foucault examines changes in the frameworks that Western societies used to validate knowledge and truth, analyzing fields such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology. He investigates how these transitions have influenced the ways in which contemporary human sciences operate, challenging the traditional notion of historical progress. Through this archaeological methodology, Foucault underscores the concept that shifts in knowledge production stem from changes in epistemes rather than from a linear advancement in human understanding.
Informative
Mysterious
Challenging
Contemplative
Unnerving
Reviews & Readership
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Review Roundup
The Order of Things by Michel Foucault offers a profound exploration of human sciences, praised for its intellectual depth and innovative approach to epistemology. Reviews highlight its complexity, requiring diligent study, which can be challenging for some readers. Overall, it's a pivotal text in understanding shifts in knowledge paradigms.
Who Should Read The Order of Things?
Readers who enjoy The Order of Things by Michel Foucault typically have an interest in philosophy, intellectual history, and social sciences. Comparable to fans of Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions and Edward Said's Orientalism, they appreciate deep analytical discourse on the evolution of ideas and systems of thought.
9,540 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
A German philosopher born in 1844, known for his concept of the "superhuman" following the "death of God," and whose ideas about language and the "eternal return" influence Foucault's views on history and culture.
Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus
A Swedish natural historian born in 1707, recognized for formalizing the binomial nomenclature in taxonomy, serving as a paradigm for the Classical episteme in Foucault's examination of the history of knowledge.
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
A German philosopher born in 1724, central to discussions about the transcendental subject whose ideas on Transcendental Idealism contribute to the formation of the “empirico-transcendental doublet” in Foucault’s framework.
416
Book • Nonfiction
1966
Adult
18+ years
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