Speaking the Truth about Oneself

Michel Foucault (1926–84) was a French philosopher and historian who held the Chair of the History of Systems of Thought at the Collège de France. His many books in English include The Order of Things, Discipline and Punish, The History of Sexuality, and “Discourse and Truth” and “Parrēsia,” the latter also published by the University of Chicago Press. Henri-Paul Fruchaud is an editor of Michel Foucault’s posthumous works. Daniele Lorenzini is assistant professor of philosophy and deputy director of the Centre for Research in Post-Kantian European Philosophy at the University of Warwick. Daniel Louis Wyche is visiting assistant professor of religious studies at Albion College.

• IntroductionHenri-Paul Fruchaud and Daniele Lorenzini, translated by Daniel Louis WycheNote on the Reconstruction of the TextList of Abbreviations of Works by Michel Foucault Lecture I The Technology of the SelfLecture II [Second English Version]Lecture II [Recorded Version]Lecture III [First English Version]Lecture III [Second English Version]Lecture IVLecture VThe Seminar, June 1982First Meeting                                                           Second MeetingThird MeetingFourth Meeting                                                                                         NotesIndex

“This is a crucial text in the development of Foucault’s ideas about technologies of the self and the question of parrēsia, especially for his contrast of Greco-Roman antiquity and early Christianity. Particularly notable is that as well as a partial record of his Toronto lectures, this volume also includes a rare record of how he conducted his seminars. Skillfully edited from surviving materials, this is a valuable addition to our understanding of Foucault’s final projects.“