Power-knowledge: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|Concept in social philosophy}} |
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| ⚫ | In [[critical theory]], '''power-knowledge''' is a term introduced by the French [[philosopher]] [[Michel Foucault]] ({{langx|fr|le savoir-pouvoir}}). According to Foucault's understanding, power is based on knowledge and makes use of knowledge; on the other hand, power reproduces knowledge by shaping it in accordance with its anonymous intentions.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The history of sexuality.|last=Foucault, Michel, 1926-1984.|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9780141037646|oclc=709809777}}</ref> Power creates and recreates its own fields of exercise through knowledge. |
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The relationship between power and knowledge has been always a central theme in the social sciences.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Segev|first=Elad|date=2019-09-05|title=Volume and control: the transition from information to power |
The relationship between power and knowledge has been always a central theme in the social sciences.<ref name="volume-control">{{Cite journal|last=Segev|first=Elad|date=2019-09-05|title=Volume and control: the transition from information to power|journal=Journal of Multicultural Discourses|volume=14|issue=3|pages=240–257|doi=10.1080/17447143.2019.1662028|s2cid=203088993 |issn=1744-7143}}</ref> |
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== |
== Foucault's conception == |
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Foucault was an [[Epistemology|epistemological]] [[Constructivist epistemology|constructivist]] and [[historicism|historicist]].<ref name="Mader2014">Mader, M. B. (2014) Knowledge. Ur Lawlor, L. (red.) & Nale, J. (red.) ''The Cambridge Foucault Lexicon'' (s. 226-236). Cambridge University Press, {{ISBN|978-0-521-11921-4}}</ref> Foucault was critical of the idea that humans can reach "absolute" knowledge about the world. A fundamental goal in many of Foucault's works is to show how that which has traditionally been considered as absolute, universal and true in fact is historically contingent. To Foucault, even the idea of absolute knowledge is a historically contingent idea. This does not, however, lead to epistemological nihilism; rather, Foucault argues that people "always begin anew" when it comes to knowledge.<ref name="Taylor2011intro">Taylor, D. (2011) Introduction: Power, freedom and subjectivity. Ur Taylor, D. (red.) ''Michel Foucault: Key Concepts'' (s. 1-9). Acumen Publishing Ltd., {{ISBN|978-1-84465-234-1}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | According to Foucault's understanding |
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Foucault |
Foucault incorporated mutuality into his [[neologism]] power-knowledge, the most important part of which is the hyphen that links the two aspects of the integrated concept together (and alludes to their inherent inextricability). |
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It is helpful noting that Foucault has a textual understanding of both power and knowledge. Both power and knowledge are to be seen as de-centralised, relativistic, ubiquitous, and unstable (dynamic) systemic phenomena. Thus Foucault's concept of power draws on micro-relations without falling into [[reductionism]] because it does not neglect, but emphasizes, the systemic (or structural) aspect of the phenomenon. However, he does not actually define knowledge. |
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== Subsequent developments == |
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In [[Information science|information sciences]] 'knowledge' is defined as a higher form of information,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bates|first=Marcia|date=2005|title=Information and knowledge: an evolutionary framework for information science|url=http://www.informationr.net/ir/10-4/paper239.html|journal=Information Research|volume=10|pages=|via=}}</ref> which requires understanding the patterns and creating useful meaning of the information people collect. |
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| ⚫ | While in most of the 20th century the term ‘knowledge’ has been closely associated with power, in the last decades ‘information’ has become a central term as well.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Critique of information|last=Lash, Scott.|date=2002|publisher=SAGE|isbn=9781847876522|location=London|oclc=654641948}}</ref> With the growing use of [[Big data|big-data]], information is increasingly seen as the means to generate useful knowledge and power. |
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== History of the term == |
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In his 1934 play ‘[[The Rock (play)|The Rock]]’ [[T. S. Eliot]] wrote: ‘Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?’.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Choruses from ‘The Rock’|last=Eliot|first=Thomas Stearns|publisher=Harcourt, Brace & Company|year=1952|isbn=978-0-57-121385-6|location=New York|pages=96}}</ref> This division between information, knowledge and wisdom inspired many generation of information scientists later on.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rowley|first=Jennifer|date=2007-4|title=The wisdom hierarchy: representations of the DIKW hierarchy|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0165551506070706|journal=Journal of Information Science|language=en|volume=33|issue=2|pages=163–180|doi=10.1177/0165551506070706|issn=0165-5515}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | One of the recently developed model, known as the '''[[Volume-Control Model|Volume and Control Model]]''',<ref name="volume-control" /> describes how information is capitalized by global corporations and transforms into economic power. Volume is defined as the informational resources—the amount and diversity of information and the people producing it. Control is the ability to channel the interaction between information and people through two competing mechanisms: [[popularization]] (information relevant to most people), and [[personalization]] (information relevant to each individual person). |
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== The power-knowledge nexus today == |
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| ⚫ | While in most of the 20th century the term ‘knowledge’ has been closely associated with power, in the last decades ‘information’ has become a central term as well.<ref>{{Cite book |
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| ⚫ | According to this understanding, knowledge is never neutral, as it determines force relations. The notion of power-knowledge is therefore likely to be employed in critical, normative contexts. One example of the implications of power-knowledge is [[Google|Google’s]] monopoly of knowledge, its [[PageRank]] algorithm, and its inevitable commercial and cultural biases around the world, which are based on the volume and control principles. A recent study shows, for example, the commercial implications of [[Google Images]] algorithm, as all search results for the term 'beauty' in different languages predominantly yield images of young white women.<ref name="volume-control" /> |
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| ⚫ | One of the recently developed model, known as the '''Volume and Control Model''',<ref |
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== |
==See also== |
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*[[Knowledge is power]] |
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| ⚫ | According to this understanding, knowledge is never neutral, as it determines force relations. The notion of power-knowledge is therefore likely to be employed in critical, normative contexts. One example of the implications of power-knowledge is [[Google|Google’s]] monopoly of knowledge, its [[PageRank]] algorithm, and its inevitable commercial and cultural biases around the world are based on the volume and control principles. A recent study shows, for example, the commercial implications of [[Google Images]] algorithm, as all search results for the term 'beauty' in different languages predominantly yield images of white |
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== References == |
== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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* Eliot, Thomas Stearns (1952). ''Choruses from ‘The Rock’''. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Company. p. 96. [[International Standard Book Number|ISBN]] [[Special:BookSources/978-0-57-121385-6|<bdi>978-0-57-121385-6</bdi>]]. |
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*Foucault, Michel, ''[[The History of Sexuality]]'', vol. 1, Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1981 (see pp. 92–102). |
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* Foucault, Michel, ''Histoire de la sexualité, volume 1: La volonté de savoir'', Paris, Gallimard, 1976. |
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*Innis, Harold A., 1894-1952. (2007). ''Empire and communications''. Watson, A. John (Alexander John), 1948-. Toronto [Ont.]: Dundurn Press. [[International Standard Book Number|ISBN]] [[Special:BookSources/9781550026627|<bdi>9781550026627</bdi>]]. [[OCLC]] 605708272. |
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*Lash, Scott. (2002). ''Critique of information''. London: SAGE. [[International Standard Book Number|ISBN]] [[Special:BookSources/9781847876522|<bdi>9781847876522</bdi>]]. [[OCLC]] 654641948 |
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*Rowley, Jennifer (2007-4). "The wisdom hierarchy: representations of the DIKW hierarchy". ''Journal of Information Science''. '''33''' (2): 163–180. [[Digital object identifier|doi]]:10.1177/0165551506070706. [[International Standard Serial Number|ISSN]] 0165-5515. |
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*Segev, Elad (2019-09-05). "Volume and control: the transition from information to power". ''Journal of Multicultural Discourses'': 1–18. [[Digital object identifier|doi]]:10.1080/17447143.2019.1662028. [[International Standard Serial Number|ISSN]] 1744-7143. |
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[[Category:Neologisms]] |
[[Category:Neologisms]] |
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[[Category:Social philosophy]] |
[[Category:Social philosophy]] |
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[[Category:Michel Foucault]] |
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Latest revision as of 17:12, 31 October 2024
In critical theory, power-knowledge is a term introduced by the French philosopher Michel Foucault (French: le savoir-pouvoir). According to Foucault's understanding, power is based on knowledge and makes use of knowledge; on the other hand, power reproduces knowledge by shaping it in accordance with its anonymous intentions.[1] Power creates and recreates its own fields of exercise through knowledge.
The relationship between power and knowledge has been always a central theme in the social sciences.[2]
Foucault's conception
[edit]Foucault was an epistemological constructivist and historicist.[3] Foucault was critical of the idea that humans can reach "absolute" knowledge about the world. A fundamental goal in many of Foucault's works is to show how that which has traditionally been considered as absolute, universal and true in fact is historically contingent. To Foucault, even the idea of absolute knowledge is a historically contingent idea. This does not, however, lead to epistemological nihilism; rather, Foucault argues that people "always begin anew" when it comes to knowledge.[4]
Foucault incorporated mutuality into his neologism power-knowledge, the most important part of which is the hyphen that links the two aspects of the integrated concept together (and alludes to their inherent inextricability).
In his later works, Foucault suggests that power-knowledge was later replaced in the modern world, with the term governmentality which points to a specific mentality of governance.
Subsequent developments
[edit]While in most of the 20th century the term ‘knowledge’ has been closely associated with power, in the last decades ‘information’ has become a central term as well.[5] With the growing use of big-data, information is increasingly seen as the means to generate useful knowledge and power.
One of the recently developed model, known as the Volume and Control Model,[2] describes how information is capitalized by global corporations and transforms into economic power. Volume is defined as the informational resources—the amount and diversity of information and the people producing it. Control is the ability to channel the interaction between information and people through two competing mechanisms: popularization (information relevant to most people), and personalization (information relevant to each individual person).
According to this understanding, knowledge is never neutral, as it determines force relations. The notion of power-knowledge is therefore likely to be employed in critical, normative contexts. One example of the implications of power-knowledge is Google’s monopoly of knowledge, its PageRank algorithm, and its inevitable commercial and cultural biases around the world, which are based on the volume and control principles. A recent study shows, for example, the commercial implications of Google Images algorithm, as all search results for the term 'beauty' in different languages predominantly yield images of young white women.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Foucault, Michel, 1926-1984. (2008). The history of sexuality. Penguin. ISBN 9780141037646. OCLC 709809777.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Segev, Elad (2019-09-05). "Volume and control: the transition from information to power". Journal of Multicultural Discourses. 14 (3): 240–257. doi:10.1080/17447143.2019.1662028. ISSN 1744-7143. S2CID 203088993.
- ^ Mader, M. B. (2014) Knowledge. Ur Lawlor, L. (red.) & Nale, J. (red.) The Cambridge Foucault Lexicon (s. 226-236). Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-11921-4
- ^ Taylor, D. (2011) Introduction: Power, freedom and subjectivity. Ur Taylor, D. (red.) Michel Foucault: Key Concepts (s. 1-9). Acumen Publishing Ltd., ISBN 978-1-84465-234-1
- ^ Lash, Scott. (2002). Critique of information. London: SAGE. ISBN 9781847876522. OCLC 654641948.