About the Beginning of the Hermeneutics of the Self

by Michel Foucault

First published 2016

Foucault delves into the historical roots of self-examination and confession, tracing a radical shift from ancient Greek ideals of "know thyself" to Christian precepts of total disclosure. As he contrasts Greco-Roman techniques with early monastic practices, a complex picture emerges of how the modern subject was forged in the crucible of power, truth, and the transformed relationship between the individual and their spiritual guide.

Genres: history, philosophy, non-fiction, academic

Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: academic, historical

Period: Ancient Greece, Early Monasticism

160 pages · Hardcover · University of Chicago Press

More by Michel Foucault

• Discipline and Punish
• The Birth of the Clinic
• The History of Sexuality
• The Archaeology of Knowledge & The Discourse on Language
• Speech Begins after Death
• Ethics
• Mental Illness and Psychology
• Religion and Culture

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