Thursday, December 6, 2018

Four-part analysis of avowal in 'Wrong-Doing, Truth-Telling'


Draft/In-Progress

Based on Foucault's description/definition of the "speech act" of avowal (on pp. 15-17).


Avowal (as a passage from unsaid to truly said)
Subject of Avowal
Subject to whom avowed (the other who recognizes)
Costly (cost not in the act, but in the content)
Freely-stated (such that the subj enters obligation)
Submission within a power relation (power-over)
Modifies or transforms the subject

Subjects of Avowal
Four Qualities of Avowal
Lecture 1:
Iliad
Antilochus
Menelaus, Achilles, etc.
Yes; costs him the race prize
Yes; by not taking the oath, A confirms the truth
Yes; b/w A and M; also between A and the Gods
Yes; as "restoring" (p. 40) truth; transforms A's relation to others
Lecture 2:
Oedipus Rex
Shepherd of Cithareon

(not Teresias/Apllo, nor Jocasta/Oedi)
Oedipus & Chorus
Yes; costs the slave
Yes; "despite the fact" that avowed under threat (79; cf. 16)
Yes; b/w shepherd and Oedipus
Not really; but it transforms Oedipus
Lecture 3: Stoics

 Examination of Conscience



  Exposure of Soul 


Seneca




Serenus



Seneca (98)




Seneca


No





No


Yes




Yes


No




Yes


No change in status of subject; gives subject tranquility  (97) and memory (99)

No; Seneca says he already was cured (103) 
Lecture 3
Christian Penance
(exomologesis) 

Sinner
(becomes Penitent)


Church authority

Yes

Yes
[Unclear]?

 Yes

Yes (105): exomologesis

Lecture 4
Christian Monasticism (4th-5th c.)
(exagoreusis)

Christian Monk


Director

Yes

Yes

Yes
(126, 129)

Yes
Lecture 5
Fixed Penance (7th c.); "juridificaiton" -- p. 178ff.

Sacrament of Penance (11th-13th c.) -- p. 184ff.

Sinner



Sinner

Community



Confessor

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes
Lecture 6
Judicial Avowal (16th c. - 18th c.) -- p. 201-11

Modern Examination (19c. -- ) -- p. 211ff. 

Accused



Accused (Dangerous Individual)

Judge (as sovereign)


Examiner (see 211)

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes

Yes



Yes





END

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