Parrhesia

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Parrhesia (Germanized also Parrhesia ) comes from the Greek (παρρησία) and means freedom of speech or to speak about everything . The term was used by Michel Foucault to describe the concept of a discourse in which one openly and truthfully expresses one's own opinion and ideas without using rhetorical elements , manipulative speech, or generalizations.

There are several conditions to the ancient and traditional idea of Parrhesia . One who uses Parrhesia will only be recognized as such if he has a credible relationship to the truth , if he criticizes himself or popular opinions of culture, if the revelation of that truth puts him in danger, and yet he speaks the truth because he considers it his moral, social and / or political duty to do so. Furthermore, a parrhesia- speaking person must be in a social position below that of who they criticize. For example, a student speaking the truth to his teacher would be a good example of parrhesia ; however, a teacher who shares the truth with his student is not.

Foucault describes Parrhesia like this:

“More precisely, parrhesia is a verbal activity in which a speaker expresses his personal relationship to truth, and risks his life because he recognizes truth-telling as a duty to improve or help other people (as well as himself). In parrhesia, the speaker uses his freedom and chooses frankness instead of persuasion, truth instead of falsehood or silence, the risk of death instead of life and security, criticism instead of flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy. "

"More specifically, parrhesia is a verbal activity in which a speaker expresses his personal relationship with the truth, risking his or her life because he sees speaking the truth as a duty to convert or help other people (as well as oneself). In Parrhesia the speaker uses his freedom and chooses openness instead of persuasiveness, truth instead of lies or silence, the risk of death instead of quality of life and security, criticism instead of flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy. "

literature

Parrhesia in ancient times

Parrhesia in modern times

  • Michel Foucault: The Truth Speaking of the Other. Two lectures 1983/84. Frankfurt a. M .: Materialis, 1988, ISBN 3885351064
  • Michel Foucault, James Pearson (eds.): Discourse and Truth: The Problematization of Parrhesia. Six lectures given in the fall of 1983 at the University of Berkeley, California. Berlin: Merve 1996, ISBN 3883961299
  • Michel Foucault: The Government of the Self and the Others. Lecture at the Collège de France 1982/83. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp 2009, ISBN 978-3-518-58537-5
  • Michel Foucault: The Courage to Truth: The Government of the Self and the Other II. Lecture at the Collège de France 1983/84. Berlin: Suhrkamp 2010, ISBN 978-3-518-58544-3 (TB edition The Government of the Self and the Others - Volumes I and II : ISBN 978-3-518-06174-9 ).
  • Petra Gehring, Andreas Gelhard (eds.): Parrhesia. Foucault and the courage to truth: philosophically, philologically, politically. Zurich, Berlin: diaphanes 2012, ISBN 978-3-03734-173-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Michel Foucault : Discourse and Truth: the Problematization of Parrhesia . Foucault.info. Retrieved July 9, 2010.