MadnessNotes1 MichelFoucault,MadnessandCivilization LectureNotes,HONR2100ModernLegacies Preface Themercilesslanguageofnonmadness(ix)confinesmadnessbecauseitusessovereignreason andexcludesthatotherlanguagethatdoesnotfitreason. F.istryingtoreturntoatimewhenthelanguageofpsychiatrywasnotyetestablishedtoseewhether hecanhearmadnessspeak.Thisisundoubtedlyanuncomfortableregion(ix),andwemustnotlet ourselvesbeguidedbywhatweNOWknowaboutmadnessfromthelanguageofpsychiatry.What actiondividesmadnessbeforeitisexplainedbyscience?Inotherwords,firstthereisadivision,and thensciencecomesintoexplainthatdivisioninretrospect(ix). Hencewemustspeakofthatinitialdisputewithoutassumingavictory,ortherighttoavictory(x). OnlythencanweseehowmadnessandnonmadnessareNOTtwodistinctphenomena,butratherare indialogue,areinextricablyinvolved(x). Inthesevereworldofmentalillness,modernmannolongercommunicateswiththemadman(x).

).The physicianspeakstothemadmanonlybywayofseeingthepersonashavingadisease;thedialoguewith madnessisbroken.Thelanguageofpsychiatry,whichisamonologueofreasonaboutmadness,has beenestablishedonlyonthebasisofsuchasilence(xxi).F.doesnotwriteahistoryofthatlanguageof medicine;hetriestowriteandarcheologyofthatsilence(xi). Thereason/madnessnexusconstitutesforWesterncultureoneofitsdimensionsoforiginality(xi). So,howdoesonegoaboutlisteningtoalanguageofmadnessthatdoesnotfollowthepredicatesof reason?Thisrealmpointstothelimitsofaculture,notitsidentity,orwhatsalreadypossible(xi). Duringtheclassicalperiodonecantracetheexchangebetweenmadnessandreason,andhowits languagechanges(xii): 1657thecreationoftheHpitalGnral,andthegreatconfinementofthepoor 1794theliberationoftheinsane,andmoraltherapyapproachbyPinel MiddleAgesthroughRenaissance:dramaticdebatebetweenmadnessandnonmadness Inourera:theexperienceofmadnessremainssilentunderaknowledgethatforgetsit.Mute commentary,agreatmotionlessstructure(xii). Chapter1:StultiferaNavis

MadnessNotes2 Duringthemiddleages,leprosyoccupiedaplaceinthemarginsofcommunities. Fromthe14thtothe17thcentury,thespacesoccupiedbyleprosywereleftvacant,awaitinganother grimaceofterror,renewedrightsofpurificationandexclusion.(3) Althoughleprosywithdrew,thevaluesandimagesattachedtothefigureoftheleperremained.(6) Themeaningofexclusionremainedandfearremained. Intime,thepoorcriminalsandtheinsanewouldoccupythestructuralpositionsoftheleper.(7) Characteristicofthisform;arigorousdivision,whichissocialexclusion,butspiritualreintegration. Anewconceptionintherenaissance:TheShipofFools(originallyaliterarycreation) Theseshipsreallyexisted.(8+) Madpeoplewerehousedandprovidedforbyvariouscities,yettheyoccupiedaliminalposition, meaningthattheybothallowedtoliveincities,butalsoconfinedthroughvariousrituals.(11) Pg13Foucaultaskswhytheshipoffoolsmotifbecamesopopularinthe15thcentury.Answer: Becauseitsymbolizedagreatdisquietsuddenlydawningonthehorizonattheendofthemiddleages. (13)Awholeliteratureoftalesandmoralfablesbeginstocirculate,includingalargenumberofimages inwoodcutsandengravings.Thegeneralanxietyhastodowithquestionspeoplearebeginningtoask atthistime?(Renaissance,etc)However,thereisadifference(thegreatlineofcleavageinthewestern experienceofmadness)inhowmadnessisrepresentedinimagesversuswriting.(18) Images:Aproliferationofmeaning,dreams,madness,andtheunreasonablecanalsoslipintothis excessofmeaning.Thepowerofimagesisnottoteach,buttofascinate.Whatisthisfascination?1. Animality2.Knowledgeforthemadmanseemstoperceivethedensityofaninvisibleknowledge (22)3.ThelureofcuriosityTheforbiddendiabolicalpower.Onallsides,madnessfascinatesman. Imagescommunicatewiththegreattragicpowersofthisworld. Duringthesameperiod,theliterary,philosophical,andmoralthemesofmadnessareinan altogetherdifferentvein.(24)Madnessdoesnotfascinateanymore,itrulesallthatiseasy,joyous, andfrivolousintheworld.(25) Inageneralway,madnessisnotlinkedtotheworldanditssubterraneanforms,butrathertoman,to hisweaknesses,dreams,andillusions.(26)Erasmus:Madnessislocatedwithintheindividual.The Selfattachment,selfperception:Thisunderstandinggivesaccesstoamoraluniverse.Evilisnot punishmentortheendoftime,butonlyfaultandflaw.(27)Erasmusobservesmadnessfroma distance,outofdanger.

MadnessNotes3 Summary:Anewenterprisewasbeingundertakenthatwouldabolishthetragicexperienceof madnessinacriticalconsciousness.(28)WITHSOMEEXCEPTIONS,tobefoundinDonQuixoteand KingLear,others. (29+)The4formsofitsexpressionintheseexceptions:1.Madnessbyromanticidentificationthe confusedcommunicationbetweenfantasticinventionandthefascinationsofdelirium,alltheformsof thehumanimagination.2.Themadnessofvainpresumptiontheimaginaryrelationwemaintain withourselves.3.MadnessofjustpunishmentladyMacbethsdeliriumisherproofofguilt4. Madnessofdesperatepassionlovedisappointedinitsexcess...hasnoalternativebuttobemad. Summary:Theseliteraryexamplestestifymoretoatragicexperienceofmadnessappearinginthe 15thcentury,thantoacriticalandmoralexperienceofunreasondevelopingintheirownepoch. Outsideoftime,theyestablishalinkwithameaning,abouttobelost,whosecontinuitywillnolonger surviveexceptindarkness. Outsideoftime,theseliteraryworksestablishalinkwithatraditionofrepresentingmadnessthatis eclipsedbyreason;itremains,though,indarkness(31);themadnessinCervantesandS.cannotbe restoredtoeithertruthorreason; Soon,madnessisdeprivedofitstragicseriousness(32);theclassicalexperienceofmadnessisborn (35);notevenacenturyafterBosch,madpeopleareconfinedinmadhouses;Here,eachformof madnessfindsitsproperplace,itsdistinguishingmark(35);madnessistamed(36). Chapter2:TheGreatConfinement Inseventeenthcentury,housesofconfinementareestablishedforthepoor,theunemployed, prisoners,andtheinsane(39).Pinelandnineteenthcenturypsychiatrydoesitsworkinthesehousesof confinement;madnessbecomeslinkedtoconfinementwhichbecomesdesignatedasitsnaturalabode. 1656:HospitalGeneralfoundedbyroyaledict(39);alsoSalpetriere,Bicetre,etc.Thesearenotmedical establishments(40),butsemijudicialstructuresmeanttocontrolsocialspaceandtocleanpublic spacesofproblempeople(41);administrativeentities;aninstanceoforder(41)orthemonarchical andbourgeoisorderbeingorganizedinFranceatthattime. TheChurchwasalsoinvolvedinthismovement;itreformeditsownhospitalinstitutions(42). ThisphenomenonhappensacrossEurope(4344). Whatstheunitythatliesattheheartofconfiningsuchadisparategroupofpeople(thepoor,themad, criminals)?Asocialsensibilityforms(45),aclearlyarticulatedperceptionthatcentersontheethicof workandthedreamcity(46).

MadnessNotes4 Confinementwasapolicematter(46);theimperativeoflaborstructuresconfinement,notmedical concerns(46);condemnationofidleness. Whoarethepoor?Peasants,beggars,disbandedsoldiers,impoverishedstudents,thesick(47); economicchanges,wars;thenegativemeasureofexclusionwastransformedintothepositivemeasure ofconfinement(48):theconfinedpersonwasnotkickedout,butratherwasputtoworkinasystemof obligationandmoralconstraint(48).Confinementwastheanswertovariouseconomicandsocial problemsinthe17thcenturyacrossEurope(49);itwasfearedthepeoplewouldoverrunthecountry (50). Outsidetheperiodsofcrisis,confinementacquiredadifferentmeaning:itsrepressivefunctionwas combinedwithanewusethoseconfinedwereputtowork(51);reabsorptionoftheidleandsocial protectionagainstagitationanduprising(51).Workwasnotonlyanoccupation;itmustbe productive(51).Houseshasdifferentspecialties.(5153). However,housesofconfinementfailedasfixingtheeconomicproblemsofsociety(54);thepoorwere stillpoor,notinpublicandasasocialthreat.Theydisappearedatthebeginningofthe19thcentury; however,theydidserveasanimportantexperimentinhowlaborwastoberegardedinsociety(55):a certainethicalconsciousnessoflaborwasformulatedandestablished;laborseffectivenesswas supportedbyJudeoChristianbeliefinthefallofman(55) manwasforcedtoworknotbyalawof nature,butbytheeffectofacurse(55);Calvin.thesinofidlenessisthesupremeprideofmanonce hehasfallen(56).Slothleadstheroundofvices(57). Itwasinacertainexperienceoflaborthattheindissociablyeconomicandmoraldemandfor confinementwasformulated(57).Societyinventsaspacederivedfromanethicaltranscendencefrom thelawofworkintowhichtheinsanewereslotted(sinceputtingthepoorinthisspacehadfailed). Madmenwereincludedintheprescriptionofidleness(57,bottom);theywouldbesubjectedtothe rulesofforcedlabor;kinshipestablishedbetweentheinsaneandthepoorintermsofnotionsoflabor (58).UntiltheRenaissance,madnesswaslinkedwithanimaginarytranscendence;intheclassicalage madnessisperceivedforthefirsttimethroughthecondemnationofidleness;thisnotionacquiresthe powerofsegregationandgainsthemeaningitstillhasinourownculture(58).Madnesscrossesthe limitsofbourgeoisorderasamoralperception. Housesofconfinementarethuscorrectionalinstitutions,moralinstitutions,penance(59).Obligation toworkasethicalexerciseandmoralguarantee(59).Amazingshift:moralitypermitteditselftobe administeredliketradeoreconomy(61).Institutionscarrythatmoralimperative:thisistheunderside ofthebourgeoisiesgreatdreamandgreatpreoccupationintheclassicalage:thelawsoftheStateand thelawsoftheheartareatlastidentical(61). Mythofsocialhappiness,alsofortheChurch(63);confinementconcealsbothametaphysicsof governmentandapoliticsofreligion.Tyrannicalsynthesis(63); Summary:p.64.