Philosophy and authorityA philosophical reading of the concept of authority according to Plato and Foucault

Abstract

Plato is considered the first philosopher to write about politics. We do not find any of his dialogues devoid of this aspect, which are represented by the dialogues (The Republic,Politics, Laws), in which he tried to clarify political action, its nature, and how to exploit it in the service of society. These dialogues are primarily intended to reach a political goal, which Is to build A virtuous or ideal state. He referred to this in his dialogue (The Republic) to the Idea of the philosopher-ruler, as the ruler must be educated, have extensive knowledge, and be familiar with philosophy in order to lead society wisely. He was Interested in the issue of power in the context of his political philosophy, and the social situation In which the Greek citizen lives under authoritarian regimes. As a result, power must be in the hands of the wise and rational.

As for Michel Foucault, he presented a different view of power. Foucault believes that power is not just ownership or subordination, but rather a strategy in which social,economic, and cognitive factors intersect. In his book (Discipline and Punish), he emphasized that power exercises more than it possesses, and that it is due to measures, tricks, and techniques.

Foucault uses an archaeological approach to understand power, and searches for intersections and cleavages in discourses and practices. Thus, the concept of power goes beyond political aspects and intersects with economics, knowledge, and society.