About the care of the self: Foucault reader of the ancients

Abstract

This research project consists of a study of the notion of care of self in the work of Michel Foucault. This notion appears in his mature work, in a period in which the philosopher engages in investigations of ethics and politics and, at the same time, it serves largely of ancient philosophy. The study will focus especially on "Hermeneutics of the subject" and on volumes II ("The Use of Pleasure") and III ("The care self") of "History of Sexuality". One of the main tasks that will guide my research, and the fundamental problem that will guide, will investigate whether, in the work of Michel Foucault, the notion of care of self should be read as an element for the creation of a history of subjectivity and, therefore, this notion should be taken as a chapter to the construction of a (new) history of the subject. Or, moreover, the care of self should also be read as a notion (updated and worked philosophically) which is a piece to building an ethical: coming of impasses and acquisition of Foucault's philosophy. (AU)