Onzuivere kritiek. Kant met Foucault

Abstract

Impure critique. Obviously, Kant uses the concept of critique on different levels. In his Critique of pure reason, it is reason itself, which is the subject as well as the object of critique. However, in his political writings, most prominently in Answer to the question. What is enlightenment? the objects of critique are religion, political authorities etc. Wheras Kant has a tendency to consider the relation between the two levels of critique as that of fundament and application, Foucault wants to turn things around without ever making clear what this would look like and without taking any interest in the foundational level. Against Kant's and Foucault's views of the hierarchy between different sorts of critique, this article elaborates on how the equiprimordality of the two levels could be argued for and what the consequences of such an understanding of critique would be. Translation: Niels Cornelissen