Foucault on Rationality and Violence

07.03.2005

"All human behavior is scheduled and programmed through rationality. There is a logic of institutions and in behavior and in political relations. In even the most violent ones there is a rationality. What is most dangerous in violence is its rationality. Of course violence itself is terrible. But the deepest root of violence and its permanence come out of the form of the rationality we use. The idea had been that if we live in the world of reason, we can get rid of violence. This is quite wrong. Between violence and rationality there is no incompatibility."

-Michael Foucault

Comments

Foucault Quote

I would also like to know where this quote is from, can't seem to find it anywhwere! I would love to use it in an essay, in for this week, so promtness would be very helpful!
Thanks

foucault quote?

Could you tell me (preferably over email) where you got this quote from?

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