Against a romanticization of madness Part 1: Foucault and Derrida on “madness itself”
Against a romanticization of madness Part 1: Foucault and Derrida on “madness itself”

Summary/Abstract: The article contains a detailed outline of the Foucault-Derrida debate about the Cartesian cogito and the history of madness. The first part offers an in-depth analysis of the expression ‘madness itself’ and questions the prospect of the Foucauldian project as a whole but also highlights a certain inflationary tendency in Derrida’s critique of it. The article ultimately argues that the debate is centered around a series of vigorous yet fruitful misreadings which create a vast field of discussion where contemporary research can find valuable resources. The article paves the way toward the numerous perspectives which the debate has generated, which range from new forms of listening to madness to the redefinition of our medical and philosophical understanding of madness.

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