Foucault's Epistemes

Foucault's concept of epistemes refers to the underlying frameworks of thought that shape how societies understand and organize knowledge during specific periods. These epistemes influence what questions are asked, how problems are seen, and what counts as valid knowledge. Think of them as the mental and cultural lenses that define the boundaries of thinking in different eras. For example, ideas about medicine, science, or morality are shaped by the prevailing episteme of the time, which changes over history as new perspectives and ways of understanding emerge.