The Body of the Archaeology of Knowledge

The "Body" of the Archaeology of Knowledge, a book by Michel Foucault, explores how knowledge and ideas develop within specific historical periods. Foucault examines the underlying systems, rules, and structures that shape what societies understand as true or false at different times. Rather than focusing on individual thinkers, he analyzes the broader discourses—ways of speaking and thinking—that define a particular era. This approach reveals how knowledge is constructed through complex, often hidden, patterns rather than being simply accumulated or revealed over time. Ultimately, it shows that what we know is influenced by historical context and social structures.