https://foucault.info/documents/foucault.historyOfMadness/
Why Foucault defined madness as being without oeuvre? (ChatGPT, 2024-7-23)
Michel Foucault defined madness as being "without oeuvre" in his seminal work "Madness and Civilization" to emphasize the exclusion and marginalization of the mad from the realm of productive, recognized cultural and intellectual contributions. This concept illustrates how society historically viewed madness not just as a deviation from rationality but as a state devoid of meaningful output or legacy.
Foucault's argument is that madness, in its purest form, is seen as something that cannot contribute to the creation of an "oeuvre," which is a body of work or artistic and intellectual achievement. This exclusion reflects broader societal mechanisms of control and discipline, where the mad are silenced and their experiences and expressions are invalidated or rendered invisible within cultural and historical narratives. By defining madness as "without oeuvre," Foucault highlights the systemic denial of the mad’s potential to contribute to culture and knowledge, thus critiquing the structures that perpetuate their marginalization.
