The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences by Michel Foucault

In The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences, renowned French philosopher Michel Foucault takes a critical look at the human sciences — specifically, fields like linguistics, economics, biology, and anthropology — to offer insightful analysis of the way “order” and “truth” are used to maintain power in the social system. Bringing together Foucault’s already-established theories of power, knowledge, and truth found in his other works, he uses his “archaeological” method of philosophical thinking to ground his arguments and garner new insights into the human sciences.

Foucault argues in The Order of Things that the connection between language, knowledge and truth is not necessarily what it appears to be; rather, it is something much more complex. He emphasizes that knowledge, truth, and order are closely intertwined systems of power, which can be manipulated by forces in the social system. He also demonstrates how these power structures are used to uphold institutions that endow certain individuals with authority and influence over others.

Foucault's “archaeological method” claims that all knowledge—both the scientific and the literary—has the same historical root. He states that knowledge is dependent on certain structures of thought that reoccur in the histories of certain societies and cultures, and that these structures form the basis of our understanding of the world. Moreover, Foucault strongly argues that the human sciences—especially linguistics and economics—are heavily influenced by these reoccurring structures. As such, these systems of knowledge maintain an unequal hierarchy of power where certain interpretations of the world are deemed “true”, while other interpretations are would be seen as “wrong” or incorrect.

In The Order of Things, Foucault delves into the concept of the “archaeological structure of thought”, and explains the link between knowledge, truth and the structure of power. He details the history of varying structures and ideologies that shape the way in which the human sciences are seen and understood, pointing out the discrepancies between language, knowledge and truth. By linking seemingly unrelated philosophical concepts, like language, knowledge and power, Foucault is able to discern different structures of thought and argument that have heavily impacted the human sciences.

In conclusion, it is clear The Order of Things is a profound and thought-provoking read, that offers a deep dive into the inner workings of the human sciences, and how they maintain and reinforce power structures within the social system. Through his “archaeological” method, Foucault links concepts of truth, knowledge and language to demonstrate how they construct power dynamics, and how they can be used to further the interests of certain groups and further the knowledge of the scientists.