N.G.,
It seems the Body/Soul thread vanished. Anyways, this was my last post:
N.G.,
“If we are free to exercise power, couldn’t we be the author of affects on our body?”
Certainly, if, then… I am unsure about this exercise of power. If as I imagine that power the ability to be affected, then the exercise of that power in autonomy would also be in question. I am not ruling it out, rather lately I have been attempting to reconcile my points of view.
Dunamis
I wonder if the thread dissolved in a soul…
I think the idea of power as being capable of being affected is an interesting one (gotta love spinoza) but I think there is great reason to believe that we, as human being, bring about certain objectives that we set for ourself. You are right, this falls into that huge problem of autonomy or free will but I still think we can and do exercise power over our environment, other people and our selves.
I think the problem isn’t whether we have experienced exercising power but whether the particular action was determined by us or were we determined to act. That question is beyond me.
N.G.,
“I think the problem isn’t whether we have experienced exercising power but whether the particular action was determined by us…”
I don’t know if “determined” is as helpful a term as people tend to make it out to be. Perhaps it is better to say “expressive of” larger dynamics. Even the most freely imagined actions, when understood by others, are mediated by larger social constructions. It is not so much of a stretch to imagine that cultural dynamics are also working through individual decisions, perhaps even without robbing them of some autonomy. Language and a series of discrete cultural constructions converge in particular expressions that are otherwise said to be free.
Dunamis
“Expressive of” may be a better term. I used “determined” because I’m working on Kant right now and he is crazy about determinations.
Good point. I think one of those mediating social constructions is often how we understand ourselves as subjects. I think many social constructions are superimposed over our lives and often times individual decision and autonomy are heavily influenced by power.
N.G.,
“I think many social constructions are superimposed over our lives and often times individual decision and autonomy are heavily influenced by power.”
The big question is whether “decision” and “autonomy” are power contructs as well, and key-stone bricks in power’s construction of subjectivity. The manner in which middle class consumerism is based almost entirely on the “illusion” or at least magnification of “autonomous choice”, (just vist the supermarket aisle and see the multitude of similarly designed, equally capable, yet differentially packaged products), makes me a bit suspicious of power’s investment in subjectivity itself. The entirety of Crime and Punishment rests upon it.
Dunamis
Very true and in some cases, I believe they are. Well, I don’t necessarily believe that autonomy is completely a construct, but I do believe it has been adapted by power.
The example of consumerism is a great illustration:
The idea of ‘choice’ is a precondition to the capitalist system. Old Adam Smith’s idea that we choose according to rational self-choice seems to excuse any behavior by capitalists, as long as the people choose.