Spiritualization of zoé and biologization of Spirit? Bios and positivity in History

Abstract

The link between the writings of the young Hegel and Foucault’s final writings allows us to propose a suggestive reading key so as to conceive of the problem of life as an object for politics. First, we will consider how the concept of positivität, included in Hegel’s early writings, deals with the problem of life in relation to power and history. Then we will show how the notion of dispositif, still present in Foucault’s writings, is clearly influenced by the Hegelian notion of positivität. Finally, we will develop a Hegelian-Foucaultian proposal in order to elaborate a notion of bios that distances itself from current biological-determinist readings.