Overview:
Society has ways to provide a contrast between the wanted values, and the unwanted. Needing the presence of an insistent and fearful figure, that is kept at a sacred distance. Salvation comes through exile, through abandonment. The position of the excluded used to be occupied by those with leprosy. Although leprosy disappeared, the social infrastructure of exclusion did not. The position of the excluded was been taken up by the poor vagabonds, criminals, and deranged minds. During a time when reason was becoming the ideal virtue, unreason became the threat. Madness assumed the form of non-reason. The opposite of reason. Each existing in relation to the other. As they provide each other with a contrast.

Madness provides an inaccessible mystery, making others curious about it. Madness appears to be a very arbitrary phenomena, that debases the human to a primal animal. Haunted by one’s own nature. Madness depends on perspective, for someone’s fantasy, is another’s hallucination. What is real to some, is imaginary to others. Madness values knowledge, but cannot control the secrets of knowledge. Cannot reconcile the absurdities of knowledge, and find a way to proceed. Madness developed by an excess of false learning, a punishment for disorder. Desperate passion can lead to madness. Excess disappointment loses the object of affection, means having nothing to prevent a fall into a void of delirium. Madness can be tamed, and appear to be in control of one’s faculties. Disguised in the ambiguity of reality and illusion.

Madness Managing:
Some cities provided a budget for the care of those deemed to have a madness, but were normally just thrown in prison. Some cities took the mad in as they were interested in cures that would provide miracles.

There were various public rituals involved in exclusion of the mad. Delivering them to sailors, made sure of their removal, but also provided a potential of a watery grave. Water as a purification symbol. An uncertain fate, as every departure potentially the last.

Work was assumed to be an ethical exercise and moral guarantee. Prisoners who could work were released, not because they could be useful, but because they submitted to the ethical pact of human existence.

Confinement became the normal treatment for economic measure and social precaution. Madness has become a mental illness, and separated from society. Communication with those who have a madness, has been delegated to those dealing with diseases.

Caveats?
The book is difficult to read. The transitions between claims are poor, by moving too quickly between different ideas, sources, and topics. Many references are esoteric. ( )

I didn't realize this was an abridgement of a longer book. Maybe the good parts were abridged out? There is some interesting historical information which would have benefited from a more straightforward nonfiction presentation, without the "philosophy". ( )

Here's another book I am not competent to judge or review. I had not read anything of Foucault, and this book gave me a lot of historical information that was new for me, as well as interpretations that seemed novel and interesting. I am glad I read it. It was difficult to read. ( )

While this book certainly has its moments it must be said that one gets the impression Foucault read too much primary literature and simply had to stuff in as much of it as possible. Far too localised to France and far too boring in certain parts. Wish it had more stuff on Freud as well, because the idea that Freud circumvents the historically determined silencing of the mad by introducing language back into the cure is fascinating. ( )

لن يكون اسم المفكر الفرنسي ميشيل فوكو غريباً على أي مهتم بالفلسفة الحديثة، فهو أحد أكثر الشخصيات شعبية في عصر ما بعد الحداثة والفلسفة الأوروبية. بعد أن عمل في مركز للأمراض العقلية وتعامل مع مشكلاته النفسية الخاصة، قاده اهتمامه العميق بتاريخ وممارسة علم النفس إلى كتابة تاريخ الجنون.
يشرح فوكو كيف أن التعرف على الأمراض العقلية وفهمها والتعامل معها قد تغيرت بشكل كبير، مركزاً بشكل أساسي على نهاية العصور الوسطى والسنوات التي سبقت وتلت عصر التنوير والنهضة الأوروبية من أوائل القرن الثامن عشر وحتى منتصفه. خلال هذا الوقت لاحظ فوكو ما سمّاه "الحبس الكبير"، حيث كانت العناصر غير المرغوب فيها في المجتمع - بما في ذلك الفقراء والخارجين عن القانون و"المجانين" - محاصرة ومحتواة بعيداً عن نظر العامة.
لقد استغرق الأمر مئات السنين قبل أن يتم التعامل مع المرضى النفسيين بشكل مختلف عن الحيوانات ويظهر الطب النفسي كاختصاص مستقل. ( )