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reading 7

According to Foucault, sexuality is the principle focus of our modern society, that has been repressed behind medicine and institutions of religions. The truth of sexuality as he sees it is hidden within the context of pleasure one receives when practicing these interest. Scientia sexualis is a scientific approach to the study of sex used by the western civilization compared to the ars erotica, the perception that sex is explained as a form art. He emphasises that ars erotica was not completely taken out of the western views on sexuality because it is still relevant through religious expression. Sexuality and dominant erotica is cloaked by path to love and God by virtue of spiritual connection and pleasure. Being possessed was the guise of sexual fulfillment instated by the Catholic church as a means to subdue and contain any discourse of sexuality by its followers. In Christianity God the father is the path to enlightenment, and the source of pleasure. Confession was another metaphoric representation of how sex and sexuality were part of the ars erotica. The entire act is sexaualized from the kneeling, to the asking for forgiveness. Cleansing the souls impurities while becoming exposed and submissive to the priest as he signs the cross gently on the forehead. Foucault attempts to tie together the idea that scientia sexualis has not been as successful at defining sex as an art form or ars erotica, instead it has created its own identity of pleasure. Using that pleasure to determine other pleasures and uncover new truths to the new specific pleasures.

Even by only reading the first few chapters, I can say that this whole book is deep and rich with meaning and it seems to be interpreted many different ways and most definitely a lot to process.

Foucault used the words pleasure and truth throughout the,” History of Sexuality”. What is does he mean by truth and pleasure? How and why are these concepts relevant to sexuality?