The Transformation of the Understanding of Knowledge in Michel Foucault's Philosophy of Culture: From Epistemes to Discipline

ntroduction. The article analyzes Michel Foucault's philosophy in the context of its contribution to the study of knowledge and power. It examines the transformation of his ideas from the analysis of epistemes in The Order of Things to the study of disciplinary power in Discipline and Punish. The aim of the work is to analyze and compare these two approaches. Content. The first part examines the epistemes from The Order of Things as historically conditioned structures that set the framework for possible knowledge in each era. The second part explores the mechanisms of disciplinary power presented in Discipline and Punish and their role in shaping knowledge through observation, normalization, and control. The third part focuses on comparing these two approaches by Foucault, emphasizing the interrelation of power and knowledge, as well as the transition from analyzing abstract structures to studying specific social institutions. Conclusions. The analysis shows that the concept of power-knowledge, presented in Foucault's later works, changes the understanding of knowledge and epistemes by linking them to power discourses, which actively shape truth. Viewing knowledge through the lens of power allows interpreting each historical period as a space of interconnected changes, where power and knowledge jointly create reality. The process of episteme transformation itself can be perceived as a political process influencing social organization and methods of governing society.