‘What I wanted to do was in the order of philosophy: can one reflect philosophically on the history of knowledge as historical material rather than reflecting on a theory or a philosophy of history. In a rather empirical and clumsy fashion, I envisaged a work as close as possible to that of historians, but in order to ask philosophical questions, concerning the history of knowledge. I hoped for the good will of historians.’
Michel Foucault, “Le style de l’histoire,” in In Dits et Ecrits vol IV. Paris: Gallimard, p. 652. (This passage trans. Clare O’Farrell)
