Discourse

Discourse, in its literal sense, refers to the process, journey, or movement of a referenced system. Discourse evolves through human behavior, observation, and awareness. Several philosophers, such as Machiavelli and Michel Foucault, have used this term as a central theme of their thought. Machiavelli focused on the praxis of political values, while Foucault emphasized the causal-consequential nature of knowledge. Though their objects of study differ, both share a common thread—the pursuit of meaning.

Discourse encompasses more activity than logos or rhetoric. In logos, human thought is confined to the process of defining concepts. Rhetoric, on the other hand, allows individuals to induce understanding and influence others. Meanwhile, discourse is a discussion aimed at discovering definitions (a rational structure) through reflection and interaction. In discourse, individuals or groups have the opportunity to search for meaning. The discursive process has direction and tools—its direction is either the discovery of new meaning or the re-articulation of existing understanding, while language and media serve as its tools.

The manifestation of media takes the form of mass forums (course) or intellectual products such as literature. For Foucault, the subject of discourse is an entity that continuously emerges or signs that can be read. Through systemic and cognitive processes, humans come to understand and ultimately act upon the knowledge they acquire. As a system, discourse permeates applied sciences, shaping analytical methods such as semiotics and hermeneutics. The terminology used in discourse depends on its dimensions, objects, and associated tools. Discourse arises when ideas intersect, forming a fundamental part of humanity’s pursuit of knowledge. When individuals seek to understand a discourse, they are simultaneously moving toward and within it.