Explain with reasons: Foucault called his method 'the archaeology of knowledge'.

Reason: Foucault wanted to explain the transitions in the past rather than arrange events in order or search for a final truth.

• Michel Foucault (1926–1984) was a French historian of the twentieth century.
• In his book 'Archaeology of Knowledge' he argued that the usual practice of arranging historical events in chronological order is not right.
• He pointed out that archaeology does not try to reach the ultimate historical truth; it tries to explain the various transitions (changes) in the past.
• He felt that explaining these transitions is the more important task of history.
• He also applied this method to areas ignored by historians, such as mental illness, medicine and prison administration.

Since his method of studying the past was like that of archaeology, he called it 'the archaeology of knowledge'.