Michel Foucault (1926-1984) was a French philosopher and historian who is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. He is best known for his works on power, knowledge, and discourse, which have had a profound impact on the fields of sociology, philosophy, and cultural studies. Foucault's work focused on the relationship between power and knowledge, and how power is used to control and shape discourse. He argued that power is not simply a top-down structure, but rather a complex network of relationships between individuals and institutions. He also explored the ways in which knowledge is produced and disseminated, and how it is used to construct and maintain social hierarchies. Foucault's work has been highly influential in the fields of critical theory, post-structuralism, and postmodernism, and his ideas continue to be relevant today.