"As the archaeology of our thought easily shows, man is an invention of recent date. And one perhaps nearing its end"

This quote by Michel Foucault suggests that mankind is a reasonably brand-new idea, and one that might be concerning an end. Foucault is suggesting that if we look back at the history of our ideas and concepts, we can see that the idea of humanity is a fairly recent invention. He indicates that this innovation may be nearing its end, recommending that humankind may not be around for a lot longer. This might be analyzed as a cautioning about the fragility of mankind, and the need to look after it. It might likewise be analyzed as a recommendation that mankind is developing and changing, which a new type of humanity might be emerging. Whatever the interpretation, this quote functions as a pointer of the importance of understanding our history and the fragility of humankind.