▁As ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁the ▁modern ▁" search " ▁for ▁the ▁" true ▁self ", ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁" the ▁work ▁of ▁freedom ", ▁Fou ca ult ▁discuss es ▁the ▁ant ique ▁Greek ▁term ▁ep ime le ia ▁he aut ou , ▁" care ▁for ▁the ▁self ." ▁According ▁to ▁Fou ca ult , ▁among ▁the ▁ancient ▁Greek ▁philosoph ers , ▁self - aw aren ess ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁goal ▁in ▁itself , ▁but ▁rather ▁something ▁that ▁was ▁sought ▁after ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁" care ▁for ▁ones elf ". ▁Care ▁for ▁the ▁self ▁consists ▁of ▁what ▁Fou ca ult ▁calls ▁" the ▁art ▁of ▁living " ▁or ▁" techn ologies ▁of ▁the ▁self ." ▁The ▁goal ▁of ▁these ▁techniques ▁was , ▁according ▁to ▁Fou ca ult , ▁to ▁transform ▁ones elf ▁into ▁a ▁more ▁eth ical ▁person . ▁As ▁an ▁example ▁of ▁this , ▁Fou ca ult ▁mentions ▁med itation , ▁the ▁sto ic ▁activity ▁of ▁cont empl ating ▁past ▁and ▁future ▁actions ▁and ▁evalu ating ▁if ▁these ▁actions ▁are ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁ones ▁values ▁and ▁goals , ▁and ▁" cont empl ation ▁of ▁nature ." ▁Cont empl ation ▁of ▁nature ▁is ▁another ▁sto ic ▁activity , ▁that ▁consists ▁of ▁reflect ing ▁on ▁how ▁" small " ▁one ' s ▁existence ▁is ▁when ▁compared ▁to ▁the ▁greater ▁cos mos . ▁ ▁Theory ▁of ▁Know ledge ▁▁ ▁Fou ca ult ▁is ▁described ▁by ▁Mary ▁Beth ▁M ader ▁as ▁an ▁ep ist em ological ▁construct iv ist ▁and ▁historic ist . ▁Fou ca