Abstract: Alcoff, accepting Hilary Putnam's conclusion that rationality and democratic values are intrinsically connected, investigates the implications of his claim. Alcoff urges Putnam to devote more thought to the criticisms advanced against traditional conceptions of inquiry and to follow Foucault in recognizing the various ways in which power and desire may affect even the most apparently neutral and democratic procedure.

Keywords: desire, Michel Foucault, philosophical inquiry, power, Hilary Putnam,