As an expert in the field of architectural history and social theory, I can provide you with a detailed explanation of the Panopticon.

The Panopticon was a concept for a prison building designed by the English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. The design was such that a central observation tower would allow a single watchman to observe all inmates without them knowing when they were being watched. This constant possibility of surveillance was intended to induce a state of self-discipline among the prisoners, encouraging them to behave as if they were always being watched, even when they were not.

The Panopticon's design was revolutionary because it represented a shift in the philosophy of punishment and control. It was not just about the physical restraint of prisoners, but also about the psychological impact of the surveillance. The concept has been widely discussed in the context of modern surveillance society and has been applied to various fields, including sociology, criminology, and architecture.

Michel Foucault, a French philosopher, famously analyzed the Panopticon in his book "Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison." Foucault used the Panopticon as a metaphor for the ways in which societies use surveillance and discipline as a means of control.

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The Panopticon is a type of institutional building and a system of control designed by the English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. ... It is his prison that is now most widely meant by the term "panopticon".read more >>