La pornographie serait-elle l’objet d’un malentendu? Alors qu’elle s’offre une santé particulièrement réjouissante au regard du commerce mondial, il semblerait que les jugements portés sur elle ne parviennent jamais à toucher leur but. C’est que la pornographie brouille cette aptitude à dessiner clairement les limites que l’on souhaiterait repérer entre réel et imaginaire. La condamnation de cette imagerie sous l’étiquette « obscène » révèle ainsi l’incapacité à juger de la place véritable des représentations de la sexualité dans notre société, mais (...) aussi et surtout, elle révèle la difficulté à identifier le réel lui-même, et signe un dialogue de sourds sur le sens que l’on pourrait donner aux choses représentées en général. C’est sans doute qu’il y a méprise sur l’objet même de la représentation. C’est aussi que l’analyse qui ressort de ce phénomène ne parvient que rarement à sortir d’un aveuglement subtilement construit par les appartenances culturelles et les intérêts idéologiques. Effaçant les frontières a priori certaines entre imaginaire et réel, l’image pornographique donnerait au jugement une portée incapable de s’ancrer dans l’un où l’autre monde. (shrink)

In two recent works, Intellectuals and Power and General Theory of Victims, François Laruelle offers a critique of the public intellectual, including Jean-Paul Sartre, claiming such intellectuals have a disregard for victims of crimes against humanity. Laruelle insists that the victim has been left out of philosophy and displaced by an abstract pursuit of justice. He offers a non- philosophical approach that reverses the victim/intellectual dyad and calls for compassionate insurrection. In this paper, we probe Laruelle's critique of the (...) committed intellectual's obligations to victims, specifically, through an examination of Sartre's "A Plea for Intellectuals." We hope to show the value of Laruelle's theory on victims, crime and power for imagining future-oriented intellectuals. (shrink)

I examine the Lacanian concept of misrecognition by comparing it with the Sartrean notion of bad faith. I focus on Jacques Lacan’s 1946 article ‘Presentation on Psychical Causality’ in which Lacan criticises organicist psychology for misrecognising the cause of madness to be essentially organic and consequently failing to distinguish between ‘mad’ and ‘true’ ideas. I argue that bad faith, discussed by Jean-Paul Sartre in Being and Nothingness in 1943—and referred to six times in the Écrits by Lacan—has essential similarities (...) with misrecognition in the Lacanian sense. By juxtaposing these concepts, I argue that this early Lacanian text is marked by an existentialist attitude which views human reality—and madness—as meaningful and grounded in being. (shrink)

The prevalent theories of metaphor in the literature, with very few exceptions, involve a conversion of either meaning or reference from the literal meaning or reference of the metaphor to either a corresponding simile or to a metaphorical meaning or reference. In this essay an altemative to the conversion view - i.e., a constancy theory - is offered that requires no such conversions. H.R Grice's notions of conversational maximes and implicatures provide a conceptual framework within which to account for metaphors (...) in a totally literal context. A selection procedure is suggested as the mechanism by which one can interpret metaphors and distinguish them from other figures of speech. (shrink)

Guidé par l’extension de l’usage et des acceptions du signifiant « ex », l’auteur, à partir d’une longue expérience clinique auprès des couples et des familles, met en correspondance des phénomènes psychiques peu conscients des individus, enfants ou parents, et des groupes familiaux qu’ils constituent, avec des transformations sociales ou sociétales modifiant les bases historiques des sentiments d’identité. L’ensemble souligne la fréquence de troubles narcissiques et notamment du sentiment de la constance et de la valeur de soi, essentiel à (...) ce qui fait, au-delà du désir, la dimension « conjugale » du choix amoureux et du choix de type de lien. L’évolution perceptible de la temporalité y joue un grand rôle, déplaçant les identifications vers une adolescence modélisée. S’agit-il d’un ébranlement passager du sentiment identitaire, du renouvellement d’une pluralité de modalités identitaires ou d’une évolution anthropologique? (shrink)

Lacker (1981) and Lacker & Akin (1988) developed a mathematical model of follicular maturation and ovulation; this model of only four parameters accounts for a large number of results obtained over the past decade or more on the control of follicular growth and ovulation in mammals. It establishes a single law of maturation for each follicle which describes the interactions between growing follicles. The function put forward is sufficient to explain the constancy of the number of ovulations or large follicles (...) in a female as well as the variability of this number among strains or species and for either induced or spontaneous ovulators. According to the model, the number of ovulations or large follicles lies between two limits that are themselves simple functions of two parameters of the model. Moreover, Lacker's model exhibits interesting characteristics in agreement with results obtained by physiologists: in particular, it predicts that the number of ovulating or large follicles is independent of:1. the total number of maturing follicles, 2. the process of recruitment of newly maturing follicles towards the terminal maturation (Poisson or other), 3. the form of the LH or FSH secretion curves as functions of the systemic level of oestradiol. The model further predicts that 4. selection and dominance of follicles result from the feedback between the ovary and the hypophysis through the interactions between follicles; these interactions are expressed by the maturation function of the model. 5. recovery from atresia is possible for a follicle: from decreasing, the rate of secretion of oestradiol may increase. 6. the revised model suggests a renewal of follicles during the sexual cycle, as waves of follicular growth. Lacker's model is a model of strict dominance; it maintains a hierarchy of the follicles as soon as they start their final maturation to the ovulations as that is observed in bird or reptile ovary. Such a strict hierarchy is possible but it is probably not a general situation in all mammals. We therefore modified the maturing function of the follicle in order to make it compatible with the observations of physiologists: follicles always interact as in the initial model but they individually become old, the hierarchy of follicles can be modified with time and the largest follicles do not indefinitely grow as in the initial model. (shrink)

Metaphor, I argue, is a type of expression that is used to communicate information beyond that communicated by its literal meaning. I argue that the literal meaning of metaphors are essential. I attempt to account for metaphor in such a way as to retain the literal meaning, while also accounting for what is called the "metaphorical meaning" of metaphors. Secondly, I am concerned with the mechanisms in virtue of which we are able to distinguish the metaphorical from the literal. ;Chapter (...) I is a discussion of the problems that I will consider in the dissertation. These include distinguishing metaphorical from literal expressions, Donald Davidson's learnability and scrutability criteria, the exclusionary criteria, conversion and constancy theories of metaphor, and truth-values of metaphors. ;Chapter II critically examines Aristotle's, Max Black's, and Monroe C. Beardsley's intensional conversion theories. Here I argue that conversion theories are inadequate and unnecessary to account for metaphorical attributions. ;Chapter III critically examines extensional conversion theories of metaphor including Nelson Goodman's version. I discuss the difficulties that arise in postulating such reference conversions. I argue that this type of conversion theory is also unsuccessful and unnecessary. ;Chapter IV is a critical examination of four types of emotive theory of metaphor, one of which is Max Rieser's. These theories maintain, and I deny, that metaphors have an "emotive meaning" in addition to or instead of their literal meaning. I consider the shortcomings and consequences of emotive views, and argue that the postulation of emotive meanings is also misguided and unnecessary. ;Chapter V offers an alternative to conversion theories. Here I argue for a theory requiring no meaning or reference conversions. My view involves H. P. Grice's notions of conversational maxims and implicatures. I conclude that metaphors retain their literal meaning, partly in virtue of which they generate implicatures. I also conclude that our recognition of, and ability to distinguish, metaphors from literal expressions involves the violations of conversational maxims. (shrink)

Jean Gerson, chancellor of the university of Paris and influential theologian at the council of Constance, was known for his constant fight against curiosity. Instead of getting lost in futile speculation, theologians were admonished by him to take the utility of their research and teaching into account, a utility which, according to Gerson, manifested itself in its fruitful and edifying effect. He promoted this program or stylus, as he called it, as chancellor of the Parisian university in his (...) many attempts to reform the curriculum, and he gave a practical demonstration of it to an international audience when opposing Jerome of Prague at Constance. But to what extent was this style received in the academic culture of the 15th century? This paper traces the impact of Gerson’s stylus in a few Sentences commentaries, starting with contemporaries of Gerson such as Lambertus de Monte and Nicholas of Dinkelsbuhl, and moving on to later examples at the turn of the 16th century and John Mair in particular. It be... (shrink)

There are two different ways to introduce the notion of truthin constructive mathematics. The first one is to use a Tarskian definition of truth in aconstructive (meta)language. According to some authors, (Kreisel, van Dalen, Troelstra ... ),this definition is entirely similar to the Tarskian definition of classical truth (thesis A).The second one, due essentially to Heyting and Kolmogorov, and known as theBrouwer–Heyting–Kolmogorov interpretation, is to explain informally what it means fora mathematical proposition to be constructively proved. According to other authors (...) (Martin-Löfand Shapiro), this interpretation and the Tarskian definition of truth amount to thesame (thesis B). My aim in this paper is to show that thesis A is only reasonable, that thesis Bis false and to answer the following question: what is defined by the Tarskian definition ofconstructive truth? (shrink)

La 4e de couverture indique : "Tandis que le prétendu "art contemporain" s'épuise dans le maniérisme d'une transgression sans objet, qu'attendre de la lecture de Jean Brun? Tout simplement qu'elle nous ramène à l'essence de l'art et à sa raison d'être, qui est de chanter la Beauté du Créateur à travers ses oeuvres et l'expression humaine qu'en donne l'artiste. Cette fonction sacrée, dans la situation du monde présent, prend la forme d'un combat métaphysique pour l'Etre contre le Néant.".

Stage organise par le Centre d'etudes superieures de la Renaissance de Tours, sous la direction de Jean-Claude Margolin et tenu du 3 au 25 juillet.

This text is based on the lecture held by Jean-Luc Marion at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, on December 4., 2015. By thematizing the?limits of phenomenality?, Marion analyzes what exceeds the horizon of objectivity and the framework of subjectivity. By relying on some of the most important philosophers of the history of metaphysics, Marion offers an alternative way, namely, a phenomenology of givenness that focuses on saturated phenomena. nema.

Nothing, one day, seemed more imperative to me than the project of composing a book whose fiction would be constructed not as the representation of some preexistent entity, real or imaginary, but rather on the basis of certain specific mechanisms of generation and selection. The principle of selection may be called overdetermination. It requires that every element in the text have at least two justifications. In this perspective, each element is invested with a coefficient of overdetermination. If there is a (...) choice to be made between two overdetermined elements, the one with the highest coefficient of overdetermination will always be chosen. This principle, as we might expect, was not elected at random: it corresponds to any text construed as nonlinear. Take, for example, the simplest element, with a coefficient of two. A double relation connects it with the text: the one due to its place in the written line , and the one linking it with some other element in the text . By operating at a maximum level of multiple determinations, the text is elaborated by means of a maximum number of transversal relations, in a field diametrically opposed to the realm of the linear. Jean Ricardou is equally well known for his fiction, including L'Observatoire de Cannes , La Prise de Constantinople , Les Lieux-dits , and Les Révolutions Minuscules , and his criticism, including Problèmes du Nouveau Roman , Pour une Theorie du Nouveau Roman , and Le Nouveau Roman , LE PARADIGME d' Albert Ayme , and a collection of essays, Nouveaux Problèmes du Roman. His "Composition Discomposed" appeared in the Autumn 1976 issue of Critical Inquiry. Erica Freiberg regularly translates Jean Ricardou's works. She holds degrees in French and Italian, philosophy and modern literature from the University of Paris and the University of Geneva. (shrink)

Jean-Marie Straub – Je veux rectifier un petit peu ce que j’ai dit. J’ai dit que c’était un film un peu terroriste. Mais enfin, c’est quand même une des plus belles histoires d’amour qu’on ait racontées à l’écran. Je veux dire que ça s’ouvre et ça se détend à un certain moment. Ça ne reste pas terroriste jusqu’au bout. Est-ce que vous avez des questions? Spectateur – C’est génial si on est Italien et qu’on n’a pas besoin des sous-titres. (...) Sincèrement, quand il faut tout le temps regarder, ce... (shrink)

Be Who You Are is one of the earliest published books of dialogues with Jean Klein. Written in the lucid and eloquent style which characterises his work, each chapter is composed of an introductory discourse followed by questions and answers. "The 'eternal present', our theme in these meetings, lies within the depth of ourselves. It is the eternal awareness of the Self. Seen from the Ultimate, the world projected by the mind appears and disappears, in other words, it "becomes". (...) When we talk of time and space, it must be thoroughly understood that their reality is relative, it is a reality in the world of becoming. But beyond space-time is that stillness which knows no becoming." This much sought after book, by one of the most important exponents of Advaita in recent years, is now available again from Non-Duality Press. (shrink)

La foi et la raison. La foi, don de Dieu. La raison, don de l'homme ou don de Dieu? La foi et la raison eurent à combattre, comme si le ciel et la terre vivaient en conflit incessant. Le combat demeure, différent certes, parce que l'homme oublie ses origines sans en regarder la cause. Jean-Paul II s'est lancé dans cette épreuve, en rédigeant une encyclique, pour enfin tenter de sortir l'homme de son enfermement dialectique. Le magistère de l'Eglise catholique (...) lui en donne l'autorité et la lui demande, pour enfin réconcilier l'homme avec lui-même et avec Dieu"-- Back cover. (shrink)

Si la vertu thérapeutique de la poésie se trouve dès longtemps au rang des « topoï », il nous a paru plus rare et plus intéressant de montrer en quoi Hypnos, c’est-à-dire Sommeil, y joue un rôle prépondérant, apportant le lieu o ù peut s’exercer cette vertu. Nous sommes soutenus dans notre réflexion par la scène sublime de L’Iliade au chant xxiii où Patrocle apparaît à Achille, terrassé par Sommeil, dans une dernière entrevue entre le vivant et le mort, que (...) seule la Poésie peut mettre en scène. Dans l’analyse de ce texte, la doctrine d’Henry Corbin avec son monde imaginal et sa familiarité avec la poésie soufie au Moyen Âge nous a été d’un puissant secours dans notre tâche. (shrink)

This piece explores the background to writing Sartre, Self-Formation and Masculinities and explains the theoretical tools used in the book before examining some of the issues raised by Bergoffen and Flynn in their critical review-articles and responding to these. It provides a more fully fledged account of Sartre's relationship with psychoanalysis and states how the book combines psychology and biography through a masculinity-aware lens. Both commentators stimulate interesting insights into my own essay, and open up new avenues which I sketch (...) out. The piece ends with a defence of the controversial question of Sartre changing towards the end of his life. (shrink)

Le capitalisme menace la vie sur terre. Aucune issue technique à ce constat. Les usages destructeurs des ressources naturelles sont inscrits au plus profond des structures sociales : école, travail, propriété, marché, etc. Ils forgent des conditions de classe écologiquement inégales et antagoniques. Ce livre montre qu'une écologie politique véritablement transformatrice doit avoir pour horizon la refonte des cadres fondamentaux de la vie sociale qu'exige l'invention d'une société respectueuse des limites planétaires."--Page 4 of cover.

Hypertext encompasses a particular aspect of the virtual book that is playing an increasingly important part with the expansion of the Internet and the web. The success of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) - attests to its dynamism. Nowadays it seems so natural and so usual that we manipulate it with ease and we discover its ancestors among medieval cabalists or among other commentators of sacred texts. Every indexation, every note and every comment suggests a potential rudimentary hypertext. However, before its (...) expansion over the entire planet, with the network of worldwide telecommunication, before being programmed on to every PC, hypertext took form in the minds of a few learned visionaries. We will refer to two of them. (shrink)

First published in 1974, Libidinal Economy is a major work of twentieth century continental philosophy. In it, Lyotard develops the idea of economies driven by libidinal 'energies' or 'intensities' which he claims flow through all structures, such as the human body and political or social events. He uses this idea to interpret a diverse range of subjects including political economy, Marxism, sexual politics, semiotics and psychoanalysis. Lyotard also carries out a broad critique of philosophies of desire, as expounded by Deleuze (...) and Guattari, Nietzsche, Bataille, Foucault and de Sade. (shrink)

Why Should We Abandon - With Caution - the Cartesian Concept of Soul? In this text, the author proposes to show that we must abandon the Cartesian approach to the soul while remaining cautious. He recalls the context in which this thesis was defended. This thesis is based on an interpretation of Genesis that condemns knowledge. It shows how this interpretation is wrong.

The method chosen here draws on concepts borrowed from sociology and anthropology. This double conceptual approach is necessary for a society divided between values inherited from medieval Christianity and precapitalist practices. Seventeenth-century France did not think of itself as a class society but as a society of orders. Since sociology is a system of knowledge whose concepts are taken from an imaginary construct, it is thus more suited to analyzing bourgeois society than societies in transition.6 In trying to measure the (...) past with the aid of tools forged in and for contemporary societies, the sociologist runs the risk of only measuring an artifact, produced by his theories in the field of history. Hence the need for the anthropological concepts, including the notion of exchange, among others, whether material , symbolic , or sexual .This approach will bring to light the contradictions underlying the society of the ancient régime. Whereas an ordinary sociohistorical approach views the reign of Louis XIV as unified under a dogmatic classicism, the socioanthropological approach stresses the tensions and oppositions running through this society. Classicism appears then as a façade covering up the change that it cannot imagine. This “spectacle”7 makes it possible to unite contradictory social practices, both those produced by consumption and which originate in the medieval economy and those belonging to the early accumulation of capital which sketch future bourgeois economic practices. 6. See Cornelius Catoriadis, The Imaginary Institution of Society, trans. Kathleen Blamey .7. See Guy Debord, Society of the Spectacle, rev. English ed. . Jean-Marie Apostolidès is professor of French literature at Stanford University. His publications include Le roi-machine, Les metamorphoses de Tintin, and Le prince sacrifié. Alice Musick McLean, a Ph.D. student at the University of Chicago, is specializing in medieval narrative and the literature of the fantastic. (shrink)

There are other options than the opposition set by Mele between his own account and the strict interpersonal model. The notion of collective self-deception or “social hypocrisy” is discussed and shown to be nonparadoxical. When an individual consciousness lies to itself, there is often a form of “negative collaboration” with another.

The Reveries sur la nature primitive de l'homme are one of the important books of the dawn of the nineteenth century. In this text, Senancour limns an image of the world in accordance with the scientific thought of his time. It is a disenchanted image, dominated by mechanical necessity, and in it the distinction between good and evil no longer holds. God is absent; the world is not his creation. And Senancour expresses no regret:Everything in nature is indifferent, for everything (...) is necessary: all is beautiful, for all is determined. The individual is nothing, as a being apart: his cause and his end lie beyond him. Only the whole exists absolutely, invincibly, with no other cause, with no other end beyond itself, with no laws but those of its nature, with no other product than its permanence…. The beautiful, the true, the just, evil, and disorder exist only for the weakness of mortals…. The same earth contains happy orchards and ruinous volcanoes. The villain triumphs, the hero dies; the orchard withers, the volcano is snuffed out; one and the same destruction devours both the animate and the inanimate, shrouded in the same oblivion; and in a world reborn, there remains not a trace of what was abhorred or deified in a bygone world. (shrink)