The Current State of Western Philosophy

The Château de Cerisy, nestled in Lower Normandy and a mere four-hour drive from Paris, has long served as a sanctuary for philosophical discourse, where the angelic chime of the local church bell harmonizes with the vibrant din of debates. Each lunch and dinner, adhering to Benedictine custom, features a ceremonial procession with dishes, allowing everyone to partake to their heart's content. In winter, the hosts retreat from the company of great philosophers, yet in summer and autumn, the harvest brings forth fresh veal and homemade ice cream, delighting all after lengthy presentations.

During my time at Cerisy, I listened to the poet Michel Deguy, who argued that poetry does not mend grievances but alleviates the burdens of everyday existence. Poetry, Deguy asserted, trains humanity's ear by bridging distant concepts amid the cacophony of human life. Following him, Alain Badiou spoke of the excesses not only of noise but of signs in our lives. In the face of horrific realities, we often overlook how we ourselves have become fearsome to the world, burdened by our selfishness or our unseen malice. Badiou contended that it is futile to attribute our failings to the imperfection of the body or the dominance of technology; accountability rests solely with us.

Roland Gori suggested that past philosophies had a penchant for appropriating their subjects of contemplation, asserting that we must learn to rent and return them instead. This may not significantly aid the subjects themselves but could encourage a more judicious use of words, while thought should be liberated to perceive the consequences of such rentals. Thus, one might effectively lease from analytical philosophers their dedication to scientific knowledge, transforming these obligations into deeper existential commitments.

Several presentations focused on psychoanalysis, advocating for a departure from viewing mental life as a contract between humanity and existence, punctuated by gaps that psychoanalysts then address. Such a perspective risks placing blame solely on circumstances; increasingly, we observe individuals recognizing the falsity of their actions, especially when they acknowledge the greater honesty of another’s deeds. This “other” serves as a catalyst for an ongoing exchange of ideas, as one's thoughts will inevitably tempt one to exploit them for personal gain rather than engage in genuine dialogue. Hence, the other becomes an instance of honest commerce in the realm of thought. Meanwhile, the speakers maintained that analytical philosophy finds itself at an impasse: it has managed the ambiguity of language, yet how can it navigate the multifaceted nature of the inventors and custodians of language across diverse continents?

Olivier Kayla posited that the law must cease to be merely an abstract norm; it should educate individuals to better fulfill their social roles. The law was also invoked in connection with Parmenides’ poem, which Barbara Cassin, with a hairstyle reminiscent of Helen of Troy, commented on during each report, noting that law constitutes the principal institution of humanity—not solely because individuals have rights to certain things but also because, in Parmenides’ ancient poem, they first gain the right to existence, not merely as beings, but as an essence birthed from the mingling of blood, from the heat of a man-woman encounter. Étienne Balibar, a Marxist who appeared quite at home amid the vineyards of northern France, remarked that such an institution embodies humanity's capacity to correct itself, transforming its origins into a basis for continual refinement and clarification of one’s stance. Philosophy, as Marx asserted, must change the world, and such change encompasses not only political engagement but also the correct form of self-correction.

Subsequently, at the Moscow Philosophical College, we discussed Graham Harman's book, "Meillassoux: Philosophy in the Act" (2011), about K. Meillassoux, one of the youngest and boldest philosophers from École Normale. Meillassoux, reluctant to be a theologian in the strict sense, employs theological concepts in a non-propriety manner—hope, for instance, no longer nurtures the individual or cradles the soul but compellingly demands the continuation of life, rendering the very demand for continuation immortal. Thereafter, a sense of justice intervenes, transforming this condition of immortality into a liberation from the fatal struggle against oneself. Moscow philosopher Irina Dudenko noted during the session that Harman revealed Meillassoux, who is currently engaged in fundamental metaphysics, primarily as a philosopher of symbols—an unexpected phenomenon of meaning that liberates us from the routine conditions of knowledge. Essentially, Meillassoux deifies immortality, which allows one to forgo inquiries about how a philosopher should relate to God, instead intertwining the philosopher and God in a singular process of completing tasks and attaining that which cannot be completed.

Another concern, as co-presenter Anna Yampolskaya observed, is that such veneration of immortality might hinder the philosopher's capacity for gratitude and prayer, relegating faith to a mere symptom. In contrast, 20th-century philosophy, as seen in the works of Heidegger, Levinas, or Derrida, sought philosophy as a “practice of self,” wherein individuals invest themselves wholly. For Derrida, “addressing” (turning toward philosophical faith, for instance, in a moment of gratitude) is crucial. This address allows the "unrepeatable" experience, the unspeakable emotion, to become our own, while in Meillassoux's view, the ineffable experience is accessible to humanity because, in the completion of tasks alongside God—such as in the realm of honest thought, in the resolve of an individual to never lie—God and humanity engage in a just relationship. Meillassoux asserts that only an infant truly comprehends such justice, as the infant does not process experiences in a manner that offends God but accepts its being as a being within the world’s addressed speech. Following this, Harman flew to Perm, and my professor and I took turns presenting our reports. A new narrative of philosophy and a different history of science have already begun to unfold.