French Philosophy in the Twentieth Century

A clear and comprehensive account of the history of French philosophy in the twentieth century.

Gary Gutting (Author)

9780521665599, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 10 May 2001

434 pages
22.8 x 15.9 x 2.7 cm, 0.68 kg

'Gutting's book is the most accomplished and wide-ranging study of its subject yet written. … Gutting's clearly written and well-organised book fully deserves a prominent place on any reading list for teachers and students of modern French thought.' Modern and Comtemporary France

In this book Gary Gutting tells, clearly and comprehensively, the story of French philosophy from 1890 to 1990. He examines the often neglected background of spiritualism, university idealism, and early philosophy of science, and also discusses the privileged role of philosophy in the French education system. Taking account of this background, together with the influences of avant-garde literature and German philosophy, he develops a rich account of existential phenomenology, which he argues is the central achievement of French thought during the century, and of subsequent structuralist and poststructuralist developments. His discussion includes chapters on Bergson, Sartre, Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty, Foucault, and Derrida, with sections on other major thinkers including Lyotard, Deleuze, Irigaray, Levinas, and Ricoeur. He offers challenging analyses of the often misunderstood relationship between existential phenomenology and structuralism and of the emergence of poststructuralism. Finally, he sketches the major current trends of French philosophy.

Part I. The Philosophers of the Third Republic (1890–1940): 1. Fin-de-siècle: the professors of the republic
2. Science and idealism
3. Bergson
4. Between the wars
Part II. The Reign of Existential Phenomenology (1940–60): 5. Sartre
6. Beauvoir
7. Merleau-Ponty
Part III. Structuralism and Beyond (1960–90): 8. The structuralist invasion
9. Foucault
10. Derrida
11. Philosophies of difference
12. Fin-de-siècle again: le temps retrouvé?
Conclusion: the philosophy of freedom
Appendix: philosophy and the French educational system.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], History of Western philosophy [HPC], Philosophy of language [CFA]