Alexandre Lefebvre | The University of Sydney (original) (raw)
Books by Alexandre Lefebvre
Princeton University Press , 2024
Why liberalism is all you need to lead a good, fun, worthy, and rewarding life—and how you can be... more Why liberalism is all you need to lead a good, fun, worthy, and rewarding life—and how you can become a better and happier person by taking your liberal beliefs more seriously.
Where do you get your values and sensibilities from? If you grew up in a Western democracy, the answer is probably liberalism. Conservatives are right about one thing: liberalism is the ideology of our times, as omnipresent as religion once was. Yet, as Alexandre Lefebvre argues in Liberalism as a Way of Life, many of us are liberal without fully realizing it—or grasping what it means. Misled into thinking that liberalism is confined to politics, we fail to recognize that it’s the water we swim in, saturating every area of public and private life, shaping our psychological and spiritual outlooks, and influencing our moral and aesthetic values—our sense of what is right, wrong, good, bad, funny, worthwhile, and more. This eye-opening book shows how so many of us are liberal to the core, why liberalism provides the basis for a good life, and how we can make our lives better and happier by becoming more aware of, and more committed to, the beliefs we already hold.
A lively, engaging, and uplifting guide to living well, the liberal way, Liberalism as a Way of Life is filled with examples from television, movies, stand-up comedy, and social media—from Parks and Recreation and The Good Place to the Borat movies and Hannah Gadsby. Along the way, you’ll also learn about seventeen benefits of being a liberal—including generosity, humor, cheer, gratitude, tolerance, and peace of mind—and practical exercises to increase these rewards.
You’re probably already waist-deep in the waters of liberalism. Liberalism as a Way of Life invites you to dive in.
Duke University Press, 2018
When we think of human rights we assume that they are meant to protect people from serious social... more When we think of human rights we assume that they are meant to protect people from serious social, legal, and political abuses, and to advance global justice. In Human Rights and the Care of the Self, Alexandre Lefebvre turns this assumption on its head, showing how the value of human rights also lies in enabling ethical practices of self-transformation. Drawing on Foucault's notion of 'care of the self', Lefebvre turns to some of the most celebrated authors and activists in the history of human rights–such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Henri Bergson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Charles Malik–to discover a vision of human rights as a tool for individuals to work on, improve, and transform themselves for their own sake. This new perspective allows us to appreciate a crucial dimension of human rights, one that can help us to care for ourselves in light of pressing social and psychological problems, such as loneliness, fear, hatred, patriarchy, meaninglessness, boredom, and indignity.
Endorsements:
“With an astute and powerful central argument, strong writing, a distinctive and compelling defense of human rights, and sharp insights into an impressive range of thinkers, Human Rights and the Care of the Self makes a provocative contribution to contemporary political thought and human rights scholarship.” — Ella Myers, author of, Worldly Ethics: Democratic Politics and Care for the World
“Alexandre Lefebvre is a unique voice in the humanities, one who takes up topics of enormous difficulty and does so with such tremendous erudition and fundamental insight that it is almost as if he is having a friendly discussion with the reader. Lefebvre claims that improving oneself rather than helping strangers is what the idea of human rights is all about and always has been—a claim that he pulls off with considerable brilliance. His reconstruction of human rights discourse in the 1940s is the truest that has ever been presented. Reading this remarkable book provided the most intellectually enjoyable hours that I can remember in a long time.” — Samuel Moyn, author of, Human Rights and the Uses of History
Stanford University Press, 2013
The work of Henri Bergson, the foremost French philosopher of the early twentieth century, is not... more The work of Henri Bergson, the foremost French philosopher of the early twentieth century, is not usually explored for its political dimensions. Indeed, Bergson is best known for his writings on time, evolution, and creativity. This book concentrates instead on his political philosophy—and especially on his late masterpiece, The Two Sources of Morality and Religion—from which Alexandre Lefebvre develops an original approach to human rights.
We tend to think of human rights as the urgent international project of protecting all people everywhere from harm. Bergson shows us that human rights can also serve as a medium of personal transformation and self-care. For Bergson, the main purpose of human rights is to initiate all human beings into love. Forging connections between human rights scholarship and philosophy as self-care, Lefebvre uses human rights to channel the whole of Bergson's philosophy.
Reviewed in The Australian, Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, Choice, Contemporary Political Theory, Midwest Book Review, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Political Studies Review, Political Theory, The Review of Politics.
Editorial Biblos, 2022
Es extraordinario, por poco frecuente, que la filosofía se meta de lleno en la fundamentación de ... more Es extraordinario, por poco frecuente, que la filosofía se meta de lleno en la fundamentación de las grandes instituciones contemporáneas, y es menos habitual aún que lo haga para realizar una crítica constructiva que contenga indicaciones prácticas. El ensayo del filósofo australiano Alexandre Lefebvre destripa analíticamente la aparentemente intocable institución de los derechos humanos, para tratar de salvarla precisamente mediante una crítica radical. La clave hermenéutica es lo que aporta la originalidad y apertura de este trabajo: la filosofía política del último texto del viejo premio Nobel de 1927 Henri Bergson, Las dos fuentes de la moral y de la religión (1932), interpretada bajo la luz de la tradición del cuidado-de-sí releída a fines del siglo XX por Pierre Hadot y Michel Foucault poniendo el acento en el modo de vida que preside el título de la obra.
Bergson desarrolla el diagnóstico de los problemas morales y políticos mediante un análisis de la guerra como capacidad humana propia de las sociedades cerradas. En 1932, como hoy, la guerra en su modalidad moderna, altamente tecnificada, amenaza con destruir la especie. El contrapeso a la guerra no es su mera anulación. Esta posibilidad trasciende la capacidad humana, por lo que solo queda mitigarla. Y en ese propósito los derechos humanos como práctica cotidiana no como un concepto que funciona como ideal regulativo serán el camino a crear. Pero esta idea necesita ser argumentada y fundamentada para que no sea una fábula más, sino, como es el caso, una propuesta desde la filosofía del derecho, la teoría política y la antropología que abre un nuevo horizonte de reflexión que llama a la acción cotidiana como única salida para la supervivencia de la especie.
Stanford University Press, 2008
The Image of Law is the first book to examine law through the thought of twentieth-century French... more The Image of Law is the first book to examine law through the thought of twentieth-century French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Lefebvre challenges the truism that judges must apply and not create law. In a plain and lucid style, he activates Deleuze's key themes—his critique of dogmatic thought, theory of time, and concept of the encounter—within the context of adjudication in order to claim that judgment has an inherent, and not an accidental or willful, creativity. The book begins with a critique of the neo-Kantian tradition in legal theory (Hart, Dworkin, and Habermas) and proceeds to draw on Bergson's theory of perception and memory and Spinoza's conception of ethics in order to frame creativity as a necessary feature of judgment.
Reviewed in Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, Continental Philosophy Review, Law and Literature, Law, Culture, and the Humanities, Theory and Event.
Chi Woo, 2012
『법-이미지』는 21세기 프랑스 철학자 질 들뢰즈의 사상을 통해 법을 검토하는 최초의 책이다. 저자는 판사들은 법을 적용해야만 하며 창조해서는 안 된다는 당연한 명제에 도전장... more 『법-이미지』는 21세기 프랑스 철학자 질 들뢰즈의 사상을 통해 법을 검토하는 최초의 책이다. 저자는 판사들은 법을 적용해야만 하며 창조해서는 안 된다는 당연한 명제에 도전장을 던진다. 분명하고 명쾌한 스타일로 들뢰즈의 핵심 주제, 즉 교조주의에 대한 비판, 시간에 대한 이론, 마주침의 개념을 판결의 맥락에서 다시 작동시킨다. 이는 판단이 우발적이거나 의도적으로가 아니라 내재적으로 창조성을 지니고 있다는 점을 주장하기 위해서다. 이 책은 법 이론에서의 신칸트주의(하트, 드워킨, 하버마스) 전통에 대한 비판으로 시작한다. 그리고 창조성을 판단의 필연적 특징으로 표현하기 위해서 지각과 기억에 대한 베르그송의 이론과 윤리학에 대한 스피노자의 개념을 끌어오는 단계로 나아간다.
Stanford University Press, 2020
Cambridge University Press, 2020
Bergson was a pre-eminent European philosopher of the early twentieth century and his work covers... more Bergson was a pre-eminent European philosopher of the early twentieth century and his work covers all major branches of philosophy. This volume of essays is the first collection in twenty years in English to address the whole of Bergson's philosophy, including his metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of life, aesthetics, ethics, social and political thought, and religion. The essays explore Bergson's influence on a number of different fields, and also extend his thought to pressing issues of our time, including philosophy as a way of life, inclusion and exclusion in politics, ecology, the philosophy of race and discrimination, and religion and its enduring appeal. The volume will be valuable for all who are interested in this important thinker and his continuing relevance.
Duke University Press, 2015
Appearing here in English for the first time, Vladimir Jankélévitch's Henri Bergson is one of the... more Appearing here in English for the first time, Vladimir Jankélévitch's Henri Bergson is one of the two great commentaries written on Henri Bergson. Gilles Deleuze's Bergsonism renewed interest in the great French philosopher but failed to consider Bergson's experiential and religious perspectives. Here Jankélévitch covers all aspects of Bergson's thought, emphasizing the concepts of time and duration, memory, evolution, simplicity, love, and joy. A friend of Bergson's, Jankélévitch first published this book in 1931 and revised it in 1959 to treat Bergson's later works. This unabridged translation of the 1959 edition includes an editor's introduction, which contextualizes and outlines Jankélévitch's reading of Bergson, additional essays on Bergson by Jankélévitch, and Bergson's letters to Jankélévitch.
Reviewed in H-Net Reviews, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews.
Duke University Press, 2012
Henri Bergson is primarily known for his work on time, memory, and creativity. His equally innova... more Henri Bergson is primarily known for his work on time, memory, and creativity. His equally innovative interventions into politics and religion have, however, been neglected or dismissed until now. In the first book in English dedicated to Bergson as a political thinker, leading Bergson scholars illuminate his positions on core concerns within political philosophy: the significance of emotion in moral judgment, the relationship between biology and society, and the entanglement of politics and religion. Ranging across Bergson's writings but drawing mainly on his last book, The Two Sources of Morality and Religion, the contributors consider Bergson's relevance to contemporary discussions of human rights, democratic pluralism, and environmental ethics.
Contributors. Keith Ansell-Pearson, G. William Barnard, Claire Colebrook, Hisashi Fujita, Suzanne Guerlac, Vladimir Jankélévitch, Frédéric Keck, Leonard Lawlor, Alexandre Lefebvre, Paola Marrati, John Mullarkey, Paulina Ochoa Espejo, Carl Power, Philippe Soulez, Jim Urpeth, Melanie White, Frédéric Worms
Reviewed in Choice, Foro Interno, French Studies, H-France Review, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Political Studies Review, Symploke.
Papers by Alexandre Lefebvre
The Philosopher, 2024
A conversation with Alexandre Lefebvre and Nils. F. Schott on our recent edited volume of Henri B... more A conversation with Alexandre Lefebvre and Nils. F. Schott on our recent edited volume of Henri Bergson's lectures at the College de France.
Notes from the Middleground, 2024
An interview with political theorist Alexandre Lefebvre, whose new book offers a comprehensive, s... more An interview with political theorist Alexandre Lefebvre, whose new book offers a comprehensive, spiritual defense of liberalism against its enemies and opponents
Research Handbook on Liberalism, 2024
In this chapter, I distinguish three and map them onto three historical periods. The first is the... more In this chapter, I distinguish three and map them onto three historical periods. The first is the perfectionist self of the long nineteenth century, when the founders of liberalism argued that a liberal state should seek to produce liberal citizens, understood as free and generous persons. The second is the political self of the mid-to-late twentieth century, when liberalism withdrew its perfectionist ambitions and positioned itself as an institutional framework for citizens to pursue their own conception of the good (within reasonable limits). The third is the comprehensive self of the early twenty-first century, which blends the previous two conceptions.
European Journal of Political Theory, 2024
John Rawls was what we might call a "frenemy" to Stanley Cavell. Time and again, Cavell states hi... more John Rawls was what we might call a "frenemy" to Stanley Cavell. Time and again, Cavell states his admiration for Rawls's political philosophy but criticizes it for two reasons. First, he believes that Rawls too hastily dismisses a perfectionist tradition that is essential for a flourishing liberal democracy. Second, he attacks certain aspects of Rawls's theory of justice as moralistic and legalistic. The first half of this article examines Cavell's critique of Rawls and argues that the two authors are more closely aligned than suspected. It begins by reconstructing Cavell's critique of Rawls, and using archival materials from Harvard University, presents for the first time Rawls's interpretation of this critique. The second half of the article highlights perfectionist themes in Rawls's A Theory of Justice. The contribution of this article is to reevaluate the relationship between two of the most important moral philosophers of the twentieth century and also to provide a more expansive theory of liberalism that incorporates the psychological depth, moral subtlety and political hopefulness of moral perfectionism.
Journal of Social and Political Philosophy, 2022
Contemporary political philosophers are often uncomfortable with the notion that a conception of ... more Contemporary political philosophers are often uncomfortable with the notion that a conception of the good life can be developed out of liberalism. Liberalism, they say, should remain neutral out of respect for pluralism. Early liberals of the nineteenth century, however, understood their project as a vindication of the good life, along with a diagnosis of what threatens it. This article attempts to build a conception of the good life from liberal values and sensibilities, yet not run afoul of the need to respect pluralism. It draws on early and contemporary liberals, as well as popular culture, to sketch a way of life that is fulfilling and available for us today.
The Bergsonian Mind, 2022
This chapter provides an overview of Henri Bergson's concept of closed and open societies, from h... more This chapter provides an overview of Henri Bergson's concept of closed and open societies, from his The Two Sources of Morality and Religion (1932).
Political Theory, 2021
In this article I interpret John Rawls's concept of the original position as a spiritual exercise... more In this article I interpret John Rawls's concept of the original position as a spiritual exercise. In addition to the standard interpretation of the original position as an expository device to select principles of justice for the fundamental institutions of society, I argue that Rawls also envisages it as a "spiritual exercise": a voluntary personal practice intended to bring about a transformation of the self. To make this argument, I draw on the work of Pierre Hadot, a philosopher and classicist, who introduced the idea of spiritual exercises as central to ancient and modern conceptions of philosophy. By reading Rawls alongside Hadot, this article portrays Rawls as a thinker deeply concerned with the question of how subjects can lead more just and fulfilling lives. It also proposes that the original position as a spiritual exercise can help defend liberalism as a social and political doctrine.
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
Introduction to the Subject of Human Right. Book blurb: The Subject of Human Rights is the firs... more Introduction to the Subject of Human Right.
Book blurb: The Subject of Human Rights is the first book to systematically address the "human" part of "human rights." Drawing on the finest thinking in political theory, cultural studies, history, law, anthropology, and literary studies, this volume examines how human rights—as discourse, law, and practice—shape how we understand humanity and human beings. It asks how the humanness that the human rights idea seeks to protect and promote is experienced.
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
This chapter is an interview of Samuel Moyn by Alexandre Lefebvre. It begins by discussing the wa... more This chapter is an interview of Samuel Moyn by Alexandre Lefebvre. It begins by discussing the ways in which human rights do (and do not) shape and inform subjectivity, as well as the relationship between human rights and religion. It then discusses human rights in relation to the political ideologies and movements of conservatism and socialism. It concludes with an extended discussion of the often fraught relationship between human rights, distributive justice, economic welfare, neoliberalism and the welfare state. Sustained reference is made to Moyn’s three major books on human rights, The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (2010), Christian Human Rights (2015), and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World (2018).
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
This chapter examines how people can consciously and voluntarily use human rights to transform th... more This chapter examines how people can consciously and voluntarily use human rights to transform themselves. It begins by contrasting two complementary yet distinctive conceptions of human rights. The first sees human rights primarily as an institution designed to protect all human beings, whereas the second sees human rights primarily as a set of principles and practices that can be used by subjects for the goal of personal transformation. The chapter then turns to three great authors – Mary Wollstonecraft, Alexis de Tocqueville, and Charles Malik – in order to demonstrate how central this second conception is to the history and philosophy of human rights, and also to propose why it is valuable for present day human rights practice.
Princeton University Press , 2024
Why liberalism is all you need to lead a good, fun, worthy, and rewarding life—and how you can be... more Why liberalism is all you need to lead a good, fun, worthy, and rewarding life—and how you can become a better and happier person by taking your liberal beliefs more seriously.
Where do you get your values and sensibilities from? If you grew up in a Western democracy, the answer is probably liberalism. Conservatives are right about one thing: liberalism is the ideology of our times, as omnipresent as religion once was. Yet, as Alexandre Lefebvre argues in Liberalism as a Way of Life, many of us are liberal without fully realizing it—or grasping what it means. Misled into thinking that liberalism is confined to politics, we fail to recognize that it’s the water we swim in, saturating every area of public and private life, shaping our psychological and spiritual outlooks, and influencing our moral and aesthetic values—our sense of what is right, wrong, good, bad, funny, worthwhile, and more. This eye-opening book shows how so many of us are liberal to the core, why liberalism provides the basis for a good life, and how we can make our lives better and happier by becoming more aware of, and more committed to, the beliefs we already hold.
A lively, engaging, and uplifting guide to living well, the liberal way, Liberalism as a Way of Life is filled with examples from television, movies, stand-up comedy, and social media—from Parks and Recreation and The Good Place to the Borat movies and Hannah Gadsby. Along the way, you’ll also learn about seventeen benefits of being a liberal—including generosity, humor, cheer, gratitude, tolerance, and peace of mind—and practical exercises to increase these rewards.
You’re probably already waist-deep in the waters of liberalism. Liberalism as a Way of Life invites you to dive in.
Duke University Press, 2018
When we think of human rights we assume that they are meant to protect people from serious social... more When we think of human rights we assume that they are meant to protect people from serious social, legal, and political abuses, and to advance global justice. In Human Rights and the Care of the Self, Alexandre Lefebvre turns this assumption on its head, showing how the value of human rights also lies in enabling ethical practices of self-transformation. Drawing on Foucault's notion of 'care of the self', Lefebvre turns to some of the most celebrated authors and activists in the history of human rights–such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Henri Bergson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Charles Malik–to discover a vision of human rights as a tool for individuals to work on, improve, and transform themselves for their own sake. This new perspective allows us to appreciate a crucial dimension of human rights, one that can help us to care for ourselves in light of pressing social and psychological problems, such as loneliness, fear, hatred, patriarchy, meaninglessness, boredom, and indignity.
Endorsements:
“With an astute and powerful central argument, strong writing, a distinctive and compelling defense of human rights, and sharp insights into an impressive range of thinkers, Human Rights and the Care of the Self makes a provocative contribution to contemporary political thought and human rights scholarship.” — Ella Myers, author of, Worldly Ethics: Democratic Politics and Care for the World
“Alexandre Lefebvre is a unique voice in the humanities, one who takes up topics of enormous difficulty and does so with such tremendous erudition and fundamental insight that it is almost as if he is having a friendly discussion with the reader. Lefebvre claims that improving oneself rather than helping strangers is what the idea of human rights is all about and always has been—a claim that he pulls off with considerable brilliance. His reconstruction of human rights discourse in the 1940s is the truest that has ever been presented. Reading this remarkable book provided the most intellectually enjoyable hours that I can remember in a long time.” — Samuel Moyn, author of, Human Rights and the Uses of History
Stanford University Press, 2013
The work of Henri Bergson, the foremost French philosopher of the early twentieth century, is not... more The work of Henri Bergson, the foremost French philosopher of the early twentieth century, is not usually explored for its political dimensions. Indeed, Bergson is best known for his writings on time, evolution, and creativity. This book concentrates instead on his political philosophy—and especially on his late masterpiece, The Two Sources of Morality and Religion—from which Alexandre Lefebvre develops an original approach to human rights.
We tend to think of human rights as the urgent international project of protecting all people everywhere from harm. Bergson shows us that human rights can also serve as a medium of personal transformation and self-care. For Bergson, the main purpose of human rights is to initiate all human beings into love. Forging connections between human rights scholarship and philosophy as self-care, Lefebvre uses human rights to channel the whole of Bergson's philosophy.
Reviewed in The Australian, Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, Choice, Contemporary Political Theory, Midwest Book Review, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Political Studies Review, Political Theory, The Review of Politics.
Editorial Biblos, 2022
Es extraordinario, por poco frecuente, que la filosofía se meta de lleno en la fundamentación de ... more Es extraordinario, por poco frecuente, que la filosofía se meta de lleno en la fundamentación de las grandes instituciones contemporáneas, y es menos habitual aún que lo haga para realizar una crítica constructiva que contenga indicaciones prácticas. El ensayo del filósofo australiano Alexandre Lefebvre destripa analíticamente la aparentemente intocable institución de los derechos humanos, para tratar de salvarla precisamente mediante una crítica radical. La clave hermenéutica es lo que aporta la originalidad y apertura de este trabajo: la filosofía política del último texto del viejo premio Nobel de 1927 Henri Bergson, Las dos fuentes de la moral y de la religión (1932), interpretada bajo la luz de la tradición del cuidado-de-sí releída a fines del siglo XX por Pierre Hadot y Michel Foucault poniendo el acento en el modo de vida que preside el título de la obra.
Bergson desarrolla el diagnóstico de los problemas morales y políticos mediante un análisis de la guerra como capacidad humana propia de las sociedades cerradas. En 1932, como hoy, la guerra en su modalidad moderna, altamente tecnificada, amenaza con destruir la especie. El contrapeso a la guerra no es su mera anulación. Esta posibilidad trasciende la capacidad humana, por lo que solo queda mitigarla. Y en ese propósito los derechos humanos como práctica cotidiana no como un concepto que funciona como ideal regulativo serán el camino a crear. Pero esta idea necesita ser argumentada y fundamentada para que no sea una fábula más, sino, como es el caso, una propuesta desde la filosofía del derecho, la teoría política y la antropología que abre un nuevo horizonte de reflexión que llama a la acción cotidiana como única salida para la supervivencia de la especie.
Stanford University Press, 2008
The Image of Law is the first book to examine law through the thought of twentieth-century French... more The Image of Law is the first book to examine law through the thought of twentieth-century French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Lefebvre challenges the truism that judges must apply and not create law. In a plain and lucid style, he activates Deleuze's key themes—his critique of dogmatic thought, theory of time, and concept of the encounter—within the context of adjudication in order to claim that judgment has an inherent, and not an accidental or willful, creativity. The book begins with a critique of the neo-Kantian tradition in legal theory (Hart, Dworkin, and Habermas) and proceeds to draw on Bergson's theory of perception and memory and Spinoza's conception of ethics in order to frame creativity as a necessary feature of judgment.
Reviewed in Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy, Continental Philosophy Review, Law and Literature, Law, Culture, and the Humanities, Theory and Event.
Chi Woo, 2012
『법-이미지』는 21세기 프랑스 철학자 질 들뢰즈의 사상을 통해 법을 검토하는 최초의 책이다. 저자는 판사들은 법을 적용해야만 하며 창조해서는 안 된다는 당연한 명제에 도전장... more 『법-이미지』는 21세기 프랑스 철학자 질 들뢰즈의 사상을 통해 법을 검토하는 최초의 책이다. 저자는 판사들은 법을 적용해야만 하며 창조해서는 안 된다는 당연한 명제에 도전장을 던진다. 분명하고 명쾌한 스타일로 들뢰즈의 핵심 주제, 즉 교조주의에 대한 비판, 시간에 대한 이론, 마주침의 개념을 판결의 맥락에서 다시 작동시킨다. 이는 판단이 우발적이거나 의도적으로가 아니라 내재적으로 창조성을 지니고 있다는 점을 주장하기 위해서다. 이 책은 법 이론에서의 신칸트주의(하트, 드워킨, 하버마스) 전통에 대한 비판으로 시작한다. 그리고 창조성을 판단의 필연적 특징으로 표현하기 위해서 지각과 기억에 대한 베르그송의 이론과 윤리학에 대한 스피노자의 개념을 끌어오는 단계로 나아간다.
Stanford University Press, 2020
Cambridge University Press, 2020
Bergson was a pre-eminent European philosopher of the early twentieth century and his work covers... more Bergson was a pre-eminent European philosopher of the early twentieth century and his work covers all major branches of philosophy. This volume of essays is the first collection in twenty years in English to address the whole of Bergson's philosophy, including his metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of life, aesthetics, ethics, social and political thought, and religion. The essays explore Bergson's influence on a number of different fields, and also extend his thought to pressing issues of our time, including philosophy as a way of life, inclusion and exclusion in politics, ecology, the philosophy of race and discrimination, and religion and its enduring appeal. The volume will be valuable for all who are interested in this important thinker and his continuing relevance.
Duke University Press, 2015
Appearing here in English for the first time, Vladimir Jankélévitch's Henri Bergson is one of the... more Appearing here in English for the first time, Vladimir Jankélévitch's Henri Bergson is one of the two great commentaries written on Henri Bergson. Gilles Deleuze's Bergsonism renewed interest in the great French philosopher but failed to consider Bergson's experiential and religious perspectives. Here Jankélévitch covers all aspects of Bergson's thought, emphasizing the concepts of time and duration, memory, evolution, simplicity, love, and joy. A friend of Bergson's, Jankélévitch first published this book in 1931 and revised it in 1959 to treat Bergson's later works. This unabridged translation of the 1959 edition includes an editor's introduction, which contextualizes and outlines Jankélévitch's reading of Bergson, additional essays on Bergson by Jankélévitch, and Bergson's letters to Jankélévitch.
Reviewed in H-Net Reviews, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews.
Duke University Press, 2012
Henri Bergson is primarily known for his work on time, memory, and creativity. His equally innova... more Henri Bergson is primarily known for his work on time, memory, and creativity. His equally innovative interventions into politics and religion have, however, been neglected or dismissed until now. In the first book in English dedicated to Bergson as a political thinker, leading Bergson scholars illuminate his positions on core concerns within political philosophy: the significance of emotion in moral judgment, the relationship between biology and society, and the entanglement of politics and religion. Ranging across Bergson's writings but drawing mainly on his last book, The Two Sources of Morality and Religion, the contributors consider Bergson's relevance to contemporary discussions of human rights, democratic pluralism, and environmental ethics.
Contributors. Keith Ansell-Pearson, G. William Barnard, Claire Colebrook, Hisashi Fujita, Suzanne Guerlac, Vladimir Jankélévitch, Frédéric Keck, Leonard Lawlor, Alexandre Lefebvre, Paola Marrati, John Mullarkey, Paulina Ochoa Espejo, Carl Power, Philippe Soulez, Jim Urpeth, Melanie White, Frédéric Worms
Reviewed in Choice, Foro Interno, French Studies, H-France Review, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, Political Studies Review, Symploke.
The Philosopher, 2024
A conversation with Alexandre Lefebvre and Nils. F. Schott on our recent edited volume of Henri B... more A conversation with Alexandre Lefebvre and Nils. F. Schott on our recent edited volume of Henri Bergson's lectures at the College de France.
Notes from the Middleground, 2024
An interview with political theorist Alexandre Lefebvre, whose new book offers a comprehensive, s... more An interview with political theorist Alexandre Lefebvre, whose new book offers a comprehensive, spiritual defense of liberalism against its enemies and opponents
Research Handbook on Liberalism, 2024
In this chapter, I distinguish three and map them onto three historical periods. The first is the... more In this chapter, I distinguish three and map them onto three historical periods. The first is the perfectionist self of the long nineteenth century, when the founders of liberalism argued that a liberal state should seek to produce liberal citizens, understood as free and generous persons. The second is the political self of the mid-to-late twentieth century, when liberalism withdrew its perfectionist ambitions and positioned itself as an institutional framework for citizens to pursue their own conception of the good (within reasonable limits). The third is the comprehensive self of the early twenty-first century, which blends the previous two conceptions.
European Journal of Political Theory, 2024
John Rawls was what we might call a "frenemy" to Stanley Cavell. Time and again, Cavell states hi... more John Rawls was what we might call a "frenemy" to Stanley Cavell. Time and again, Cavell states his admiration for Rawls's political philosophy but criticizes it for two reasons. First, he believes that Rawls too hastily dismisses a perfectionist tradition that is essential for a flourishing liberal democracy. Second, he attacks certain aspects of Rawls's theory of justice as moralistic and legalistic. The first half of this article examines Cavell's critique of Rawls and argues that the two authors are more closely aligned than suspected. It begins by reconstructing Cavell's critique of Rawls, and using archival materials from Harvard University, presents for the first time Rawls's interpretation of this critique. The second half of the article highlights perfectionist themes in Rawls's A Theory of Justice. The contribution of this article is to reevaluate the relationship between two of the most important moral philosophers of the twentieth century and also to provide a more expansive theory of liberalism that incorporates the psychological depth, moral subtlety and political hopefulness of moral perfectionism.
Journal of Social and Political Philosophy, 2022
Contemporary political philosophers are often uncomfortable with the notion that a conception of ... more Contemporary political philosophers are often uncomfortable with the notion that a conception of the good life can be developed out of liberalism. Liberalism, they say, should remain neutral out of respect for pluralism. Early liberals of the nineteenth century, however, understood their project as a vindication of the good life, along with a diagnosis of what threatens it. This article attempts to build a conception of the good life from liberal values and sensibilities, yet not run afoul of the need to respect pluralism. It draws on early and contemporary liberals, as well as popular culture, to sketch a way of life that is fulfilling and available for us today.
The Bergsonian Mind, 2022
This chapter provides an overview of Henri Bergson's concept of closed and open societies, from h... more This chapter provides an overview of Henri Bergson's concept of closed and open societies, from his The Two Sources of Morality and Religion (1932).
Political Theory, 2021
In this article I interpret John Rawls's concept of the original position as a spiritual exercise... more In this article I interpret John Rawls's concept of the original position as a spiritual exercise. In addition to the standard interpretation of the original position as an expository device to select principles of justice for the fundamental institutions of society, I argue that Rawls also envisages it as a "spiritual exercise": a voluntary personal practice intended to bring about a transformation of the self. To make this argument, I draw on the work of Pierre Hadot, a philosopher and classicist, who introduced the idea of spiritual exercises as central to ancient and modern conceptions of philosophy. By reading Rawls alongside Hadot, this article portrays Rawls as a thinker deeply concerned with the question of how subjects can lead more just and fulfilling lives. It also proposes that the original position as a spiritual exercise can help defend liberalism as a social and political doctrine.
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
Introduction to the Subject of Human Right. Book blurb: The Subject of Human Rights is the firs... more Introduction to the Subject of Human Right.
Book blurb: The Subject of Human Rights is the first book to systematically address the "human" part of "human rights." Drawing on the finest thinking in political theory, cultural studies, history, law, anthropology, and literary studies, this volume examines how human rights—as discourse, law, and practice—shape how we understand humanity and human beings. It asks how the humanness that the human rights idea seeks to protect and promote is experienced.
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
This chapter is an interview of Samuel Moyn by Alexandre Lefebvre. It begins by discussing the wa... more This chapter is an interview of Samuel Moyn by Alexandre Lefebvre. It begins by discussing the ways in which human rights do (and do not) shape and inform subjectivity, as well as the relationship between human rights and religion. It then discusses human rights in relation to the political ideologies and movements of conservatism and socialism. It concludes with an extended discussion of the often fraught relationship between human rights, distributive justice, economic welfare, neoliberalism and the welfare state. Sustained reference is made to Moyn’s three major books on human rights, The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History (2010), Christian Human Rights (2015), and Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World (2018).
The Subject of Human Rights, 2020
This chapter examines how people can consciously and voluntarily use human rights to transform th... more This chapter examines how people can consciously and voluntarily use human rights to transform themselves. It begins by contrasting two complementary yet distinctive conceptions of human rights. The first sees human rights primarily as an institution designed to protect all human beings, whereas the second sees human rights primarily as a set of principles and practices that can be used by subjects for the goal of personal transformation. The chapter then turns to three great authors – Mary Wollstonecraft, Alexis de Tocqueville, and Charles Malik – in order to demonstrate how central this second conception is to the history and philosophy of human rights, and also to propose why it is valuable for present day human rights practice.
Perspectives on Politics, 2022
This article seeks to answer a deceptively simple question: why do private citizens in liberal de... more This article seeks to answer a deceptively simple question: why do private citizens in liberal democracies offer hospitality to undocumented migrants? Through qualitative interviews with French citizens, we propose three reasons. The first is widely recognized in the scholarly literature: hospitality is offered out of a care and concern for vulnerable and precarious migrants. This article, however, uncovers two additional reasons which are not acknowledged in studies on hospitality. One is the desire by citizens to uphold the basic principles and ideals of their own society (what we call “care for the world”). Another is the desire on the part of citizens themselves to become a different and better kind of person by practicing hospitality (what we call “care of the self”). This article provides a multifaceted account of what motivates citizens to offer hospitality even in situations where it is outlawed by their own governments.
Interpreting Bergson: Critical Essays, 2020
Interpreting Bergson: Critical Essays (eds. Alexandre Lefebvre & Nils F. Schott), 2020
Wollstonecraftian Mind, 2019
Genealogy, 2016
This article examines the reasons why Foucault thought that morality based on the care of the sel... more This article examines the reasons why Foucault thought that morality based on the care of the self died out in the modern age. I pay special attention to his contention that modern political thought was a key player in bringing about this demise. The essay consists of two parts. In Part One, I overview Foucault's conception of the care of the self and situate it within his later work on ancient philosophy and culture. In Part Two, I turn to his remarks on the incompatibility between the ancient tradition of the care of the self and an ascendant modern political philosophy based on the notions of rights and the juridical subject. To conclude, I suggest that while Foucault may have overstated this compatibility he opened the door to consider how the care of the self could be taken up in the context of modern and contemporary political theory.
Nuevo Itinerario: Revista digital de Filosofía, 2016
Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy, 2016
To commemorate the 75 th anniversary of Henri Bergson's death I present what I believe is his mos... more To commemorate the 75 th anniversary of Henri Bergson's death I present what I believe is his most vital and lasting contribution to political philosophy: his conception of human rights. This article has two goals. The first is to present Bergson's writings on human rights as clearly and simply as possible, so as to reach the wide audience it deserves. The second is to demonstrate his relevance for contemporary human rights scholarship. To do so, I connect him to recent debates in the history and historiography of human rights. I also highlight his distinctive approach to human rights as furnishing a tool for individuals to work upon and improve themselves. For Berg-son, the great promise of human rights is that they simultaneously open new possibilities to care for others and also to care for oneself.
Continental Philosophy Review, 2017
This article examines Henri Bergson's conception of human rights in The Two Sources of Morality a... more This article examines Henri Bergson's conception of human rights in The Two Sources of Morality and Religion (1932). I claim that he provides an original view of human rights. Rather than understand human rights primarily as an institution to protect all human beings from serious social, legal, and political abuse, Bergson conceives of them as a medium of personal transformation. In particular, I argue that for him the true potential of human rights is to initiate all human beings into a way of life open to love and joy. In this article I examine Bergson's reflections on human rights in his late great work, The Two Sources of Morality and Religion (1932). I claim that he provides an original view of them. Rather than understand human rights primarily as an institution to protect all human beings from serious social, legal, and political abuse, Bergson conceives of them as a medium of personal transformation. In particular, I argue that for him the true potential of human rights is to initiate all human beings into the best and highest emotions: love and joy.
Political Theory, 2016
In this article, I claim that Mary Wollstonecraft and Edmund Burke both conceive of the rights of... more In this article, I claim that Mary Wollstonecraft and Edmund Burke both conceive of the rights of man as a medium for individuals to care for and cultivate the self. Beginning with Michel Foucault’s doubts that a concern with the care of the self can be found in modern political thought, I turn to Wollstonecraft and Burke in order to show that their debate turns precisely on the question of whether the rights of man enables or disables a care of the self. For Wollstonecraft, on the one hand, the rights of man provide women with a means to overcome a destructive set of virtues— such as beauty, chastity, and modesty—that leave them spiritually destitute and deeply unhappy. For Burke, on the other hand, such rights devastate the system of manners that had previously nurtured the self’s relation to itself. Regardless of this disagreement, my key claim is that both thinkers conceive of the rights of man not just as a juridical construction but also as a comprehensive way of life. In this way, I extend Foucault’s notion of the care of the self—along with his conception of ethics, conversion, and personal cultivation—to a foundational debate in the human rights tradition.
Humanity: an International Journal of Human Rights, Humanitarianism, and Development, 2016
In this article I propose that Mary Wollstonecraft puts forward a unique and timely conception of... more In this article I propose that Mary Wollstonecraft puts forward a unique and timely conception of human rights in Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792). For her, the main purpose of human rights is to inspire individuals to a new way of life and enable them to take care of themselves. I develop this interpretation in connection with her diagnosis of the condition of women of her time. My thesis is that, for Wollstonecraft, human rights help women to overcome their attachment to a culture that devastates any chance to lead a happy full life. This article makes two contributions. First, I demonstrate that Wollstonecraft has an original theory of human rights that is intimately tied to her views on education, manners, and morals. Second, and more broadly, I propose that Wollstonecraft has an important lesson for human rights scholarship. Writing at the very origin of the tradition, she provides a clear and powerful account of how it is possible to conceive of human rights from an ethical perspective, as a device to cultivate and care for one’s own self.