Le mal, le destin et l’éthique. Levinas et le Voyage au bout de la nuit de Céline

Dans son oeuvre, Lévinas procède à une analyse de la présence ambiguë des autres, dont le sens vacille entre ontologie et éthique. Selon lui, l’être est le mal ; l’altérité de l’autre, le bien au-delà de l’être. Il est possible de voir en Céline une influence sur l’idée que Lévinas se fait de l’être. Aucune lecture lévinassienne de Céline n’est reconstituable. Quelques rares références nous permettent toutefois d’entrevoir, d’une part, une approbation de la perspective cynique de l’univers présenté dans Voyage au bout de la nuit et, d’autre part, un accord sur « l’anti-humanisme » présent dans le même ouvrage. Nous chercherons d’abord à confirmer l’influence de Céline sur Lévinas sur le point indiqué, puis nous analyserons cette influence en comparant des textes choisis ; enfin, nous montrerons brièvement que si cette thèse est correcte, l’utilisation que Lévinas fait de Céline est en accord avec ses pensées sur la littérature en général. L’argument s’achèvera sur une question concernant la possibilité d’un accord partiel entre le romancier et le philosophe sur la nature de l’éthique.In his work, Lévinas sets out to analyse the ambiguity in others’ presence, at times ontological, at times ethical. It is his belief that being is negative and changes others and that good exists only beyond being. Although it is impossible to recreate Lévinas’ take on Céline, select few references do allow us to glimpse at the former’s endorsement of the latter’s cynical outlook on the universe and his “anti-humanism” as depicted in Voyage au bout de la nuit. Firstly, we shall attempt to confirm Céline’s influence on Lévinas in this regard. Then, we shall analyse this influence by comparing selected works. Lastly, should we be proven right, we shall show that Lévinas’ call on Céline is consistent with his general views on literature. We shall conclude with the possibility that both the author and the philosopher may have shared somewhat similar views on the nature of ethics

Martin Versfeld

"Martin Versfeld (1909–1995) is one of South Africa’s greatest philosophers, appreciated by academics and activists, poets and the broader public. His masterful prose spans the tension between disquiet and joy. Detractor of the violent trends of modernity, a critic of apartheid from the first hour, he was among the first philosophers of ecology. At the same time he celebrated the generosity of the world and advocated an ethics of simplicity, drawing on mediaeval theology and Eastern wisdom. His philosophy offered food for thought in dark times of the 20th century, as it still does for us in the 21st century. This first book-length study on Versfeld is an invitation to think with him on justice and exploitation, cultural difference and human nature, religion and the environment, time and connectedness.

Mongameli Mabona

Mongameli Anthony Mabona (1929) is a singular South African scholar with an exceptional life path. Yet, he is a wrongly forgotten figure today. British imperialism and apartheid shaped the world into which he was born and, to a large extent, these powers carved out his destiny for him. Nevertheless, a curious set of coincidences enabled him to obtain a tertiary education as a priest, to pursue his doctoral studies in Italy and to befriend Alioune Diop. He is one of the first published philosophers of Anglophone Africa and holds doctorates in theology and anthropology. His opposition to institutionalized racism – an opposition which included his co-authoring the 1970 “Black Priests’ Manifesto” – eventually led to his exile. This book is the first study of any kind devoted to Mabona. It documents his life and offers a synoptic reading of his scholarly and poetic work

Ricœur and the Philosophy of Technology

Although technology is not a major theme in Paul Ricœur’s philosophy, there are a number of texts in which he explicitly examines aspects of the relation between humans and their technical environment. The first aim of this article is to provide an overview of the main themes on which Ricœur touches in these texts, as well as a number of less direct contributions to the philosophy of technology. Accordingly, Ricœur’s early reflection on technology as part of human culture is examined, underscoring the ambiguity of technology, as Ricœur sees it. This ambiguity is then demonstrated with reference to technology-related issues, notably work and urbanization. Ricœur’s understanding of the impact of (new) technology on ethical dilemmas is explored – this time in relation to his later philosophy. Finally, the technical dimension of the human capability to act is presented as a line of enquiry spanning almost his whole work. The second aim of this article is to give an overview of the reception of Ricœur’s thought in fields of philosophy related to technology, focusing on the nature of technology, information technology, medical ethics, the environment, the heuristics of technological change, work and city life.Although technology is not a major theme in Paul Ricœur’s philosophy, there are a number of texts in which he explicitly examines aspects of the relation between humans and their technical environment. The first aim of this article is to provide an overview of the main themes on which Ricœur touches in these texts, as well as a number of less direct contributions to the philosophy of technology. Accordingly, Ricœur’s early reflection on technology as part of human culture is examined, underscoring the ambiguity of technology, as Ricœur sees it. This ambiguity is then demonstrated with reference to technology-related issues, notably work and urbanization. Ricœur’s understanding of the impact of (new) technology on ethical dilemmas is explored – this time in relation to his later philosophy. Finally, the technical dimension of the human capability to act is presented as a line of enquiry spanning almost his whole work. The second aim of this article is to give an overview of the reception of Ricœur’s thought in fields of philosophy related to technology, focusing on the nature of technology, information technology, medical ethics, the environment, the heuristics of technological change, work and city life

The Place of Max Weber in Ricœur’s Philosophy: Power, Ideology, Explanation

This article offers an encompassing interpretation of Paul Ricœur’s reception of Max Weber’s sociology. Three main domains in which Ricœur redeployed and revised insights from Weber are examined: (1) political responsibility and the definition of the state, (2) significant categories for understanding social interaction (notably ideology and authority) and the social ontology implied by this view on action and, finally, (3) the role of explanation in the interpretive social sciences. As a whole, this article argues that Weber was a significant interlocutor of Ricœur on a number of significant themes in the philosopher’s work. In particular, the article profiles the Weberian aspect of Ricœur’s social and political philosophy

Political Responsibility for a Globalised World: After Levinas' Humanism

The aim of this book is to reflect on the complex practice of responsibility within the context of a globalised world and contemporary means of action. Levinas' exploration of the ethical serves as point of entry and is shown to be seeking inter-cultural political relevance through engagement with the issues of postcoloniality and humanism. Yet, Levinas fails to realise the ethical implications of the inevitable instrumental mediation between ethical meaning and political practice. With recourse to Weber, Apel and Ricoeur, the author proposes a theory of strategic co-responsibility for the uncertain global context of practice

Mongameli Mabona

Mongameli Anthony Mabona (1929) is a singular South African scholar with an exceptional life path. Yet, he is a wrongly forgotten figure today. British imperialism and apartheid shaped the world into which he was born and, to a large extent, these powers carved out his destiny for him. Nevertheless, a curious set of coincidences enabled him to obtain a tertiary education as a priest, to pursue his doctoral studies in Italy and to befriend Alioune Diop. He is one of the first published philosophers of Anglophone Africa and holds doctorates in theology and anthropology. His opposition to institutionalized racism – an opposition which included his co-authoring the 1970 “Black Priests’ Manifesto” – eventually led to his exile. This book is the first study of any kind devoted to Mabona. It documents his life and offers a synoptic reading of his scholarly and poetic work

Introduction – Postcolonial Ricœur

Introduction to “postcolonial Ricoeur” english versionIntroduction à "Ricoeur postcolonial", version anglais

Aerodynamic behavior of an airfoil with morphing trailing edge for wind turbine applications

The length of wind turbine rotor blades has been increased during the last decades. Higher stresses arise especially at the blade root because of the longer lever arm. One way to reduce unsteady blade-root stresses caused by turbulence, gusts, or wind shear is to actively control the lift in the blade tip region. One promising method involves airfoils with morphing trailing edges to control the lift and consequently the loads acting on the blade. In the present study, the steady and unsteady behavior of an airfoil with a morphing trailing edge is investigated. Two-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are performed for a typical thin wind turbine airfoil with a morphing trailing edge. Steady-state simulations are used to design optimal geometry, size, and deflection angles of the morphing trailing edge. The resulting steady aerodynamic coefficients are then analyzed at different angles of attack in order to determine the effectiveness of the morphing trailing edge. In order to investigate the unsteady aerodynamic behavior of the optimal morphing trailing edge, time-resolved RANS-simulations are performed using a deformable grid. In order to analyze the phase shift between the variable trailing edge deflection and the dynamic lift coefficient, the trailing edge is deflected at four different reduced frequencies for each different angle of attack. As expected, a phase shift between the deflection and the lift occurs. While deflecting the trailing edge at angles of attack near stall, additionally an overshoot above and beyond the steady lift coefficient is observed and evaluated.BMWi/Smart BladesGerman Aerospace Center (DLR)LUI

Compétences et moyens de l’homme capable à la lumière de l’incapacité

Depuis Soi-même comme un autre, Ricœur place la notion de capacité ou du “je peux” au cœur de l’herméneutique du soi. Autant il explore l’éventail des capacités, autant la notion même de capacité reste indéterminée d’un point de vue que l’on peut appeler “technique.” La thèse que je défends dans cet article est que l’herméneutique de l’homme capable exige un développement de sa dimension technique, c’est-à-dire une réflexion sur les compétences et les moyens du “je peux.” Afin de soutenir cette thèse, cinq dimensions de l’incapacité de l’homme capable sont explorées afin d’affirmer que l’incapacité est l’horizon pratique de l’action de l’homme capable. Ensuite, la tension entre pouvoir et non-pouvoir est décrite comme la finitude originaire de l’acteur humain. Cette conclusion nous permet de démontrer que l’homme capable-incapable révèle l’homme technique et cela sur toute la gamme des interactions sociales