French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Badiou, In Praise of Love
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

In Praise of Love
Alain Badiou, Nicolas Truong

Published on: 04/11/2009
Publisher: Flammarion
Series: Café Voltaire
ISBN: 978-2-08-123301-0
EAN: 9782081233010
Pages: 90

Publisher's price: €12.00

"The conviction is widely held today that everyone follows only their own interest.
Love is the counter-proof. Love is trust placed in chance."

As part of the series of philosophical debates "The Theatre of Ideas" at the Avignon Festival, Nicolas Truong interviews Alain Badiou. What is love? Badiou offers a luminous and contemporary answer to this philosophical question, which was already posed by Plato in the Symposium, but which, in the end, few philosophers have seriously addressed.

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In this accessible volume, Alain Badiou engages with a subject often neglected by modern thinkers, reviving a philosophical tradition that traces its roots back to Plato's Symposium. Originating from a public dialogue at the Avignon Festival, the text challenges the contemporary, individualistic view of human relations. Badiou argues against the commodification of romance, presenting love instead as a profound existential adventure. By defining love as a commitment to chance and a departure from pure self-interest, he positions it as a unique arena where truth and difference are genuinely experienced.

This book will appeal to readers of contemporary French philosophy, as well as anyone interested in the ethics of personal relationships. It addresses fundamental questions about how we construct shared truths in an increasingly fragmented world. By examining the intersection of desire, fidelity, and politics, Badiou offers a refreshing alternative to both cynical self-interest and safety-first dating culture. The conversational format, guided by Nicolas Truong, makes complex ontological concepts highly approachable, offering a valuable entry point into Badiou's broader philosophical system.

A review of this book can be read on the BibliObs.com website: "Badiou in Love", by A. Lancelin.