French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Badiou, J.-L. Nancy, The German Tradition in Philosophy
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

The German Tradition in Philosophy

Alain Badiou, Jean-Luc Nancy

Jan Völker (Afterword)

Publication date: 11/09/2017
Publisher: Nouvelles Editions Lignes
ISBN: 978-2-35526-174-9
EAN: 9782355261749
No. of pages: 77 p.

In January 2016, the Berlin University of the Arts brought together Alain Badiou and Jean-Luc Nancy to discuss not their respective philosophies, but German philosophy—more specifically, the German tradition in philosophy. This great tradition is analyzed and compared by two great French philosophers—a German philosophy which, they agree, was at its greatest during the 19th century.

This is perfectly illustrated by the names of Kant, Hegel, Fichte, and Schelling, which are frequently mentioned in this dialogue (Marx less so, as neither Badiou nor Nancy regards him strictly as a philosopher). The 20th century is also present, best represented in their view by the names of Heidegger and Adorno. The dialogue has the speed, clarity, and leaps permitted by the improvisation of oral exchange, yet it has been revised and enriched by the authors.

This dialogue is the first collaborative book by Jean-Luc Nancy and Alain Badiou. In discussing the German tradition, they speak no less of their own philosophies.

This dialogue is situated within the rich history of Franco-German philosophical exchanges, a relationship that has shaped European intellectual history since the nineteenth century. By confronting the legacy of German Idealism—represented by figures like Immanuel Kant and G.W.F. Hegel—alongside twentieth-century developments from Martin Heidegger and Theodor Adorno, Alain Badiou and Jean-Luc Nancy trace the lineage of modern ontology and dialectics. The book offers a unique opportunity to see how two of France's most influential contemporary thinkers position their own distinct philosophical projects in relation to this dominant Germanic heritage.

For readers and scholars of continental philosophy, this volume addresses essential questions about what constitutes a philosophical tradition and how national intellectual cultures cross-pollinate. It provides valuable insights into the boundaries of the discipline, particularly through the authors' provocative exclusion of Karl Marx from the strict category of philosopher. This accessible yet intellectually rigorous exchange serves as an excellent introduction for students seeking to understand the core tensions between French and German thought, while offering seasoned scholars a rare, direct confrontation between two major contemporary philosophical systems.