French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Flexner & N. Ordine, The Usefulness of the Useless: A Manifesto
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Abraham Flexner & Nuccio Ordine, The Usefulness of the Useless: A Manifesto

Les Belles Lettres, 2013.

Translated by Luc Hersant and Patrick Hersant

• EAN13 : 9782251444581

Publisher's description:

It is not true—even in times of crisis—that only what brings profit is useful. In market-driven democracies, there are forms of knowledge deemed "useless" that actually prove to be extraordinarily useful. In this passionate manifesto, Nuccio Ordine draws our attention to the usefulness of the useless and the uselessness of the useful. Through the reflections of great philosophers (Plato, Aristotle, Zhuangzi, Pico della Mirandola, Montaigne, Bruno, Kant, Tocqueville, Newman, Heidegger) and great writers (Ovid, Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Ariosto, Cervantes, Lessing, Dickens, Okakura Kakuzō, García Márquez, Ionesco, Calvino), Nuccio Ordine shows how the obsession with possession and the cult of utility ultimately wither the spirit, endangering schools and universities, art and creativity, as well as fundamental values such as dignitas hominis, love, and truth. In his remarkable essay, translated into French for the first time, Abraham Flexner emphasizes that the sciences, too, teach us the usefulness of the useless. Thus, if we eliminate the gratuitous and the useless, if we suppress luxuries deemed superfluous, Homo sapiens will find it very difficult to make humanity more human.

This compelling volume pairs Nuccio Ordine’s contemporary manifesto with a foundational essay by American educator Abraham Flexner. Drawing on a rich tradition of humanist thought, the authors argue against the commercialization of education and research. They demonstrate how disciplines lacking immediate economic outcomes remain essential for cultivating critical thinking, creativity, and moral integrity. The book resonates deeply within contemporary debates on the crisis of the university system, offering an eloquent defense of intellectual freedom and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.

Ideal for educators, students, and general readers concerned with the future of culture, this work bridges classical philosophy and modern utilitarian critique. It serves as a timely reminder that art, literature, and fundamental science are not mere luxuries, but vital conditions for human dignity. Readers interested in literary theory, intellectual history, and the sociology of education will find it a stimulating and accessible guide to rethinking the true measure of human progress in a market-driven society.