French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Karsenti, D'une philosophie à l'autre. Les sciences sociales et la politique des Modernes
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Bruno Karsenti, D'une philosophie à l'autre - Les sciences sociales et la politique des Modernes
Paris : Gallimard, coll. "NRf Essais", 2013.
EAN 9782070771189
368 p.
Publisher's overview :
Originally, with Socrates, philosophy was a singular form of discourse whereby, in Max Weber's words, one "corners someone in a logical vice." As a political act of resistance against a certain perversion of public and political speech, philosophical dialogue demands of its interlocutors not that they conform to a type of truth susceptible to doctrinal exposition, but that they enter into its joint pursuit—reconfiguring communal life through the very type of experience whose foundation philosophy seeks to uncover.
Yet, with the emergence of the social sciences in the 19th century, the situation changed dramatically. In the democratic age, sociology and the other social sciences took over knowledge regarding the governance of human beings, the groups they form, the bonds that unite them, and the regimes of thought and action associated with them. Auguste Comte called for a transition from metaphysical philosophy to another, positive philosophy whose sole function—ancillary and residual—would be to assist in the methodological clarification and articulation of scientific work.
The confinement of institutionalized disciplines to their respective fields did the rest, convincing each of them that philosophy was secondary to their own internal rationality. Assuredly, the social sciences in turn accomplished something akin to what had happened in ancient Greece: they attempted to impose a new "logical vice" on public discourse, pitting their mental and normative resistance against a deleterious conjunction of speech and political power, and ultimately, they have never ceased wanting to modify individuals' perception of their existence within their social and political situation, while finding a way to act upon and within that situation.
It is precisely at the intersection of these disciplines and ambitions, Bruno Karsenti shows, that philosophy must unfold: while the discourse of the social sciences is indeed required by the development of modern societies insofar as they are truly democratic, philosophy must interrogate this imperative beyond any constraints imposed by the division into specialized disciplines.
A sociologist and philosopher, Bruno Karsenti was born in 1966. A Director of Studies at EHESS, his work lies at the crossroads of political philosophy and the social sciences. His research focuses in particular on Émile Durkheim, Marcel Mauss, Lucien Lévy-Bruhl, Gabriel Tarde, and Auguste Comte.
This study examines the historical shift from classical philosophical inquiry to the emergence of the social sciences during the nineteenth century. Bruno Karsenti investigates how sociology and related disciplines assumed new responsibilities regarding human governance, social bonds, and collective thought. In doing so, the book traces the intellectual trajectory from early Socratic dialogue and metaphysical systems to the positive philosophy advocated by figures such as Auguste Comte. The text addresses the complex institutional separation of specialized academic fields and considers how these disciplines sought to establish their own internal rationality relative to traditional philosophical discourse.
Furthermore, the volume reflects on the enduring political ambitions of sociological inquiry within modern democratic societies. It highlights the ways in which the social sciences attempt to modify individuals' perception of their existence and act upon their social and political situation. Readers interested in the intersection of political philosophy, sociological theory, and the legacy of thinkers such as Émile Durkheim, Marcel Mauss, and Gabriel Tarde may find this work relevant to contemporary debates on the governance of human beings.