Is Life Worth Anything?
Original title: La vie a-t-elle une valeur?
Synopsis
To the “we, the Wretched of the Earth” of workers’ mobilizations, the “we French” of nationalist exhortations, the “we humans” of the humanist tradition, we must now add the “we, the living” of ecological consciousness. In the various currents of ecological thought, it is no longer so much a question of protecting nature as of caring for “life” or “the living”.
Francis Wolff examines the infatuation with “the living” in recent years (in cultural, political and activist circles, as well as among ecologist intellectuals). He notes that the concept of the living has replaced that of nature. For him, however, only human lives have absolute value, and there is no such thing as a “living” moral community.
A true philosophical reflection on the meaning and value of life, which takes up the basics and leads us to a political conclusion. With a strong message : for the creation of a humanist environmental ethic (centered on the protection of human beings and not biocentric, i.e. centered on the protection and well-being of all living beings, without hierarchy) guided by a single principle : justice.
Marketing Information
- Praise for Previous Books:
“In an impressive survey and with clarity of expression, the philosopher forges a new concept of time.” — Florent Georgesco, Le Monde about ‘Le Temps du monde‘
“There are generalists in philosophy as there are in medicine. If Francis Wolff is one of these, then he alone represents a hybrid variety. In recent years, his work has taken on an impressive scope.” — Revue Critique n° 895
“The fluidity of Francis Wolff’s writing seems to reflect his concern to convince. And the wager is totally successful… A vertiginous and profoundly generous book.” — Alain Policar about ‘Plaidoyer pour l’universal‘
“…Francis Wolff reveals his aesthetics and establishes himself as a leading philosopher.” — Roger-Pol Droit, Le Monde about ‘Pourquoi la musique?‘
- Author’s previous works sold well: Il n’y a pas d’amour parfait (Fayard, 2016) sold 20,000 copies, Trois utopies contemporaines (Fayard, 2017) sold 8,500 and Philosophie de la corrida (Fayard, 2007) sold 11,000.