PREFACE TO THE SKETCH OF A CONCRETE PHILOSOPHY BY VLADIMIR JANKÉLÉVITCH

Abstract

Translation of the preface of "Esquisse d'une philosophie concrète," in which University Sorbonne professor Vladimir Jankélévitch analyzes the work of Philippe Fauré-Fremiet over more than twenty years, emphasizing his approach, especially concerning memory. Fauré-Fremiet (1954) criticizes Bergson's thesis of the "stream of consciousness" and proposes the idea of recreation instead of conservation regarding the issue of memory. The French author underscores the concreteness of Fauré-Fremiet's philosophy, addressing lived experience, the distinction of objective universes, and the refusal to privilege absolute time. The modal analysis of ambiguous systems reveals influences from Gaston Bachelard and E. Minkowski. The text concludes by highlighting the struggle against continuous small deaths and the pursuit of everlasting light, associating this quest with beatitude. In the preface's final moments, liturgical language is invoked to express daily agony and the hope of transcending into life.