French philosopher spoke with local audience on Monday, Nov 11
Photo: Luiz Munhoz
“What is a good life for the mortals?” That was the question French philosopher Luc Ferry sought to address on Monday, Nov 11. He was the shining start of the grand finale of the 2019 edition of Frontiers of Thought . To a crowded audience at UFRGS’ Commencement Hall, the lecturer spoke to the local audience for the second time. 12 years ago, Ferry came to Porto Alegre for the event’s opening seminar. Back then, he talked about philosophy as a tool to be used by parents in thinking about the education of their children. This year, the theme Meanings of Life was discussed in eight conferences, which included the perspectives of astronomy, cinema and psychoanalysis. The event receives the cultural support from PUCRS.
To reach his conclusion, Ferry drew insights from four great answers of humankind in order to answer the major question of the night. What do they have in common? They are all associated with the idea of harmony”, he explained. The first concerns Homer’s Odyssey, which serves as a model for Greek philosophy. The book tells the story of Ulysses, the Greek king who left the Trojan War to enjoy the peace of his family, from chaos to harmony. “The whole point of the story is that it shifts from bad life to good life. The way Ulysses sees it, a good life is about putting yourself in harmony with the world”, he said.
The second great answer is concerns religions. “Harmony should no longer be fostered with the cosmos, but with divine commands. In return, one gets salvation”, the philosopher said. The third question that sought to address the main question brings a humanistic solution. Ferry reported that Enlightenment and Democracy originated a humanized answer to what a good life would be, as harmony is no longer associated with the cosmos or God. “It can be summarized in a very popular saying: my liberty ends where yours begins”, he said. The meaning of life in this third phase is harmony with others. The French scholar adds: “And if possible, I have to do something else for humanity.”
Photo: Luiz Munhoz
To his mind, people all over the world are seeking the answer for the fourth question. “I don’t like it, but I’ll tell you: Nietzsche claims he does philosophy with a hammer. He is a “deconstructor”, he cut ties with the transcendences of the past. He deconstructs the three previous answers with this one for he believes they are alienating in that they deprive us of our liberty”, he explained. Because they are all illusions, all we get left is our individualism, narcissism and self-concern. “And what’s behind it? Happiness. There is an abundance of books all over the world teaching you how to be happy. And that is the result of these deconstructions. Today we hear that we have to learn to love ourselves as we love our children. To me that is the definition of madness”, he said.
The fifth answer is one with which the philosopher is in love. And he splits it into two revolutions: love and longevity.
In the 1950s and 1960s, historians got interested in a very unfamiliar territory back then: the history of private life. That is, the routine of ordinary people, what they ate, how they died, how they got married etc. “With that, they taught us two things: all marriages were arranged, and capitalism invented love marriage”, he explained.
“In the past, with lower mortality rates, people wouldn’t stay married long. Today, they live longer and marriages last for 50, 60 years, which may seem like forever”, he said. As for capitalism, Ferry recalled that it brought wage labor. Consequently, proletariat and the labor market emerged. This transformation is closely associated with women’s history: “For them it is a formidable emancipation. In financial terms, autonomous as they are, they can choose who they want to marry and choose who they love. This was how love marriage emerged”.
To Ferry’s mind, this is a very contemporary revolution. He illustrated it, he mentioned the Greeks, the Chinese, and the Arabs who, at the time medicine was invented, there was only one model: the therapeutic. The doctor was there to treat and care for the infirmed. “Transhumanists say the time has come for human-enhancement medicine. To replicate in humans the things that are done with transgenic drought-resistant corn in Africa, for example. With that in mind, I can hear my intellectual friends making critics to the idea. And it is not about creating superhumans, but increasing human longevity”, he defended.
Photo: Luiz Munhoz
He has reservations, though: “Don’t confuse life expectancy with longevity. Life expectancy has increased throughout history, longevity has not. The longest a person has ever lived was 122 years.” The philosopher added: “Transhumanists say it’s time to correct genetic flaws, for example.”
What the two movements brought is closely related to Kant’s idea of broad thinking. “With broadened horizons, understanding other cultures, you become more humane. This allows us to find more people we can love. The broad horizons are what gives meaning to our lives”, he replied.
To finish up, Ferry pointed out that the elderly age has an advantage: “One thing a very smart young man will never be able to replace is experience.”
Ferry is 68 and holds a degree in philosophy from Sorbonne and Heidelberg, and a PhD in Political Science from Reims University. He received the Legion of Honor and the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic, as well as awards such as Droits de l’Homme and Ernest Thorel. From 2002 to 2004, he served as the Minister of Education of France.
Luc Ferry made his presence felt at Frontiers of Thought in 2007, 2011 and 2015. He is one of the most widely read French philosophers today. He has written dozens of publications on current and existential issues. His book Learn To Live made him a bestseller. In it, he shows how philosophy can play the role of a secular alternative to religion.
The Frontiers of Thought Porto Alegre is presented by Braskem, and brought to you by Unimed Porto Alegre and Hospital Moinhos de Vento. It receives cultural support from PUCRS. Partner companies: Unicred and CMPC. Partner university: UFRGS. Promotion: Grupo RBS.
