Maine de Biran, Reader of Pascal

Abstract

It is not surprising to find, at the centre of Maine de Biran’s anthropological reflection, a constant and critical engagement with Pascal’s account of the human condition. In this paper, I aim to demonstrate how Biran’s dialogue with Pascal’s work, which evolved throughout the various stages of his life, constitutes a decisive moment in the development of his theory of human nature. By deliberately setting aside the theological dimension, I argue that this confrontation enables Biran to revise and progressively refine his conception of human duality. In particular, the analysis of boredom exemplifies this process of critical reworking, in which human duality is seen at work.