Let. Rostand and Jules Romains-French Academician's Inaugural Speech: Inaugural Speech of the French Academician

Author: Jean Roche
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: The collection of speeches by French Academicians presented to readers includes the inaugural addresses delivered by over a dozen French Academicians during their induction ceremonies into the French Academy or the French Academy of Sciences. These academicians specialize in diverse fields, spanning philosophy (Aron), history (Duby, Braudel), literature (Montaigne, Valéry, Yourcenar), theater (Ionesco), anthropology ( Dumézil), biological sciences (Roche), and many other disciplines. Respected for their brilliant achievements and vibrant works across different eras, their names have been immortalized in history, shining brightly. One of the purposes of compiling this book is to allow readers to gain insight into the spiritual demeanor of these intellectual elites, appreciating and experiencing the profound sentiments deep within their souls.
As is known, the inaugural speeches of the French Academy members (such as Duby) have later been widely recognized as academic masterpieces, including Merleau-Ponty’s Words of Philosophy, Foucault’s The Order of Discourse, and the one included in our collection, Medieval Society. This is because the tradition of the French Academy is that teachers must always speak about what they are currently thinking and researching, rather than what has already been said or by others. Such speeches truly belong to the "frontier of academia."
At the French Academy of Sciences, the welcoming speeches by newly inducted members do not focus on themselves but instead express deep respect and sincerity by elaborating on and analyzing the works and thoughts of their predecessors. Their own academic achievements are introduced by incumbent academicians in response. What we observe is that both the speaker and the respondent exhibit not only sincere and grateful attitudes toward the subject but, even more impressively, the newly inducted members demonstrate an extraordinary familiarity with their predecessors—both as individuals and in their writings—as well as a profound understanding of their thoughts and words.
It is particularly noteworthy that some newly inducted academicians, whose reputation far surpasses that of their predecessors, still maintain such composure in dealing with themselves, show humility in respecting the past, and remain objective in their analysis—truly admirable.
The vitality of a nation, a people, or even a culture, its ability to remain healthy and sustainable, and its prospects for a bright future—all depend, in part, on how it treats its predecessors and understands its traditions. Therefore, different nations, despite sharing long traditions, may produce entirely different outcomes due to their varying attitudes toward this issue. If we patiently read these speeches by the academicians, we will gain a deeper understanding of this point and also develop a more rational perspective on why vibrant intellectual activity often occurs in France in the 20th century.