French Academy Inauguration Speech (Dubois, Dumazel)

Author: (French) Duby, Dubois, translated by Ma Ji and others
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This collection of speeches by French Academicians, presented before the readers, includes the inaugural addresses of over ten French Academicians at the ceremonies of their induction into the French Academy or the Collège de France. These academicians come from diverse fields—philosophy (Aron), history (Duby, Braudel), literature (Montaigne, Valéry, Yourcenar), theater (Ionesco), anthropology (Dubois), biological sciences (Roche)—among many others. Respected for their brilliant achievements and colorful works in their respective eras, their names have been immortalized in history. 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 everyone knows, the inaugural speeches of the Collège de France members (such as Duby and others) are later widely recognized as academic masterpieces, such as Merleau-Ponty's The Prose of Philosophy, Foucault's The Order of Discourse, and the one included in our collection, Medieval Society, among others. This is because the tradition of the Collège de France is that teachers must always speak of 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, the welcoming speeches of newly inducted members do not focus on themselves but instead express deep respect and sincerity in detailing and analyzing the works and thoughts of their predecessors, while their own academic achievements are introduced by incumbent academicians in response. We can see that both the speaker and the respondent exhibit sincere and grateful attitudes toward the subject. Even more impressive is how the newly inducted members are so familiar with their predecessors' lives and writings, and how deeply they understand their thoughts and words. It is particularly noteworthy that some newly inducted academicians, whose reputation far surpasses that of their predecessors, remain so composed in their self-presentation, humbly respecting the past while maintaining objective analysis—a truly admirable and inspiring trait.
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 on one fundamental criterion: 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 academicians' speeches, 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.