The Meaning of the War: Life & Matter in Conflict

In the midst of the Great War, a leading French philosopher steps onto the podium of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques to address a nation bruised by conflict. His address, later printed for wider circulation, weaves together the urgency of the battlefield with the steady rhythm of philosophical inquiry. Listeners are invited to hear how he balances patriotic resolve with a call for deeper moral reflection.

Drawing on his lifelong work on intuition and the limits of materialism, he asks whether the scientific advances of the twentieth century should become tools of destruction or instruments of freedom. He confronts the dangerous allure of theories that rank races, referencing past thinkers while insisting that true progress lies in a spiritual principle that transcends hatred. The speech offers a powerful, human‑centered perspective on war that still resonates with anyone questioning the cost of modern conflict.