Michel Onfray

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born

in Argentan, France

January 01, 1959

gender

male

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Michel Onfray is a French philosopher. Born to a family of Norman farmers, he graduated with a Ph.D. in philosophy. He taught this subject to senior students at a technical high school in Caen between 1983 and 2002, before establishing what he and his supporters call the Université populaire de Caen, proclaiming its foundation on a free-of-charge basis, and the manifesto written by Onfray in 2004 (La communauté philosophique). However, the title 'Popular University' is misleading, although attractive, as this 'University' provides no services other than the occasional delivery of lectures - there is no register of students, no examination or assessment, and no diplomas. After all, 'ordinary' French University lectures are open to all, free...more Michel Onfray is a French philosopher. Born to a family of Norman farmers, he graduated with a Ph.D. in philosophy. He taught this subject to senior students at a technical high school in Caen between 1983 and 2002, before establishing what he and his supporters call the Université populaire de Caen, proclaiming its foundation on a free-of-charge basis, and the manifesto written by Onfray in 2004 (La communauté philosophique). However, the title 'Popular University' is misleading, although attractive, as this 'University' provides no services other than the occasional delivery of lectures - there is no register of students, no examination or assessment, and no diplomas. After all, 'ordinary' French University lectures are open to all, free of charge. Nor is the content of the Université populaire de Caen radical in French terms, it is in its way, a throwback to less democratic traditions of learning. Both in his writing and his lecturing, Onfray's approach is hierarchical, and elitist. He prefers to say though that his 'university' is committed to deliver high-level knowledge to the masses, as opposed to the more common approach of vulgarizing philosophic concepts through easy-to-read books such as "Philosophy for Well-being".

Onfray writes obscurely that there is no philosophy without psychoanalysis. Perhaps paradoxically, he proclaims himself as an adamant atheist (something more novel in France than elsewhere - indeed his book, 'Atheist Manifesto', was briefly in the 'bestsellers' list in France) and he considers religion to be indefensible. He instead regards himself as being part of the tradition of individualist anarchism, a tradition that he claims is at work throughout the entire history of philosophy and that he is seeking to revive amidst modern schools of philosophy that he feels are cynical and epicurean. His writings celebrate hedonism, reason and atheism.

He endorsed the French Revolutionary Communist League and its candidate for the French presidency, Olivier Besancenot in the 2002 election, although this is somewhat at odds with the libertarian socialism he advocates in his writings.[citation needed] In 2007, he endorsed José Bové - but eventually voted for Olivier Besancenot - , and conducted an interview with the future French President, who he declared was an 'ideological enemy' Nicolas Sarkozy for Philosophie Magazine.

Onfray himself attributes the birth of a philosophic communities such as the université populaire to the results of the French presidential election, 2002.(less)

129 posts
Michel Onfray's Blog

Michel Onfray isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but he does have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from his feed.

Michel Onfray - Musique matin (France Musique) - 19.04.2013

Christophe Bourseiller reçoit Michel Onfray pour son dernier ouvrage “La raison des sortilèges. Entretiens sur la musique”, avec Jean-Yves Clément. paru aux éd. Autrement.

Cliquez ici ou là (à partir d' 1h15).

Site de l'émission ici, podcast de l'émission là.

Source de l'image : ici.

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Michel Onfray's Books

Average rating: 3.77 · 1,742 ratings · 148 reviews · 98 distinct works · Similar authors

	Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam by Michel Onfray, Jeremy Leggatt (Translator) 3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 avg rating — 1,086 ratings — published 2005 — 27 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Antimanuel de philosophie 4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 avg rating — 74 ratings — published 2001 — 3 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	La puissance d'exister: Manifeste hedoniste 3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 avg rating — 71 ratings — published 2006 — 7 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Le crépuscule d'une idole - l'affabulation freudienne 3.75 of 5 stars 3.75 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2001 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Nietzsche, se créer liberté by Michel Onfray, Maximilien Le Roy 3.49 of 5 stars 3.49 avg rating — 57 ratings — published 2010 — 4 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cynismes 4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 avg rating — 45 ratings — published 1990 — 4 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Théorie du corps amoureux 3.6 of 5 stars 3.60 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 2000 — 7 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Les sagesses antiques 3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 2006 — 3 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Théorie du voyage 3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 avg rating — 34 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Politique Du Rebelle 3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 1997 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Michel Onfray…

Series by Michel Onfray

Contre-histoire de la philosophie (7 books)
by Michel Onfray
3.732142857142857 of 5 stars 3.73 avg rating — 56 ratings

Contre-Histoire de la Philosophie (Audio) (3 books)
by Michel Onfray
0.0 of 5 stars 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings

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Quotes by Michel Onfray

“The three monotheism share a series of identical forms of aversion: hatred of reason and intelligence; hatred of freedom; hatred of all books in the name of one book alone; hatred of sexuality, women,and pleasure; hatred of feminine; hatred of body, of desires, of drives. Instead Judaism, Christianity, and Islam extol faith and belief, obedience and submission, taste for death and longing for the beyond, the asexual angel and chastity, virginity and monogamous love, wife and mother, soul and spirit. In other words, life crucified and nothingness exalted.”
― Michel Onfray, Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

tags: atheism, religion

17 people liked it

“God will endure for as long as the reasons that brought him into being;
And so will those who deny him.”
― Michel Onfray

6 people liked it

“Désormais, sous prétexte de laïcité, tous les discours se valent : l’erreur et la vérité, le faux et le vrai, le fantasque et le sérieux. Le mythe et la fable pèsent autant que la raison. La magie compte autant que la science. Le rêve autant que la réalité. Or tous les discours ne se valent pas : ceux de la névrose, de l’hystérie et du mysticisme procèdent d’un autre monde que celui du positiviste. Pas plus qu’on ne doit renvoyer dos à dos bourreau et victime, bien et mal, on ne doit tolérer la neutralité, la bienveillance affichée pour la totalité des régimes de discours, y compris ceux des pensées magiques. Faut-il rester neutre ? Doit-on rester neutre ? A-t-on encore les moyens de ce luxe ? Je ne crois pas...”
― Michel Onfray, Atheist Manifesto: The Case Against Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

tags: laïcité, neutralité, relativisme

1 person liked it

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