French Literature Reviews - 2026
Alexandre Charrier, Le soi à la lumière des émotions
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Through an original reading of David Hume's A Treatise of Human Nature, this book offers a fresh approach to the notion of the self in philosophy, while expanding it to encompass other disciplines within the humanities and cognitive sciences. The goal is no longer to determine what the self actually is, what its characteristics are, or whether such an entity even exists; rather, it is to conceptualize the self as a mere representation that stems primarily from our emotional life. Where does our idea of ourselves come from? How does the representation of the self—specifically, a continuous and self-identical self over time—enter into consciousness? Through what psychological mechanisms do we come to accept it? This book provides a novel overview of the full range of discussions surrounding the question of the self, which remain largely unfamiliar to French readers. Through the sentimentalist thesis it defends, the book aims to take a step sideways from the questions that currently dominate contemporary debates on the self.
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Table of contents online via OpenEdition
Introduction
Part One. The Humean Perspective on the Self: Interests, Stakes, and Problems
Chapter 1
Hume on the Self: Book I, The Critique of Personal Identity
Chapter 2
New Arguments in Favor of a Critical Perspective on the Self
Chapter 3
The Pitfall of Nihilism and the True Humean Contribution
Chapter 4
Interests and Limits of the Humean Perspective
Part Two. Toward a Neo-Humean Approach to the Self as Representation
Chapter 5
Within the Sphere of Affectivity: From Passions to Emotions
Chapter 6
How Emotions Contribute to the Representation of the Self
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
The Flaw of Intellectualism and Neo-Humean Ambitions
Conclusion
Alexandre Charrier's study engages deeply with the Scottish Enlightenment tradition, particularly the philosophical framework established by David Hume in A Treatise of Human Nature. By bridging eighteenth-century empiricism with contemporary cognitive sciences, the author positions his work within ongoing philosophical discussions concerning personal identity and consciousness. Rather than treating the self as a fixed metaphysical entity, the book investigates how emotional life and affective mechanisms generate the mental representation of a continuous identity over time.
This text will particularly interest scholars, researchers, and students of philosophy, intellectual history, and the humanities who seek alternative perspectives on subjectivity. By examining the limits of intellectualist positions and offering a neo-Humean defense of sentimentalism, the book provides valuable conceptual tools for addressing perennial questions about human self-awareness. It serves as a stimulating resource for readers wishing to navigate complex debates surrounding cognition, emotion, and the psychological foundations of the self.
Toward a New Research ProgramSelective BibliographyIndex of Names