Every year, on the first weekend of October, a series of lectures and performances centred on the philosopher Alain take place in Mortagne-au-Perche.
The town of Mortagne-au-Perche is home to the birthplace of the philosopher Alain, which is listed as a historic monument. A museum is dedicated to him, displaying documents, manuscripts and personal items that shed light on the thinker’s life and work. The Journées Alain provide an opportunity to (re)discover this place of remembrance.
For Alain, philosophy was inseparable from the experience of everyday life. For him, it was not a matter of devising an abstract system, built on reasoning and proof, but of proposing a set of ideas that enable us to “discover the world as it is and man as he is”. He paid particular attention to language, because he regarded it as an authentic expression of human nature, and his commitment to always using everyday vocabulary allows us to see this journalist, essayist, moralist and philosopher, a native of Mortagne, as a great writer.
On Saturday afternoon, a symposium will bring together philosophers, historians and academics to discuss themes related to Alain’s work. The presentations will explore the various facets of his thought. Sunday will be devoted to lectures and historical accounts relating to the history of Mortagne-au-Perche and its inhabitants.