Jules Esprit Nicolas Lachelier (; 27 May 1832 – 26 January 1918) was a French

philosopher Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

, most known for his contributions to French spiritualism and his influence on modern French philosophy. He developed a system of rational idealism and was a key figure in the neo-spiritualist movement in French philosophy. His work focused on the relationship between thought and reality, and he attempted to provide a basis for induction in a philosophy of nature. Lachelier's ideas had a significant impact on other philosophers, including

Émile Boutroux Étienne Émile Marie Boutroux (; ; 28 July 1845 – 22 November 1921) was a French philosopher of science and religion, and a historian of philosophy. He was a firm opponent of materialism in science. He was a spiritual philosopher who defended t ...

, Victor Brochard, and

Henri Bergson Henri-Louis Bergson (; ; 18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941) was a French philosopher who was influential in the traditions of analytic philosophy and continental philosophy, especially during the first half of the 20th century until the S ...

Philosophy

Defining himself as an intellectualist, Lachelier set himself on the mission of perpetuating the philosophy of

Kant Immanuel Kant (born Emanuel Kant; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, et ...

. One of his famous articles, ''Psychologie et Métaphysique'', distinguishes him from

Victor Cousin Victor Cousin (; ; 28 November 179214 January 1867) was a French philosopher. He was the founder of " eclecticism", a briefly influential school of French philosophy that combined elements of German idealism and Scottish Common Sense Realism. ...

, and lays the foundations of his spiritualist-leaning philosophy. Lachelier is influenced by Félix Ravaisson, from whom he borrowed the term " spiritual realism" to designate his philosophy. Henri Bergson dedicates his '' Time and Free Will'' to Jules Lachelier. Émile Meyerson discusses his theory of induction.

Works

''Du fondement de l'induction'' suivi de ''Psychologie et Métaphysique''

Alcan Alcan was a Canadian mining company and aluminum manufacturer. It was founded in 1902 as the Northern Aluminum Company, renamed Aluminum Company of Canada in 1925, and Alcan Aluminum in 1966. It took the name Alcan Incorporated in 2001. During ...

, 1896, in Gallica. * ''Du fondement de l'induction'' suivi de ''Psychologie et Métaphysique'' et de ''Notes sur le pari de Pascal'', Paris, Alcan, 1924. * ''Œuvres'', Paris, Librairie Félix Alcan, 1933

References

1832 births 1918 deaths 20th-century French philosophers 19th-century French philosophers Idealists {{France-philosopher-stub