Abstract

During the Early modern era, the Republic of Letters used to gather poets, historians and philosophers in one single community. Latin was the common language of the Humanities, among which Philosophy was a part of the «Belles-Lettres». In 1637, Descartes's "Discours de la méthode" opened up the possibility of a philosophical discourse in French. How should ordinary language be used for a philosophical purpose, then? Facing the prevailing German tradition from Kant to Hegel, French 19th century philosophers had to invent their own personal and national style according to Descartes's heritage. Bergson was at the very heart of a debate on the French philosophical style as a national emblem.