RESUME
Le probleme central de ce travail est de presenter le lien qui
existe entre la these du Panmobilisme et l'optimisme de Teilhard de Chardin
dont la pensee s'inscrit dans le cadre de l'humanisme. En effet, nous avons
voulu savoir si la these panmobiliste enoncee par Heraclite dans son ontolo gie
du perpetuel mouvement tient toujours et s'il fallait necessairement aboutir
aux conclusions de ce dernier, conclusions pessimistes qui n' entrevoient qu'un
conflit des instances de la nature, excluant toute possibilite d'unite dans la
diversite. Nous avons parcouru la pensee de Teilhard de Chardin pour trouver
des reponses aux questions suivantes : le monde est-il toujours en mouvement ?
Si oui, quelle serait la finalite de cette evolution ? D'oil l'intitule de
notre travail : g Panmobilisme et Optimisme dans l'humanisme de Teilhard de
Chardin. » La these du Panmobilisme affirme que tout est en
mouvement. Elle prend corps dans l'histoire de la philosophie avec Heraclite
d'Ephese dans sa celèbre formule du panta rei : « Tout
coule 0. En effet, selon Heraclite, les etres sont en perpetuel mouvement et en
perpetuel conflit. Le Panmobilisme heracliteen decrit l'instabilite et la fu
gacite des choses qui sont toujours en devenir. Tout en affirmant que tout est
en perpetuel mouvement, un mouvement meme ordonne par la puissance du Logos,
Heraclite demeure pessimiste a cause de l'instabilite et du conflit permanent
des instances de la nature. L'etre est insaisissable, et, aussi bien chez
Heraclite que chez Parmenide, l'on sombre dans le pessimisme.
Pour Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, le mouvement de toutes
choses, toutes les civilisations, toutes les cultures et tous les peuples n'est
pas desespere. Il est plein de signification, plein d'espoir et de perspectives
pour l'avenir de l'humanite toute entière. La pensee de Teilhard de
Chardin se charge d'optimisme et au lieu de decrire un quelconque choc des
civilisations, elle decrit une convergence panhumaine vers le Point Omega, le
centre et la fin ultime de l'evolution. Ainsi donc, a defaut d'être
pessimiste comme Heraclite, Teilhard de Chardin est optimiste et il nous invite
a partager son optimisme mal gre les guerres, l'autodestruction de la planete
et la mondialisation neoliberale qui marginalise, uniformise et liberalise. Il
nous invite a penser que ce n'est pas encore la fin de l'histoire comme le
pretend Francis FUKUYAMA dans La fin de l'histoire et le dernier homme
; l'histoire ne va pas s'arreter avec l'ideolo gie neoliberale et le
capitalisme qui est entre tres recemment en crise. L'evolution continue, la
noosphere est en progres, formant un monde d'intelligence collective dont
Internet en est dejà un effet : la civilisation de l'universel.
Panmobilisme et optimisme ne sont donc pas intrinsequement
lies. Ils deviennent lies de facon significative seulement dans l'humanisme de
Teilhard de Chardin. Son humanisme est un humanisme rempli d'optimisme et cet
optimisme se fonde sur sa metaphysique qui est une metaphysique de convergence
et de totalisation. Il est clair que Teilhard de Chardin n'a jamais utilise le
concept de Panmobilisme, mais nous avons pense que ce concept trouve toute sa
signification dans une metaphysique oil tout est convergent vers le point
Omega. Son optimisme a outrance nous inspire tout de même une certaine
mefiance etant donne que la nature humaine est complexe et que l'humanite ne
semble pas encore avoir retenu les lecons des deux guerres mondiales.
vii
OUTLINE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 9
PART ONE
PANMOBILISM IN TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM 17
CHAPTER ONE
PANMOBILISM AND THE QUESTION OF UNITY IN PLURALITY
20
CHAPTER TWO
PANMOBILISM IN TEILHARDIAN METAPHYSICS 34
CHAPTER THREE
THE PANHUMAN CONVERGENCE 77
PART TWO
OPTIMISM IN TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM 92
CHAPTER FOUR
THE PRESENT SITUATION AND MUTUAL DUTY OF HUMAN RACES
94
CHAPTER FIVE
THE AUTO-DESTRUCTION OF OUR PLANET AND THE TEILHARDIAN
VISION 103
CHAPTER SIX
THE PROGRESS OF THE NOOSPHERE 131
PART THREE
TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM TODAY 142
CHAPTER SEVEN
TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM AND THE AFRICAN WELTANSCHAAUNG
144
CHAPTER EIGHT
AFRICAN HUMANISM IN THE LIGHT OF TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM
153
CHAPTER NINE
EVALUATION OF TEILHARDIAN HUMANISM 173
GENERAL CONCLUSION 184
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The war in Iraq, the ever-growing movement of terrorism, the
crisis of Darfour, the crisis in Lebanon, the crisis in Birmania, the war in
the Middle East, are just some examples which lead us to affirm that the world
community today appears to be the amphitheatre where force seems to be the
ruling principle, underlying relationships at the level of states, communities
and international organisations. Rousseau's figure of the strongest, who
matches all the others, or the Hobbesian image of the wolf, seems to find
concretisation with the same characteristics in our post-industrial jungle of
today.
When we take a look at our society, we can transpose the
underlying principle of force which is at the basis of human relationships in
the state of nature. Our world seems to be ruled by the law of the strongest
and is therefore running fast towards its westernisation with the process of
globalisation. To dominate and oppress others, in economy and politics as well
as in all the other dimensions of life, appears to be the only rule underlying
human and international relationships. The result of this will to power is the
intensification of genocides, the dissemination of conflicts in the world,
terrorism, or the invasion of some countries by others: the case of Iraq for
example. This violence leads to the destruction of our planet and thereby to
our own destruction.
0.1. Aim of study
We have already considered the notion of the Civilization of
the UniversalI. This project of unification of mankind under the
converging force of love leading the different civilizations of mankind towards
the Omega Point, point of universal convergence, for a unity in diversity,
begun by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin and adapted in an African context by
Léopold Sédar Senghor, entailed the complementarity of human
races and at the same time a moral duty for each civilization.
During the defence of our Dissertation for the award of a
Post-graduate Diploma in philosophy, we were asked by our Director what were
our ambitions after the Maitrise. We then realised that continuing the
research begun for our Maitrise was something crucial for our Academic
Development. Following the encouragements of our Director, we have decided to
pursue this research work, considering more especially Teilhard de Chardin's
humanism.
The central problem of this work is to bring out the link that
exists between Panmobilism and optimism in the thought of Pierre Teilhard de
Chardin which holds on humanism. In effect, we wanted to know if the
panmobilist theory of Heraclitus whose ontology described a perpetual movement
of things, still holds and if we had to reach his pessimistic conclusions
excluding any form of unity in diversity because of the perpetual conflict of
the instances of nature. We went through the thought of Teilhard de Chardin in
order to find answers to the following questions: is the world still in
progress? If that is the case, what would be the finality of this evolution?
This is why our thesis is entitled: "Panmobilism and Optimism in
Teilhardian Humanism." Panmobilism refers to the movement of all things.
It all begins with Heraclitus who asserts that all things are in perpetual flux
and in perpetual conflict: "You cannot step twice in the same river", "war is
the father of all things." For him therefore, Panmobilism only introduces
destruction, instability and conflict. As such, although he believes in the
ever-mobility of things, a movement harmonised by the principle of the Logos,
Heraclitus portrays pessimism in his thought just as Parmenides who holds the
immobility of Being.
With much more regret, we have realised that the world
community today, seems to be running fast towards its westernisation with the
advent of globalisation. Globalisation is characterised by the will to power of
the North over the South, the Western World over the Third World. This
phenomenon carries along risks of alienation and depersonalisation for some
peoples. Under the Neoliberal ideology, the world is witnessing the domination
of the Western world in politics, economy and even as far as culture is
concerned.
With so much domination of the powerful over the weaker ones,
with so much destruction in our world with wars, hatred, and with the
deterioration of our planet through pollution and over-exploitation, is the
world still progressing or has Evolution come to an end? With so many forces of
destruction in our present world, is the Noo genesis of Teilhard de Chardin
continuing? Why did Teilhard de Chardin remain optimistic towards the
future?
As such, we would like to consider Panmobilism and Optimism in
Teilhardian Humanism. In effect, Teilhardian humanism is based on his theory of
evolution, his metaphysics. The world is in progress towards the Omega Point:
all things are moving (Panmobilism) in order to converge and despite the time
which it may take, despite the forces of divergence, despite the forces of
destruction, despite our differences and our specificities, the Civilization of
the Universal will take place (Optimism).
Indeed, we need an international ethics, centring the human
person as a value, accepting the differences and specificities of all men, all
cultures and all civilizations for a unity in diversity. This international
ethics can find its roots in Teilhard de Chardin's humanism. Indeed, the
moralisation of globalisation appears to us to be urgent for humanity today. We
need to build the earth by spiritualising it with love.
0.2. Method of study
In order to attain our goal, library and internet research is
our method of study, together with careful consideration of advice,
corrections, suggestions and remarks made by our Supervisor, our classmates and
our friends. Our dissertation is divided into three parts. In part one, we
consider the notion of Panmobilism in Teilhardian Humanism. Part two is an
analysis of Teilhard de Chardin's optimistic attitude towards the future,
despite the forces of destruction in our world. In part three, we set ourselves
to evaluate Teilhard de Chardin's considerations in order to present the impact
of his humanism in our world today. In our general conclusion, we are going to
actualize our thesis by
presenting the need for a new form of conviviality in our
world today which could take its roots on Teilhardian humanism. A select
bibliography marks the end of our endeavour.
0.3. Clarifications
This Thesis for the award of a DEA in philosophy is
the continuation of the research work begun for our Maitrise. In
effect we have previously considered the Civilization of the Universal in
Teilhard de Chardin and Senghor. The Civilization of the Universal as we had
already affirmed is a type of humanism which seeks unity and harmony in the
whole universe, acknowledging the differences of human races and cultures,
while bringing them together through convergence. This convergence in the
metaphysical work of Teilhard de Chardin enters in line with the panmobilist
theory of Heraclitus, stating that all things are moving -Panmobilism - towards
the Omega point, centre of the Civilization of the Universal. Despite the wars,
the destruction and the hatred that he experienced, with the revival of racism
in his days, Teilhard de Chardin remained optimistic towards the future. This
is why we have entitled our Thesis: Panmobilism and Optimism in Teilhardian
Humanism. As such, we are concerned with Teilhard de Chardin's humanism
which is based on the panmobilist theory and which is characterised by
optimism.
As Julian HUXLEY tells us in the introduction to The
Phenomenon of Man, the life of Pere Teilhard de Chardin help to illuminate
the development of his thought. It is not without any importance for us to go
back to the life of this author in order to see how his thought is influenced
by his life experiences.
His father was a landowner in Auvergne, a farmer and an
archivist, with a taste for natural history. Marie-Joseph Pierre Teilhard de
Chardin was born in I88I, the fourth in a family of eleven. He studied in the
Jesuit College of Mongre near Lyon where he became devoted to geology and
mineralogy. When eighteen years old, he
decided to become a Jesuit, and entered their order. At the
age of twenty-four, after an interlude in Jersey mainly studying philosophy, he
was sent to teach physics and chemistry in the Jesuit College at Cairo. In the
course of his three years in Egypt, and a further four studying theology in
Sussex, he acquired real competence in geology and palaeontology; and before
being ordained priest in I9I2, a reading of Bergson's Evolution
Créatrice had helped to inspire in him a profound interest in the
general facts and theories of evolution.
His philosophical thought is based on humanism. He considered
the philosophical problem of the One and the Many which Plato examined in the
Parmenides from the point of view of the interaction of human races.
Teilhard de Chardin is the philosopher of synthesis and unity. His philosophy
concerns the union that will make humanity a harmonious fusion of civilizations
by intellectual, moral and spiritual improvements. He explains this coming
together of civilizations by saying that the most humanized human groups always
appear as the product of a synthesis, not segregation.
His thought was adopted and adapted by Leopold SEDAR SENGHOR
(I906- 200I). Sen ghor was fascinated by the writings of Teilhard de Chardin
and followed his steps on humanism, considering the role that Africa is called
to play in the Civilization of the Universal. Sen ghor makes of Teilhardian
ideas on culture a dominant principle in his work. Culture, in some ways,
determines all the themes that he developed and all are directly or indirectly
linked to this central notion. He straightforwardly militates for the
Civilization of the Universal expressed by Teilhard de Chardin, whose first
vision held the seeds of humanism.
PART ONE
PANMOBILISM IN TEILHARDIAN
HUMANISM
| 
