Rupture anthropologique

Series of meetings organised on the initiative of Bettina Laville, President of the Paris IAS, Honorary State Councillor, founder and Honorary President of Comité 21.

Presentation

We often hear that "we are living in a time of disruption" or that "we are living in a time of transition", expressions that tend to replace what was still prevalent two or three years ago. However, these two movements are simultaneously visible: they complement each other and sometimes clash.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, on the steps of Matignon, declared on 10 September: "We will need ruptures, and not just in form, and not just in method. We will also need ruptures in substance." For his part, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, at the Davos Forum, began his speech with: "We are in the midst of a break, not a transition.".

We can see that the concept of rupture, perceived by people and leaders as hope, threat or vertigo, deeply influences thinking about our times. Christian Salmon, writer and researcher, even describes it as a ‘true anthropological rupture’. Indeed, the reversal of values and the distortion of reality extend this anthropological rupture to many areas of our lives, both public and private.

Detailed programme

This series of discussions, organised by Bettina Laville, President of the IEA in Paris, Honorary State Councillor and founder and Honorary President of Comité 21, will consist of four sessions on this theme:

Session 1 – February 16, 2026 – The meaning of rupture: philosophical and contemporary

This session will examine the meaning of the word ‘rupture’, illustrating it with the breaking of ties from a philosophical perspective and examining what it means in today's world.

Session 2 – April 13, 2026 – Geopolitical rupture

We will address the upheavals in the world, showing how the emergence of political figures such as Trump or environmental crises create ‘breaking points’. These ruptures directly influence the destiny of societies, disrupting values, alliances and horizons.

Session 3 – May 11, 2026 – Anthropological and ethical rupture

This session will address the rupture in the ethical and bioethical sphere, the clash of personal convictions that it provokes, and the possible instrumentalisation of the rupture in the name of an idealised humanism.

Session 4 – June 15, 2026 – Technological disruptions

For this final session, we will examine technological disruptions, which, for some, could change the human species or the functioning of the brain, and, for others, represent a true revolution in human emancipation.

Practical details

On site only. In French.
Free admission, registration required (separate registration form for each session).
For more information, contact information@paris-iea.fr