Cometti's 'Musil philosophe' Explores Essayism and Philosophy
Jean-Pierre Cometti's book 'Musil philosophe' examines the philosophical dimensions of Robert Musil's writings, particularly 'The Man Without Qualities'. The study is structured in six thematic parts, focusing on Musil's philosophical theses regarding intellect and sentiment, and the intersection of philosophical and novelistic discourse. Cometti adopts Milan Kundera's definition of the novel as a morality of experimentation, linking it to essayism as an examination of partial solutions, which aligns with Musil's contextualist approach. The work draws on biographical sources, literary influences, character citations, and historical context (Mach, Brentano, Freud, Spengler), though it suffers from some methodological ambiguity. The review by Christophe Kihm highlights the book's illumination of Musil's theoretical practice questioning the use of understanding.
Key facts
- Jean-Pierre Cometti authored 'Musil philosophe'.
- The book focuses on Robert Musil's writings, especially 'The Man Without Qualities'.
- It is divided into six thematic parts.
- Cometti examines Musil's views on intellect and sentiment.
- The study explores the overlap between philosophy and the novel.
- Cometti uses Kundera's definition of the novel as a morality of experimentation.
- The work references Mach, Brentano, Freud, and Spengler.
- Christophe Kihm reviewed the book for artpress.
Entities
Artists
- Robert Musil
- Jean-Pierre Cometti
- Christophe Kihm
- Milan Kundera
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
- Ernst Mach
- Franz Brentano
- Sigmund Freud
- Oswald Spengler
- Theodor Adorno
Institutions
- artpress
Sources
- artpress —