Baccalaurat S (Sciences)

1
st
problem:
Is the artist the master of his work ? (Lartiste est-il le matre de son oeuvre ?)
2
nd
problem :
Do we live to be happy ? (Vivons-nous pour tre heureux ?)
3
rd
problem :
Explain the following text :
(I translate closely the text myself before looking for the translated version in English
from canonical books. just for practice.)
We see clearly why arithmetic and geometry are much more exact than other sciences: they
only deal with an object simple and pure enough to admit absolutely nothing that might be
rendered inexact by experience, and they consist in their entirety in a series of consequences
deducted by reasoning. They are then the easiest and the clearest of all, and their object is what
we desire, for unless by a lack of attention, it seems impossible for men to make mistakes in
such sciences. And yet it should not be surprised if spontaneously much mind power is
dedicated rather to other studies or to philosophy: this comes from the fact that one is more
eager to give himself the liberty to affirm things by divination in an obscure question than in an
evident question, and that it is way easier to make conjectures on a random question than to
arrive at the truth even on a question however easy that might be.
From all this we must conclude, not, in reality, that we must learn nothing but arithmetic and
geometry, but only that those who search the right path to the truth must occupy themselves
with nothing but the object where they could have such a certitude that is equal to that of
arithmetical and geometrical demonstrations.
DESCARTES, Rules for the Direction of the Mind, 1628. (Rgles pour la direction de lesprit,
1628.)
Now the last part of rule II, from English version
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Rules_for_the_Direction_of_the_Mind translated by Elizabeth
Anscombe and Peter Thomas Geach
This furnishes us with an evident explanation of the great superiority in certitude of arithmetic and
Geometry to other sciences. The former alone deal with an object so pure and uncomplicated, that
they need make no assumptions at all which experience renders uncertain, but wholly consist in the
rational deduction of consequences. They are on that account much the easiest and clearest of all,
and possess an object such as we require, for in them it is scarce humanly possible for anyone to err
except by inadvertence. And yet we should not be surprised to find that plenty of people of their own
accord prefer to apply their intelligence to other studies, or to Philosophy. The reason for this is that
every person permits himself the liberty of making guesses in the matter of an obscure subject with
more confidence than in one which is clear, and that it is much easier to have some vague notion
about any subject, no matter what, than to arrive at the real truth about a single question however
simple that may be.
But one conclusion now emerges out of these considerations, viz. not, indeed, that Arithmetic and
Geometry are the sole sciences to be studied, but only that in our search for the direct road towards
truth we should busy ourselves with no object about which we cannot attain a certitude equal to that
of the demonstrations of Arithmetic and Geometry.

(An acquaintance with the doctrine of the author is not required. It is necessary and sufficient
that the explication reflects, by a precise comprehension of the text, the problem in question.)
Baccalaurat L (Literature)

1
st
problem:
The pieces of art, do they (induce/ have the bearing on the formation of/ educate) our
perception ? (Les uvres dart duquent-elles notre perception ?) (So difficult to transalte
duquer notre perception in english)
2
nd
problem :
Must we do anything to be happy ? (Doit-on tout faire pour tre heureux ?)
3rd problem :
Will translate later
Similar question on a text from POPPER, La Connaissance objective, 1972.

Baccalaurat ES (Economics and Social Sciences)
1
st
problem:
Is it sufficient to have the choice to be free ? (Suffit-il davoir le choix pour tre libre ?)
2
nd
problem :
Why should we strive to know ourselves ? (Pourquoi chercher se connatre soi-mme ?)
3rd problem :
Will translate later
Similar question on a text from Hannah ARENDT, Condition de lhomme moderne (1958)