M.

# Girel,# Avant/propos# # Jean# Wahl,# Vers# le# concret,# 1932,# rdition,# Paris,#
Vrin,#2004.#
"Un"livre"eut"beaucoup"de"succs"parmi"nous,""cette"poque":"Vers%le%concret,"de"
Jean" Wahl." Encore" tions?nous" dus" par" ce" vers" :" cest" du" concret" total" que" nous"
voulions" partir," cest" au" concret" absolu" que" nous" voulions" arriver." Mais" louvrage"
nous"plaisait"parce"quil"embarrassait"lidalisme"en"dcouvrant"des"paradoxes,"des"
ambiguts,"des"conflits"non"rsolus"dans"lunivers"" 1."Un"tel"jugement"illustre"bien""
la" fois" lengouement" suscit" par" luvre," les" attentes" quelle" a" rencontres" et" les"
contresens"qui"la"guettaient."Sartre"eut"sans"doute""rflchir"sur"les"raisons"de"cette"
"dception","qui"aurait"pu"tre"vite"par"une"lecture"plus"attentive"de"la"prface"de"
Jean"Wahl":"elle"lui"aurait"montr"que"le""concret""nest"pas"sparable"du"chemin"qui"
y"conduit."Relire"Vers%le%concret%aujourdhui,"et"voir"ce"quau?del"du"jeune"Sartre"sa"
gnration"a"pu"y"puiser"est"un"des"apports"de"la"prsente"rdition"de"louvrage"de"
1932." Celle?ci" sajoute" " la" republication" dautres" ouvrages" 2" ainsi" qu" des" tudes"
nouvelles" qui" remettent" Wahl" " sa" juste" place" 3." Elle" permet" enfin" de" rendre" plus"
audible" une" voix" qui" fut" " lavant?garde" de" la" plupart" des" mouvements"
philosophiques," quil" sagisse" de" la" relecture" de" lempirisme" pluraliste" des"
philosophes" anglo?saxons," de" Hegel," de" Kierkegaard," en" mme" temps" quelle"
dveloppait" avec" originalit" sa" propre" approche," qui" ne" se" rduit" pas" " la"
phnomnologie" ou" " la" " philosophie" de" lexistence" ," mme" si" elle" les" rejoint"
parfois.""
Cependant," si" Vers% le% concret% est" sans" nul" doute" une" pice" essentielle" du" dbat"
philosophique"de"lentre?deux?guerres,"lintrt"du"livre"aujourdhui"ne"saurait"se""
1." J.?P." Sartre," Questions% de% mthode," Paris," Gallimard," 1986," p." 23." Cf." galement" P."
Ducass,""Linquitude"du"concret"et"les"voies"nouvelles"de"la"connaissance","Revue%
de%synthse,"t."6,"1933,"p."233?242";"M."de"Gandillac,""Le"royaume"du"concret","Revue%
universelle," 15" mars" 1922," p." 752?757" ;" A." Dandieu," Europe," 15" dcembre" 1932," p."
632?633";""
C."Morris,"Journal%of%Philosophy,"vol."30,"n26,"1933,"p."714?716.""
2." Les" ouvrages" de" Jean" Wahl" rdits" rcemment" sont" les" suivants" :" Esquisse% pour%
une% histoire% de% lexistentialisme," Paris," lArche," 2001;" Introduction% % la% pense% de%
Heidegger," " Biblio?Essais" ," Paris," Livre" de" Poche," 1998;" Kierkegaard% :% lun% devant%
lautre," " Coup" Double" ," Paris," Hachette" Littratures," 1998;" Du% rle% de% lide% de%
linstant% dans% la% philosophie% de% Descartes," Paris," Descartes" &" Cie," 1994." La" thse" sur"
Les% philosophies% pluralistes% dAngleterre% et% dAmrique" est" en" cours" de" rdition"
(Paris,"Les"Empcheurs"de"penser"en"rond).""
3."B."Baugh,"French%Hegel,"Londres,"Routledge,"2003.""

limiter""cet"aspect"historique":"le"mouvement"que"dcrit"Wahl"na"rien"perdu"de"son"
actualit." La" possibilit" dune" forme" dempirisme" " largi" " attentive" au" travail"
scientifique" comme" aux" facettes" qualitatives" de" lexprience," la" critique" des" formes"
rductrices"de"naturalisme,"la"conqute"des"nouveaux"territoires"philosophiques"que"
sont" la" sensation," le" corps," lespace" peru," lvnement," restent" des" questions"
ouvertes.""
Mais"pourquoi"introduire"un"livre"dont"les"articulations"principales"et"les"enjeux"
sont"clairement"explicits"par"son"auteur"dans"sa"prface"?"La"justification"se"trouve"
dans" lcart" qui" nous" spare" de" sa" premire" parution" :" il" est" utile," si" lon" veut"
rellement" prouver" lactualit" de" louvrage," desquisser" le" paysage" philosophique"
dans" lequel" Wahl" voit" se" dessiner" ce" mouvement" " vers" le" concret" ." Les" parcours"
singuliers"que"louvrage"voque,"ceux"de"William"James,"Whitehead"et"Gabriel"Marcel,"
ont" depuis" connu" un" large" succs," si" bien" que" luvre" de" pionnier" accomplie" par"
Wahl" nous" est" peut?tre" rendue" moins" directement" perceptible" qu" ses"
contemporains."Sans"tenir"compte"de"ce"dcalage,"on"ne"comprendrait"pas"la"raction"
dun" lecteur" de" lpoque," qui" vit" en" Wahl" " un" sourcier" remarquablement" dou," et"
toujours"en"qute"deaux"souterraines""1."Ces"eaux"ont"mis"longtemps""faire"surface,"
en" particulier" en" ce" qui" concerne" James" et" Whitehead," mais" Wahl" a" t" lun" des"
premiers" " les" capter" pour" le" public" franais." James" et" Whitehead," dont" les" penses"
ont"longtemps"t"clipses"alors"que"dominaient"les"paradigmes"analytiques"et"les"
tentatives" de" " naturalisation" de" lpistmologie" " sont" depuis" une" vingtaine"
dannes," le" premier" dans" le" cadre" des" dbats" sur" le" pragmatisme" entre" Putnam" et"
Rorty" qui" ont" domin" la" philosophie" amricaine" 2," le" second" en" philosophie" des"
sciences,"lobjet"dune"redcouverte"qui"a"encore"tout""gagner"du"regard"particulier"
que" Wahl" leur" a" port." Vers% le% concret% constitue" une" introduction" privilgie" aussi"
bien"aux"auteurs"dont"il"traite"qu"luvre"de"Jean"Wahl"lui?mme""se"faisant"."Ce"
sont" ainsi" trois" mouvements" " vers" le" concret" " quil" faut" souligner" si" lon" veut"
percevoir" les" diffrents" niveaux" de" lecture" du" prsent" ouvrage" :" un" mouvement" de"
fond" en" philosophie" que" Wahl" dtecte" et" rend" visible" ;" un" mouvement" interne" aux"
philosophies"quil"tudie,"dans"lequel"la"recherche"du""concret""apparat,""chaque"
fois"dans"un"contexte"diffrent,"comme"structurante"et"comme"dynamique";"enfin"un"
mouvement" interne" " luvre" de" Wahl" lui?mme," Vers% le% concret% marquant" un"
tournant"important"dans"son"itinraire"philosophique,"souvent""contre?courant"des"
tendances"dominant"alors"luniversit.""
Vers%Jean%Wahl%"
Il"est"tout""fait"curieux"de"voir"la"place"de"Vers%le%concret%gomme"dans"certaines"
notices" sur" Wahl," au" profit" duvres" ultrieures," un" peu" comme" si" lon" pensait" que"
les"tudes"dhistoire"de"la"philosophie"des"annes"1920"et"1930"ne""
1.%Recherches%philosophiques,"1933?1934,"III,"p."468?469,"recension"de"Vers%le%concret%
par"A."Spaier,"p."468.""
2."Cf."J."Margolis,"Reinventing%Pragmatism,"Ithaca,"Cornell"University"Press,"2002,"
pour"une"bonne"mise"en"perspective.""
"

faisaient" que" " prparer" " des" uvres" plus" personnelles" que" seraient" Existence%
humaine% et% transcendance% et" le" Trait% de% mtaphysique." En" effet," Vers% le% concret% est"
certainement"louvrage"dans"lequel"Wahl"laisse"pour"la"premire"fois"apparatre"ses"
propres" principes" et," en" 1932," il" a" dj" publi" plusieurs" uvres" philosophiques" de"
premier"plan.""
N" en" 1888" " Marseille" o" son" pre," professeur" danglais," succde" " Stphane"
Mallarm,"Jean"Wahl"recueille"vite"toutes"les"marques"dexcellence":"premier"prix"du"
concours"gnral"de"philosophie"en"1905,"normalien"rue"dUlm"en"1907,""cacique""
de"lagrgation"de"philosophie"en"1910"devant"Gabriel"Marcel."Du"jeune"professeur""
Saint?Quentin,"en"1911,"il"nous"reste"un"discours"citant"tour""tour"Novalis,"Shelley"et"
Vigny."Il"y"esquisse"le"tableau"dun"univers""qui"nest"pas"un"tout"fini",""la"faon"du"
James"de"lUnivers%pluraliste,"et"insiste"sur"la"ncessit"des"uvres"dart"pour""affiner"
"nos""sentiments"comme"nos"sensations",""la"manire"de"Bergson" 1."Cest"luvre"
de" ce" dernier" qui" lui" donne," " la" mme" poque," loccasion" dune" de" ses" premires"
publications,"o"son"acuit"de"lecture"et"sa"sympathie"pour"les"thses"exprimes"sont"
dj" pleinement" perceptibles" 2." Wahl" nhsite" pas" " contester," sur" des" points"
importants," les" interprtations" de" philosophes" aussi" tablis" que" Le" Roy" et" Benda." Il"
est"ensuite"pensionnaire"de"la"fondation"Thiers"et"achve"sa"thse"principale"sur"les"
Philosophies% pluralistes% dAngleterre% et% dAmrique% 3." Cest" tout" un" pan" de" la"
philosophie" contemporaine," largement" tenue" " lcart" des" programmes" officiels"
malgr" les" efforts" de" Bergson," Lalande" et" mile" Boutroux," qui" prend" ici" une" large"
visibilit"et"qui"se"trouve"non"seulement"expos"mais"mis"en"perspective."Les"annes"
1920"sont"ensuite"pour"Wahl"les"annes"de"mobilit"de"tout"jeune"professeur":"aprs"
la"publication"de"sa"thse"en"1920,"il"enseigne"dans"les"universits"de"Besanon,"de"
Nancy,"et"enfin"de"Lyon."Il"est""cette"mme"poque"le"benjamin"du"jury"dagrgation,"
le"seul"examinateur"capable,"parat?il,"dentendre"pleinement"la"leon"sur"Husserl"du"
jeune" " cacique" " de" 1929," Jean?Paul" Sartre." Cest" un" professeur" remarqu" qui," en"
plus" des" classiques," introduit" ses" lves" aux" dveloppements" les" plus" rcents" de" la"
philosophie" :" lexamen" des" manuscrits" suggre" en" particulier" que" ses" tudiants" ont"
t"trs"tt"instruits"de"Sein%und%Zeit"de"Martin"Heidegger,"paru"en"1927"4.""
Entre"sa"thse"et"le"prsent"ouvrage,"Jean"Wahl"publie"deux"livres"importants":"le"
premier"donne"une"lecture"nouvelle"du"Parmnide%de"Platon,"et"problmatise,""
1." J." Wahl," Discours," Lyce% Henri% Martin,% Distribution% solennelle% des% prix," Saint?
Quentin," Lebrault," 1911," p." 3?12," p." 10?11," repris" dans" Posie,% pense,% perception,%
Paris,"Calmann?Lvy,"1948.""
2."J."Wahl,""Deux"ouvrages"rcents"sur"le"bergsonisme","Revue%du%mois,"1912,""
p."153?180."Sur"Wahl"et"Bergson,"voir"la"prface"de"F."Worms"dans"Du%rle%de%lide%de%
linstant% dans% la% philosophie% de% Descartes," op.% cit.," mais" aussi," entre" autres," Posie,%
pense,%perception,"p."113?118.""
3.%Les%Philosophies%pluralistes%dAngleterre%et%dAmrique,%Paris,"Alcan,"1920.""
4."Fonds"Wahl,"IMEC,"liasse"Histoire%de%la%philosophie."Il"semble"que"Wahl"ait"fait"lire"
trs" tt" tre% et% Temps% " bon" nombre" de" ses" interlocuteurs" philosophiques" ;" voir" M."
Trebitsch,""Le"renouveau"philosophique"avort"des"annes"trente","entretien"avec"
Henri"Lefebvre,"Europe,"n683,"mars"1986,"p."28?40,"p."31."Sur"Wahl"et"Heidegger,"cf."
J."Wahl,"Introduction%%la%pense%de%Heidegger,"op.%cit.%"

comme"en"contrepoint""la"thse"sur"les"philosophies"pluralistes,"les"diffrents"sens"
que" prend" lunit% dans" ce" dialogue" 1" ;" le" second" offre" une" rinterprtation" de" Hegel"
qui" consiste" " le" relire" non" " partir" du" " Systme" " et" de" la" rconciliation" des"
contraires," mais" " partir" du" thme" tragique" dvelopp" dans" les" premiers" crits" 2."
Lessentiel"de"cette"dernire"lecture,"qui"devait"occuper"tant"desprits"dans"les"annes"
1930," et" jusque" dans" les" annes" 1960" 3," ne" nat" pas" en" France" sous" la" plume" de"
Kojve"mais"bien"sous"celle"de"Jean"Wahl,""la"fin"des"annes"1920" 4."En"plus"de"ces"
deux" ouvrages" fondamentaux," Wahl" publie" de" nombreux" articles" de" fond" dans" la"
Revue% philosophique% et" la" Revue% de% Mtaphysique% et% de% Morale," ainsi" que" de" courts"
articles"et"recensions"dans"la"Nouvelle%Revue%franaise%5.""
Pour" qui" cherche" " mieux" connatre" lhomme" et" son" parcours," les" repres" et" les"
tmoignages" sont" malheureusement" rares" 6," mais" quelques" lignes" se" dessinent" clai?
rement."On"a"voqu"linfluence"de"Bergson,"dont"Wahl"partage"bien"des"positions""
sur"lintuition"philosophique"notamment""et"des"arguments"critiques""vis??vis"de"
ltroitesse" des" " philosophies" de" la" connaissance" ." Mais" cet" intrt" ne" bride"
nullement"les"apports"que"Wahl"croit"devoir"apporter""la"philosophie"de"Bergson,""
la"lumire" de"sa"lecture" des""philosophes" dAngleterre" et" dAmrique" " dune" part,"
de"son"interprtation"de"Hegel,"Heidegger"et"Kierkegaard"dautre"part."Il"y"a"peut?tre"
de" la" continuit" dans" la" dure," comme" le" veut" Bergson," mais" de" faon" tout" aussi"
dcisive,"comme"le"veut"James,"et"aprs"lui"Whitehead,"il"y"a"dans"cette"mme"dure"
des""gouttes","des"discontinuits"dans"la"continuit."Il"y"a"sans"doute"lieu"de"suivre"
la"critique"bergsonienne"des""faux"problmes","mais"Wahl,"aprs"sa"lecture"de"Hegel"
et" plus" encore" de" Heidegger," se" demandera" si" laffirmation" bergsonienne" de" la"
plnitude"du"rel"ne"doit"pas"tre"concilie"avec"une"considration"plus"attentive"de"
la"ngativit" 7."Outre"linfluence"de"Bergson,"il"convient"de"mentionner"celle"dmile"
Boutroux," auteur" de" La% contingence% des% lois% de% la% nature% (1874)," auquel" la" thse" de"
1920"tait"ddie."Introducteur"important"de"William"James"en"France,"prfacier"de"
la"traduction"franaise"des"Varits%de%lexprience%religieuse"et"parrain"du"philosophe"
amricain" " lInstitut," Boutroux" est" largement" sensible," comme" Wahl" le" sera," aux"
accents"monistes"que"prend"parfois"le"pluralisme"de"James."Cest"un"lecteur"attentif"
de""lme"divise""qui"sexprime"dans"la"philosophie"de"la"religion"de"James" 8,"et"il"
est"lauteur"du"premier"livre"consacr""lauteur"du"Pragmatisme%aprs"la"mort"de"ce"
dernier"9."Il"faudrait"enfin"prendre"en"compte"un"
""
1
%tude%sur%le%Parmnide%de%Platon,"Paris,"Rieder,"1926.""
2
%Le%Malheur%de%la%conscience%dans%la%philosophie%de%Hegel%,"Paris,"Rieder,"1929.""
3
"Cf."G."Deleuze,"Diffrence%et%rptition,"Paris,"PUF,"1968,"note"p."81.""
4
"B."Baugh,"French%Hegel,"op.%cit.,"chap."3.""
5."" " Il"participe"occasionnellement""dautres"publications"plus"confidentielles."
Ainsi,"il"donne"en"1926"une"note"et"une"traduction"de"quelques"pages"de"Hegel"
sur""la"conscience"malheureuse"""lphmre"revue"LEsprit,"dans"laquelle"
crivent"Politzer,"Friedmann"et"Morhange"(LEsprit,"1926,"p."195?218).""
6."" " Cf."M."de"Gandillac,""Jean"Wahl","Annuaire%de%lAssociation%des%Anciens%lves%
de%lcole%Normale%Suprieure,"Paris,"1975,"p."38?45,"p."38.""
7%
%Vers%le%concret,"p."25"[rfrences"de"ldition"originale"de"1932].""
8""
."Boutroux,"Science%et%Religion,"Paris,"Flammarion,"1908.""
9""
."Boutroux,"William%James,"Paris,"Armand"Colin,"1911.""
"

rapport" critique" avec" lidalisme" de" Lon" Brunschvicg," dont" Wahl" fut" le" neveu" par"
alliance,"et"chez"qui"le"concret"nous"serait"donn"non"par"quelque"mixte"de"raison"et"
de"sentiment"mais"par"la"science"dans"son"ensemble" 1."Il"est"enfin"certain"que"Wahl"
possde,"au?del"mme"de"ce"qui"sexprime"dans"sa"thse,"une"trs"rare"matrise"des"
dveloppements" les" plus" contemporains" de" la" philosophie" amricaine," quil" voque"
avec" un" enthousiasme" communicatif" 2," qui" lui" permet" de" rencontrer" ses"
contemporains" arm" de" questions" nouvelles," et" ainsi" de" dplacer" leurs" catgories."
Contrairement""Renouvier,"contrairement""Boutroux"et"dans"une"certaine"mesure"
Bergson," qui" rencontrent" lempirisme" de" James" alors" que" lessentiel" de" leur"
philosophie"est"dj"constitue,"Wahl"dcouvre"cette"voix"philosophique"ds"le"dbut"
de" son" itinraire." Il" la" lit" " rebours" des" opinions" reues," refusant" explicitement" de"
limiter"lapport"de"ce"courant""la"question"du""pragmatisme","envers"lequel"il"sera"
durablement" mfiant," pour" sintresser" aux" diverses" formes" dempirisme" et" de"
ralisme,"mais"aussi"aux"difficults"quelles"posent."Cest"prcisment"cet""cart""qui"
fait" quau" lieu" dajouter" une" nouvelle" voix" au" dbat" encore" vif," mais" parfois" confus,"
sur" le" pragmatisme" qui" a" oppos" Putnam," Rorty," et" dautres," la" lecture" de" Wahl"
entrerait"aujourdhui"dans"un"rapport""la"fois"critique"et"fcond"avec"les"problmes"
poss" par" le" " ralisme" direct" ," et" toutes" les" relectures" trs" contemporaines" des"
Essais%dempirisme%radical%de"James"3.""
%Concret%,%particulier,%exprience%"
Interrog" " la" fin" des" annes" 1950" par" les" diteurs" dun" recueil" d" auto?
biographies" des" philosophes" actuels" " 4," Wahl," " la" diffrence" de" bien" des" contri?
buteurs,"rpondit"par"un""itinraire"ontologique""qui"tait"sa"vritable"biographie"
philosophique," et" qui" ne" contenait" pas" mme" une" date" :" les" repres" en" taient"
quelques"positions"reprsentatives"(Brunschvicg,"Valry,"Whitehead,"Claudel,"Hegel),"
quelques" concepts" (les" choses," le" monde," la" dialectique," lexistence" et" la"
transcendance," la" non?philosophie)," des" incises" potiques." Le" sujet" du" portrait"
rsidait" moins" dans" les" personnes" cites" que" dans" les" tensions" entre" ces" diffrents"
points"dinflexion"de"la"pense,"en"particulier"entre"deux"versants"de"la"philosophie"
qui" se" dveloppent" au" moment" o" Wahl" publie" Vers% le% concret" :" " Tandis" que"
sexplicitait," chez" Brunschvicg," en" mme" temps" que" chez" Valry," une" vision" des"
choses"qui"rduisait"tout"en"relations,"une"autre"vision,"dune"faon"plus"obscure,"se"
dveloppait,"chez"Whitehead,"chez"Claudel,"qui"nous"faisait"concevoir"plus""
1.%Le%Progrs%de%la%conscience%dans%la%philosophie%occidentale,"Paris,"Alcan,"1928,""
p."397?398,"p."83?84."Sur"Brunschvicg"et"Bergson,"cf."F."Worms"dans"Les%philosophes%
et%la%science,"P."Wagner"(dir.),"Paris,"Gallimard,"2002,"p."403?446.""
2"G."Marcel,"Gabriel%Marcel%interrog%par%Pierre%Boutang,""Archives"du"XX"e"sicle","
Paris,"Jean?Michel"Place,"1977,"p."73?74.""
3"Sur"lempirisme"radical,"D."Lapoujade,"William%James,%Empirisme%et%pragmatisme,"
Paris,"PUF,"1997.""
4%Les%Philosophes%franais%daujourdhui%par%euxammes,%Autobiographie%de%la%
philosophie%franaise%contemporaine,"G."Deledalle"et"D."Huisman"(dir.),"Paris,"CDU,"
1963.""
"

opaquement,"avec"plus"de"densit,"les"vnements"comme"impliqus"et"imbriqus"les"
uns"dans"les"autres""1.""
Tel"est,"prsent"en"quelques"mots,"lobjet"mme"du"prsent"ouvrage":"en"dessous"
de"la"pense"abstraite"qui"rsout"tout"en"relations"penses,"qui"pose"que,"partout"o"
il"y"a"forme"ou"structure,"elles"ne"peuvent"tre"que"le"rsultat"dune"unit"introduite"
dans" le" multiple" par" lentendement," il" faudrait" retracer" cette" autre" vision," qui" se"
dveloppe" de" faon" plus" " obscure" ," lucider" notre" rapport" direct" au" monde" ainsi"
que"limbrication"relle,"et"non"simplement"pense,"des"vnements"les"uns"dans"les"
autres," dans" un" mouvement" dautant" plus" fuyant" quil" ne" peut" reposer" sur" les"
catgories" classiques" de" la" philosophie." Le" problme" du" " concret" " nest" pas" le"
problme" classique" de" lexprience," ce" qui" napparat" pas" immdiatement," tant" le"
terme"est"habituellement"employ"sans"souci"de"distinction.""
Il" lest" dj" " la" fin" des" annes" 1920," selon" des" usages" qui" ont" domin" pendant"
prs"dun"demi?sicle"et"nous"sont"parfois"encore"proches."La"phnomnologie"opre"
ce" mouvement" dun" " retour" aux" choses" mmes" ." La" psychanalyse" entreprend"
dinterprter" le" psychisme" " partir" de" la" " situation" concrte" " de" lindividu" 2," une"
variante"qui"se"trouve"singulirement"reprsente"par"la""psychologie"dramatique""
que" dveloppent" G." Politzer" et" les" rdacteurs" de" lphmre" Revue% de% psychologie%
concrte." Le" matrialisme" historique" entreprend," lui," de" ressaisir" en" dessous" des"
droits"formels,"les"conditions"concrtes"de"production."Il"nest"pas"jusqu"certaines"
veines" du" thomisme" qui" nen" appellent" " lide" de" concret" 3." Cette" vogue," en" 1932"
comme" aujourdhui," ne" signifie" pas" que" le" problme" philosophique" du" concret" soit"
pos," " proprement" parler" :" parle?t?on" de" l" exprience" ," des" " choses" ," de" la" "
ralit" ," de" l" tre" " ?" Saluant" la" naissance" de" la" Revue% de% psychologie% concrte," en"
1929," Wahl" ne" put" que" stonner" de" ce" que" les" auteurs" sattachent" aussi" peu" "
claircir"ce"que"pouvait"avoir"de""concret""cette"approche,"tant"certains"schmes"de"
lancienne"psychologie"y"demeuraient"intacts" 4."Vers%le%concret"va"prcisment"tenter"
cet"claircissement.""
On" dfinit" en" gnral" cette" notion" " partir" de" son" contraire," labstrait," qui" est"
suppos" bien" connu" :" ne" sexplicite?t?il" pas" pleinement" dans" la" raison" et" dans" la"
science?"Se"tourner"vers"le"concret,"cest"alors"tourner"le"dos""une"certaine"faon"de"
pratiquer" la" philosophie," en" particulier" " lidalisme" qui" domine" luniversit" "
lpoque" de" Wahl." En" un" premier" sens," Vers% le% concret% est" bien" un" ouvrage" qui"
procde"par""ratures"" 5":"Wahl"ne"fait"dailleurs"nul"mystre"de"cette"partie"critique"
de" son" uvre," que" ce" soit" dans" la" prface," ou" dans" les" introductions" aux" parties" de"
louvrage,"avec"une"sympathie"certaine"envers""un"effort"vers"une"conception"tout""

1."J."Wahl,"Itinraire%ontologique,"op.%cit.,"p."52."On"retrouve"le"mme"texte"dans"le"
volume"XIX"de"lEncyclopdie%franaise,"1957.""
2.%Vers%le%concret,"note"2,"p."19.""
3."Sur"ce"dernier"point,"cf."A."Forest,"La%Structure%mtaphysique%du%concret%selon%Saint%
Thomas%dAquin,"Paris,"Vrin,"1931";"La%Ralit%concrte%et%la%dialectique,"Paris,"
Vrin,"1931.""
4."J."Wahl,""Revue"de"psychologie"concrte","Revue"des"revues,"Nouvelle%Revue%
franaise,"mai"1929,"p."743?744.""
5.%Vers%le%concret,"p."24.""

oppose"au"kantisme"et"aux"recherches"sur"la"thorie"de"la"connaissance"" 1."En"cela,"
Wahl" ne" se" dmarque" pas" tout" " fait" de" la" critique" des" hypostases" de" la" pense"
abstraite" que" pourraient" mettre" bien" des" bergsoniens." Ctait" bien," ds" 1912," un"
aspect" de" ce" que" Wahl" appellera" le" concret" quil" dcrivait" en" dfinissant," pour"
lopposer" " la" connaissance" reprsentative" abstraite," lintuition" comme" cette" "
obscure" facult," distincte" de" lintelligence" ordinaire," grce" " laquelle" notre" pense"
reste" vivante" et" capable" dinvention," sensible" " ce" quil" y" a" dans" le" rel" de" rebelle" "
nos"dductions,"de"concret,"doriginal,"de"vivant""2."Il"ny"a"nul"hasard"dans"le"fait"que"
Bergson"soit"un"interlocuteur"et"une"inspiration"pour"les"trois"auteurs"que"rassemble"
cet" ouvrage," par" sa" thorie" des" images" pour" James," par" sa" thorie" de" la" dure" chez"
Whitehead," par" le" thme" de" la" mmoire," entre" autres," chez" Gabriel" Marcel," qui" lui"
ddie"son"Journal%Mtaphysique.""
Il"faut"dabord"dsamorcer"la"faon"errone"quont"les"philosophies"abstraites"de"
poser" le" problme" du" concret," et" cest" ici" que" loriginalit" de" Wahl" apparat"
clairement," " travers" sa" critique" de" la" faon" dont" Hegel," dans" les" sections" sur" la" "
certitude" sensible" " de" la" Phnomnologie% de% lesprit% 3," tablirait" la" non?ralit" du"
concret""partir"de"la"prtendue"incapacit"du"langage""le"dire."Parce"que"lici"et"le"
maintenant,"le"Je,"dsigneraient"des"choses"diffrentes"pour"des"locuteurs"diffrents,"
ils" seraient" privs" de" sens." Wahl" pense" quil" y" a" l," effectivement," une" conclusion"
lourde"denseignements"sur"le"langage,"mais"nullement"sur"la"pauvret"du"concret":"
largument" de" Hegel" dmontrerait" simplement" une" " impuissance" " du" langage," ou"
plus"simplement"de"son"rgime"descriptif,"plutt"que"lirralit"de"ce"qui"est"dsign"
par"lici,"le"maintenant,"le"je."Si,"au"contraire,"on"arrive""faire"droit""ces"particuliers"
que" la" description" objective" nexprime" quimparfaitement," on" aura" bloqu" ds" le"
dpart" lessentiel" de" la" critique" hglienne" et" des" arguments," appels" " un" grand"
succs,"qui"partent"de"lanalyse"du"langage"pour"aboutir"aux"mmes"rsultats."Wahl"
identifie"ici,"au?del"de"Hegel"et"des"arguments"sur"le"langage,"un"motif"essentiel"de"la"
pense"idaliste"qui,"rsolvant"le"rel"en"relations"penses,"aura"toujours"beau"jeu"de"
faire"du""concret""le"concept"le"plus""pauvre","le"reste"diaphane"dune"opration"
dabstraction"qui"naurait"pas"pleinement"abouti."De"ce"point"de"vue,"tout"autant"que"
Hegel,"cest"Lon"Brunschvicg,"dont"la"stature"domine"encore"la"Sorbonne,"qui"est"ici"
vis" 4," et" dnona" peu" aprs" " lattrait" des" jeunes" gens" daujourdhui" pour" ce" quils"
appellent" le" concret," leur" rpulsion" " amants" ivres" de" chair" " " lgard" dun"
idalisme" quils" traitent" volontiers" dexsangue" " 5." Lattaque" avait" port" et," dune"
faon"trs"nette,"Wahl"en"tait"devenu"lun"des""
1.%Vers%le%concret,"p."127.""
2."J."Wahl,"Revue%du%mois,"1912,"p."160.""
3"Hegel,"Phnomnologie%de%lesprit,"trad."fr."J."Hyppolite,"Paris,"Aubier,"t."1,"1941,"
1977,"p."81?85.""
4"Paul"Nizan,"qui"fut"un"critique"violent"de"Wahl,"exprima"les"choses"de"faon"fort"
rductrice"mais"non"errone":""M."Jean"Wahl"se"fait"lintroducteur"officiel"de"
philosophies"destines""chasser"les"philosophies"qui"ont"fait"leur"temps,"et"
notamment"celle"de"M."Brunschvicg,"son"oncle","P."Nizan,""Tendances"actuelles"de"la"
philosophie""(1934),"dans""
R."S."Thornberry,"Les%crits%de%Paul%Nizan,"Paris,"Honor"Champion,"2000,"p."600.""
5."L."Brunschvicg,"Les%ges%de%lintelligence,"Paris,"Alcan,"1934,"p."131?133.""

principaux" reprsentants." Cest" ce" choix" de" dpart," ritr" devant" lessor" du"
positivisme" logique," qui" place" Wahl" " rebours" du" courant" qui" devait" dominer" la"
philosophie"pendant"plus"dun"demi?sicle;"mais"il"se"peut,"symtriquement,"que"les"
difficults"rencontres"par"les"diffrents""tournants""linguistiques"et"langagiers,"par"
le"structuralisme"galement,"soient,"aujourdhui,"ce"qui"rend"si"suggestive"la"lecture"
du"prsent"ouvrage."La"dmarche"se"joue"tout"entire"dans"la"question"de"savoir"sil"
est" possible" de" faire" droit" au" concret" sans" en" faire" le" reste" dune" opration"
dabstraction"ou"le"rsidu"dune"entreprise"de"classification":"mais"nest?on"pas"alors"
revenu""la"question"de"savoir"si"la"philosophie"doit"partir"dun"tout"relationnel""
" dont" le" structuralisme" et" le" fonctionnalisme" nous" donneraient" des" exemples" plus"
rcents""ou"bien"de""particuliers""?""
Il" nen" est" en" fait" rien," et" la" thse" sur" Les% Philosophies% pluralistes% dAngleterre% et%
dAmrique," dont" William" James" est" le" centre" de" gravit," dveloppait" trois" points"
polmiques" qui" ont" tous" leur" importance" ici." Elle" montrait," de" faon" trs" neuve" et"
trop"peu"remarque,"que"dans"le"dbat"entre"monistes"et"pluralistes,"le"problme"de"
lexprience" tait" mal" pos." Wahl" y" faisait" apparatre" le" caractre" dialectique" de"
chaque" position" prise" sparment." On" ne" peut" pas" plus" partir" des" " lments" ,"
comme"le"font"les"pluralistes"et"les"empiristes"nafs,"que"du""tout","comme"le"font"
les"monistes,"car"le"schme"relationnel"sur"lequel"ces"positions"se"fondent"ne"traduit"
quimparfaitement" la" ralit" :" " tout" " et" " lment" " sont" aussi" abstraits" lun" que"
lautre." Il" sagit" l," deuxime" point," dune" intuition" que" lon" retrouve" chez" Bradley,"
souvent"cit"mais"rarement"lu,""qui"Wahl"accorde"une"grande"attention"1."En"de"de"
la" pense" qui" rsout" tout" en" relations" abstraites," il" y" a" lieu" de" redescendre" vers" le"
fond" non" relationnel" de" la" ralit," dune" faon" plus" raffine" que" ne" lont" fait" les"
empiristes" jusqualors" 2." Cest" prcisment," troisime" point," ce" que" fait" Wahl," qui"
propose" de" substituer" " un" couple" creux" lexamen" dun" concept" qui" se" drobe" "
lenqute"philosophique":"le"concret."Lempirisme"nouveau"devra"garder""ce"sens"du"
particulier"concret"qui"caractrise"ordinairement"[la"position"pluraliste]"et"en"fait"la"
valeur" 3" ." En" ce" sens," lapport" de" la" thse" de" Wahl" tait" de" dpasser" lopposition"
abstraite" entre" le" " tout" " du" monisme" et" les" " parties" " du" pluralisme" sans" pour"
autant""runir""ces"directions":""Il"faudrait"sefforcer"de"penser"lide"de"particulier"
sans" penser" " lide" de" parties" et" en" la" rapprochant" de" lide" de" concret" 4" ." Sous" "
lespace" intellectuel" " dans" lequel" on" peut" placer" le" tout" et" les" lments," il" faut"
retrouver" le" " concret" " comme" point" de" fuite" :" " Le" concret" est" le" particulier" vu"
comme"totalit."Le"particulier"tel"que"se"le"reprsentent"les"pluralistes"et"le"gnral"
sont" tous" deux" des" abstractions," reprsentent" tous" deux" les" phnomnes" tals" les"
uns" " ct" des" autres" ou" subsums" les" uns" sous" les" autres" dans" une" sorte" despace"
intellectuel."Le"concret"est"le"particulier"qui"se"referme"sur"lui?mme,"qui"devient"une"
vie"spare"5".""
1." Cest" encore" Wahl" qui" crit" en" 1968" lentre" " Bradley" " dans" lEncyclopaedia%
Universalis.""
2%Vers%le%concret,"p."6.""
3%Les%Philosophies%pluralistes%dAngleterre%et%dAmrique,%p."271"[Nous"soulignons].""
4%Ibid.,"p."258.""
5%Ibid.,"p."259.""
"

Le"livre"de"1932"nest"pas""contenu""dans"la"thse"de"1920,"qui"nesquisse"encore"
le" problme" quen" filigrane," mais" il" en" est" la" reprise" conceptuelle," au" sein" dun"
paysage"philosophique"en"pleine"recomposition,"depuis"une"approche"philosophique"
considrablement" enrichie" par" dix" ans" dintenses" recherches." Le" problme" nest" ici"
pas" celui" du" particulier% en" tant" quoppos" au" gnral," ni" celui" de" lindividu% en" tant"
quoppos" " luniversel% ;" le" concret" soppose" " labstrait," " ce" qui" est" dcoup" par"
lintelligence" dans" un" tout" donn." Lindividu," llment" ne" nous" font" pas" sortir" du"
domaine" de" labstraction," car," en" un" sens," ils" sont" dcoups" au" sein" dune" situation,"
dun" vivant," de" quelque" trame" que" leur" simple" juxtaposition" ne" parviendrait" pas" "
engendrer." Il" est" question" dans" Vers% le% concret" dempirisme," mais" ce" nest" pas" un"
empirisme""atomique","qui"alignerait"les"sensations"comme"les"joueurs"alignent"les"
dominos,"pour"reprendre"le"mot"de"James."Le"concret"peut"bien"tre"gnral,"car"ce"
qui" le" fait" tel," ce" ne" sont" pas" les" lments" singuliers" qui" le" composent," mais" le" lien"
prouv"entre"eux."Il"est"susceptible"danalyse,""condition"de"comprendre"que"cette"
analyse" na" pas" t" prcde" dune" synthse." Sil" y" a" des" synthses," ce" sont" des"
synthses" " trouves" ," si" bien" quau" lieu" de" centrer" lanalyse" philosophique" sur"
lactivit"synthtisante,"il"y"aurait"lieu"de"suivre"le"mot"dordre"de"Novalis,"et"de""dire"
quelque" chose" en" faveur" de" la" passivit" ." Aller" vers" le" concret," cest" alors" tenter"
dlucider"ces"configurations"que"la"pense"rflexive"prsuppose"comme"son"point"de"
dpart"et"son"point"dappui.""
Le"problme"de"la"transcendance"nest"plus"alors"celui"du""parfait""ou"de"lautre"
absolu" de" la" pense," mais" celui" de" la" faon" dont" une" exprience," un" fait," un"
vnement," peut" dboucher" sur," " prhender" " un" autre," et" parfois" peut?tre"
envelopper"en"lui"le"tout"de"la"nature."Sapprocher"du"concret,"cest"bien"essayer"de"
replacer"la"pense"dans"la"nature,"qui"se"dcline"en"des"sens"diffrents"chez"les"trois"
auteurs," mais" il" faut" alors" rendre" compte" dune" tension" :" il" faut" penser" " la" fois" la"
transcendance"de"lobjet"pour"la"pense,"et%limmanence"de"la"pense"aux"choses."La"
question"nest"plus"celle"du"choc,"du""quelque"chose"="x%,"extrieur""la"pense,"et"
qui" la" susciterait" 1," mais" celle" de" larticulation" du" rel." Cest" ce" dplacement" de"
lapproche"qui"explique"le"caractre"souvent"critique"de"ces"mouvements"singuliers"
vers"le"concret":"ils"assortissent"leur"exploration"dune"critique"des"dualismes"et"des"
faux" problmes" de" la" philosophie" de" la" reprsentation." Cest" ce" dplacement"
galement"qui"nous"permet"de"comprendre"pourquoi,"dans"le"titre,""vers""nest"pas"
moins"important"que""le"concret"" 2."Il"ne"sagit"pas"tant"de"fixer"la"signification"dun"
terme,"le"concret,"que"dclairer"une""dialectique","en"un"sens"que"Wahl"distingue"de"
la"dialectique"hglienne":"il"ne"sera"pas"question"ici"dun""mouvement"immanent""
lide" ," mais" dun" mouvement" " doscillation" active" et" tendue" des" ides" ," qui" " ne"
supprime" pas" les" oppositions," mais" les" maintient" devant" soi" " 3." Il" ny" aura" pas"
rconciliation"spculative"mais"maintien"des"tensions"4.""
Le" choix" de" dpart" de" Wahl" entrane" avec" lui" un" impratif" aisment" compr?
hensible":"pour"mettre"en"vidence"ce"mouvement"densemble""luvre"dans""
1.%%Vers%le%concret,"p."4.""
2.%Ibid.,"p."23.""
3.%Ibid.,"p."24.""
4.%Ibid.,"p."23.""
"

chaque" philosophie," il" ne" suffira" pas" disoler," en" chacune" delles," les" passages" dans"
lesquels"lauteur"semble"parler"du"concret,"il"faudra"donner"la"physionomie"gnrale%
de" ces" philosophies" afin" de" montrer" comment," pour" elles," ce" problme" est" chaque"
fois" llment" qui" les" pousse" " dplacer" les" catgories" traditionnelles" de" la"
philosophie." Cest" pour" cette" raison" que" les" trois" parties" de" Vers% le% concret% forment"
chacune" une" introduction" gnrale" aux" auteurs" que" le" livre" voque" :" il" est" toujours"
possible" dentamer" la" lecture" de" la" philosophie" et" de" la" correspondance" de" James" "
partir"de"ce"portrait"pistolaire,"qui"est"en"mme"temps"la"seule"biographie"dtaille"
disponible" en" franais;" ltude" de" Whitehead" couvre" lensemble" des" textes" sur" la" "
philosophie" de" lorganisme" " crits" dans" les" annes" 1920" ;" quant" " la" lecture" de" la"
philosophie" de" Gabriel" Marcel," elle" dpasse" le" cadre" du" Journal% mtaphysique,"
puisquelle"renvoie"galement"au"thtre"et"aux"autres"articles"de"ce"dernier."Ce"nest"
pas" laccumulation" dexemples" qui" va" prouver" la" ralit" du" mouvement," mais"
seulement"lexamen"de"leur"chemin,"toujours"singulier,"vers"le"concret"1.""
Facettes%du%concret%chez%William%James,%Whitehead%et%Gabriel%Marcel%"
"On"pourrait"trs"bien"placer"laccent"sur"des"philosophies"toutes"diffrentes"" 2,"
affirme"Wahl,"avec"un"brin"de"provocation"tranquille."De"fait,"les"candidats"semblent"
se"bousculer,"au"seuil"du"livre":"Alexander,"Heidegger,"Husserl,"Scheler,"Hnigswald,"
Bauch," Bergson," Hartmann," Kierkegaard" Wahl" va" pourtant" se" concentrer" sur" trois"
dentre"eux,"William"James,"Whitehead,"Gabriel"Marcel";"un"Amricain,"un"Anglais,"un"
Franais." Ce" nest" videmment" pas" par" pur" souci" dclectisme" que" ces" trois"
philosophes" se" trouvent" ici" rassembls." Tout" dabord," les" trois" auteurs" ont" en"
commun"de"proposer"une"approche"du"concret"qui"nappartient"pas"directement""un"
grand" mouvement" tabli," phnomnologique," marxiste." Ils" partagent" tous" les" trois,"
comme" Wahl," une" double" affinit" avec" les" philosophes" tudis" par" Wahl" dans" sa"
thse," et" avec" Bergson" ;" une" mme" rsistance," aussi," " lhglianisme." Ils" occupent"
tous" les" trois," comme" Wahl" lui?mme," une" position" qui" est" tendue" entre" la"
philosophie" et" lun" de" ses" dehors" :" la" psychologie" pour" James," les" mathmatiques"
pour" Whitehead," lcriture" dramatique" et" la" musique" pour" Gabriel" Marcel." Enfin," la"
critique" de" lide" de" systme," dj" bauche" dans" les" crits" antrieurs" de" Wahl,"
trouve"un"prolongement"dans"la"forme"mme"des"crits"tudis."En"effet,"James"nest"
pas" saisi" " partir" des" livres," des" confrences," mais" des" lettres" :" cest" sa" philosophie"
qui" est" elle?mme" saisie" dans" les" " gouttes" " du" temps." Marcel," pour" sa" part," ne"
dlivre" pas" un" systme," mais" propose" justement" un" journal," dont" les" diffrentes"
entres," loin" dtre" des" points" darrt," sont" " la" fois" les" tapes" dun" progrs" et" les"
termes"dun"parcours"plus"subtil."Alors"que"le"premier"et"le"dernier"article"clairent"
tout" " la" fois" un" individu" et" une" philosophie" " partir" de" lieux" particuliers," la"
correspondance"et"le"journal,"le"second"article"est"consacr""un""

1.%Vers%le%concret,"p."19.""
2.%Ibid.%"
"

mode" dexposition" beaucoup" plus" classique" de" la" philosophie," et" " un" thme" qui"
semble"contrevenir"au"titre"de"louvrage":"ny"a?t?il"pas"opposition"entre""philosophie"
spculative""et"recherche"du"concret?"Il"a"en"fait"le"mme"objet"que"les"autres"textes,"
mais" il" traite" le" problme" de" Wahl" " rebours" :" il" sagit" en" philosophie" dexpliquer"
labstrait," et" non" le" concret" 1," il" sagit" de" donner" la" gense% des" catgories"
cosmologiques," ce" qui" doit" justement" conduire" " une" refonte" de" la" philosophie"
abstraite.""
Nous" avons" dj" voqu" les" lignes" principales" de" la" nouvelle" interprtation" que"
Wahl" propose" de" James." Les" usages" biographiques" et" historiques" de" la" premire"
partie"de"Vers%le%concret%restent"anecdotiques"par"rapport""sa"finalit"principale,"qui"
est"de"montrer"que"la"correspondance"de"James"est"un"point"de"vue"privilgi"pour"
dployer" sa" philosophie" " se" faisant" " 2." Les" lettres" ne" se" contentent" pas" dclairer"
une"philosophie"parfaitement"constitue"en"dehors"delles,"mais"dun"certain"point"de"
vue" cest" bien" dans% la" correspondance" que" toute" une" partie" de" cette" philosophie" se"
joue"dans"des"changes"singuliers,"dans"ses"divisions,"partage"entre"les"unifications"
possibles" de" lunivers," et" le" pluralisme" des" premiers" et" des" derniers" crits." Larticle"
de" 1922," qui" fournit" la" substance" de" la" premire" partie," dveloppe" diffremment" le"
contenu"de"la"thse"de"1920,"il"en"reprend"les"problmes"sur"un"tout"autre"plan,"dans"
la"dure,"dans"ses"discontinuits":"il"est"le"portrait"dune""tension""philosophique,"en"
laquelle" la" philosophie" nest" nullement" dissociable" de" la" personne," dune" notion"
tout" individuelle," qui" enveloppe" dans" ses" dveloppements," si" irrguliers" quils"
puissent"paratre,"la"srie"des"contradictions"quelle"assemble"et"quelle"dpasse"sans"
cesse"" 3."Do"linsistance"de"Wahl"sur"les"pisodes"de"crise,"de"doute,"de"remise"en"
question,"dans"la"carrire"de"James;"sur"les"moments"o""la"fois"il"aspire"et"renonce""
un" systme" ;" sur" les" moments" o" une" avance" semble" se" produire," dans" la"
conjugaison" du" discontinuisme" de" Renouvier" et" du" continuisme" de" Bergson." Il" est"
surtout"possible,"en"la"saisissant"dans"le"temps,"dobserver"cette""me"divise","dans"
ses" notations" sur" lexprience" religieuse," ses" ttonnements," cette" recherche"
paradoxale"qui"se"lisent"plus"clairement"que"dans"les"livres"eux?mmes":""La"vie"dun"
penseur"comme"James"est"recherche"du"direct"et"de"limmdiat,"en"passant"au"travers"
de" toutes" les" thories" mdiates," intellectuelles," et" en" allant" au?del" " 4." Cest" une"
premire" figure" de" la" dialectique" que" lon" atteint" ici," mais" qui" se" fonde" tout" entire"
sur"l"individu""James"dans""son"impatience,"son"amour"du"nouveau,"et"son"dsir"
du" vrai" " 5." Lindividu," centre" du" pluralisme" dmocratique" de" James" qui" semble"
fournir"un"rempart"contre"la"menace"des""
1.%Vers%le%concret,"p."134.""
2." Wahl" commente" les" Letters% of% William% James," H." James" Jr." (d.)," 2" vol.," Londres,"
1920." On" peut" galement" consulter" William" James," Extraits% de% sa% correspondance,"
dit"par"Fl."Delattre,"Paris,"Payot,"1924."Mais"ldition"de"rfrence"est"maintenant"la"
Correspondence%of%William%James,"Charlottesville,"University"Press"of"Virginia,"1993?
2004," 12" vol." Certaines" notes" suggrent" que" Wahl" avait" " sa" disposition" des" lettres"
indites," notamment" de" la" correspondance" entre" James" et" le" philosophe" polonais"
Lutoslavski."Cf."Vers%le%concret,"note"1,"p."84.""
3.%Vers%le%concret,"p."125.""
4.%Ibid.,"p."124.""
5.%%Ibid.,"p."27?28.""
"

"grandes"organisations","illustre"une"facette""la"fois"mtaphysique"et"politique"du"
concret" 1" ;"la"nature"et"le"paysage,"objets"de"la"magnifique"dernire"section"de"cette"
premire"partie,"et"surtout"lespace"peru,"dans"lequel"les"espaces"qui"sparent"sont"
encore"des"relations"senties,"en"sont"dautres."Si"leur"ombre"plane"sur"lensemble"du"
recueil," ne" serait?ce" que" parce" que" Whitehead" et" Marcel" ont" lu" James," le" second"
chapitre"fournit,"lui,"une"armature"conceptuelle""la"qute"du"concret.""
Dans" le" vaste" parcours" qui" conduit" Wahl" " rapprocher" Whitehead," parfois" des"
phnomnologues,"parfois"de"Heidegger,"mais"aussi"de"Wordsworth"et"Shelley,"on"est"
sans" doute" au" plus" prs" de" sa" vision" propre" :" il" estime" quon" ne" voit" " nulle" part"
sexprimer"avec"plus"nettet"que"dans"luvre"de"Whitehead"une"vision"concrte""de"
la"ralit,"et"que"lauteur"de"Process%and%Reality%est"finalement"le"reprsentant"le"plus"
significatif"d"une"philosophie"empirique"concrte"" 2."La"fonction"de"cette"partie"est"
claire":"il"sagit"de"montrer"que"le"mouvement""vers"le"concret""nest"pas"seulement"
le" fait" du" psychologue" ou" du" philosophe" dramaturge," mais" galement" celui" du"
philosophe"des"sciences"exactes."Le"propos"nest"donc"pas"dopposer,"classiquement,"
le"sentiment"ou"lintuition"et"la"science,"mais"de"montrer,"dune"part,"que"la"science"
ne" se" rsume" pas" aux" abstractions" du" matrialisme" mcaniste," elle" doit" faire" une"
place" au" concret" ;" dautre" part," que" la" science" contemporaine" exige" une" rvolution"
dans" les" concepts" qui" ne" laissera" pas" intacte" lide" de" nature," il" faudra" amender"
profondment"les"catgories"abstraites.""
Lintrt"de"Wahl"se"porte"avant"tout"sur"le"fait"quil"ne"sagit"ici"ni"dune"nature"
construite" ni" dun" sentiment" de" la" nature," mais" dabord" de" la" nature" en" tant" que"
perue,"sans"que"lon"puisse"substituer""cette"premire"approche"les"abstractions"du"
matrialisme"mcaniste"("la"nature"est"ce"que"nous"observons"dans"la"perception"au"
moyen" de" nos" sens" " 3)." Cest" davantage" une" certaine" conception," rductrice," de" la"
science"qui"a"appauvri"lanalyse"de"lexprience"que"la"science"en"gnral"et"a"rduit"
le" concret" au" statut" dentit" fantomatique." Le" concret," cest" ici" lvnement," cest"
lorganisme" (" prsence" de" lensemble" dans" le" concret" " 4)," et" la" philosophie" de" la"
nature"sera"dabord"analyse"de"lexprience,"conserve"dans"toute"son"paisseur,"en""
lments"concrets"."Wahl"revient"sans"cesse,"dans"les"crits"postrieurs""1932,""la"
formule" exprime" dans" La% Science% et% le% Monde% moderne" :" " Le" recours" ultime" doit"
toujours" tre" " lexprience" et" cest" pourquoi" jinsiste" autant" sur" le" tmoignage" des"
potes""5.""
La"question"tant"de"savoir"quel"est"le"statut"dune"philosophie"de"la"nature"quand"
le" " matrialisme" mcaniste" " a" t" dsamorc," il" y" a" videmment" dans" la" critique"
opre" par" Whitehead" une" part" destructrice." Elle" porte" en" particulier" sur" la" "
bifurcation"cartsienne""entre"chose"pensante"et"chose"tendue"qui"coupe"le"monde"
en"objets"sans"sujets"et"en"sujets"sans"objets."Lerreur"du"matrialisme,"qui"sy"ajoute,"
cest"tout"dabord"de"partir"dune""ide"fausse""de"la"substance"et"de"faire"fond"sur"
le"schme"sujet?prdicat"qui"ne"vaut"que"pour"les"abstractions""
1
2
3
4
5
"

%Vers%le%concret,"p."79.""
%Ibid.,"p."215?216.""
%Ibid.,"p."129.""
%Ibid.,"p."133.""
%Ibid.%"

leves" 1."Cest"cette"philosophie,"qui"conduit""poser"illusoirement"des""substances"
solitaires" ," et" qui," quand" on" la" conjoint" " un" atomisme" du" temps" (dclin" en" "
instants")"et"de"lespace"(compris"selon"le"mythe"de""lemplacement"unique"),"rend"
finalement" inintelligible" lide" mme" de" causalit." Cest," dans" le" mme" mouvement,"
cette" philosophie" qui" conduit" " exiler" la" subjectivit" du" monde," au" lieu" de" voir"
comment"elle"en"merge.""
Il"y"a"en"contrepartie"une"part"propositive":"contre"la"thorie"de""lemplacement"
unique","Whitehead"reprend"et"enrichit"la"thorie"jamesienne"de"la""voluminosit"
primitive" " quil" convient" de" retrouver" sous" lespace" abstrait" :" " Le" volume" est"
llment" le" plus" concret" de" lespace" " 2." Lespace," qui" spare" tout" autant" quil" relie,"
est"bien"une"relation,"mais"ce"nest"pas"une"relation"entre"choses":"cest"une"relation"
entre"vnements."Linstant"est"galement"un"concept"fourvoyant":"le"temps"nous"est"
donn"sous"forme"de""gouttes,"de"palpitations"dexpriences""3";"le"temps"nest"donc"
pas"ramen""la"continuit"de"la"dure":"il"est"fait"de"blocs"discontinus"de"continuit."
En" un" sens," il" y" a" bien" ici" un" atomisme," mais" il" ne" dbouche" pas" sur" des" lments"
simples,"des"objets,"mais"encore"sur"des"vnements."Ce"dernier"terme"prend,"on"le"
voit," une" extension" considrable" dans" la" philosophie" de" Whitehead" :" " tre" du" fer,"
cest" un" vnement" ." Mais" les" vnements" ne" sont" pas" des" points" darrt," ils"
souvrent"sur"et"vers"dautres"vnements":""Loblisque"de"la"place"de"la"Concorde"
est" un" vnement," li" " lexistence" de" la" terre," de" Paris" " 4." Il" nest" dtach" que" par"
abstraction"du"fond"de"la"nature":""Lvnement"qui"se"passe"maintenant,"cest"toute"
la"nature"" 5."En"ce"sens,"il"est""prhension"":"il"est"apprhend"par"lui?mme,"et"est"
apprhend" par" les" autres" vnements" 6." Ce" dbordement," cet" empitement" des"
vnements" les" uns" sur" et" dans" les" autres," dtermine" un" sens" nouveau" de"
limmanence" et" de" la" transcendance," par" lequel" " comme" tout" vnement" de"
lunivers,"nous"sommes"pris"et"nous"prenons""7.""
Cest" ce" point" prcis" qui" rapproche," aux" yeux" de" Wahl," Whitehead" dun"
mouvement""vers"le"concret""plus"vaste"en"philosophie,"ce"qui"ne"veut"pas"dire"que"
toutes"les"perplexits"aient"t"dissipes."Les"plus"importantes"portent"sur"le"carac?
tre" fuyant" de" la" distinction" entre" les" objets" " ternels" " que" Whitehead" introduit"
dans" sa" philosophie," et" les" vnements." Au?del" se" profile" la" difficult" quil" y" a" "
sparer" des" vnements" de" " lvnement" total" " quest" le" passage" de" la" nature" :"
allant"vers"le"concret,"se"dirige?t?on"vers"tel"agencement"ou"bien"vers""lvnement"
total""?"Le"second"type"de"perplexits"porte"sur"la"compatibilit"de"lide"de"possible,"
cheval" de" Troie" des" philosophies" de" labstraction," avec" les" principes" de" Whitehead."
Elles"nont"pas"pour"but"damoindrir"la"porte"de"la""philosophie"de"lorganisme"";"
elles"ont,"bien"davantage,"pour"fonction"de"manifester"la"ncessit"dun"ajout,"ou"de"
lexplicitation"dune"dimension"qui"resterait"encore"implicite""
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
"

%Vers%le%concret,"p."136.""
%Ibid.,"p."143.""
%Ibid.,"p."148.""
%Ibid.,"p."151.""
%Ibid.,"p."152.""
%Ibid.,"p."153.""
%Ibid.,"p."127.""

chez"Whitehead":"celle"dune""dialectique"qui"nat"du"rel"et"vient"se"heurter""lui""1."
Il"y"a""une"seule"ralit,"sans"bifurcation","et"pourtant""lesprit"ne"peut"connatre"la"
ralit"quen"lopposant""lui?mme"";"il"y"a"du"concret,"mais"il"ne"peut"prendre"place"
dans"une"philosophie"quau"sein"dun"chemin"vers"le"concret.""
Cette" tension" est" encore" plus" explicite" dans" la" troisime" et" dernire" partie,"
consacre"au"Journal%mtaphysique%de"Gabriel"Marcel."Jean"Wahl"et"lui"se"connaissent"
et"sapprcient"depuis"leur"formation"philosophique";"leurs"destines"respectives"ne"
cesseront"de"se"recroiser"jusqu"leur"disparition,"trs"proche"lune"de"lautre" 2."Il"est"
possible"de"dire"que"Vers%le%concret%marque"leur"point"de"plus"grand"accord"3.""
Le" Journal% mtaphysique% 4" a" une" cible" commune" avec" Wahl" :" il" sagit" pour" lui" de"
concentrer"la"rflexion""sur"les"anomalies"que"tout"rationalisme"escamote"ou"dont"il"
se" dtourne" plus" ou" moins" visiblement" pour" tisser" sa" toile" conceptuelle" " 5." "
Lobjectivit" " ne" suffit" pas" " enserrer" le" domaine" de" " lexistence" ." Le" projet" sera"
donc" de" " rendre" " lexistence" cette" priorit" mtaphysique" dont" lidalisme" a"
prtendu" la" priver" " 6." Cette" ide," qui" parcourt" dun" bout" " lautre" le" Journal,"
sappliquait" en" priorit" " la" critique" du" " Systme" " hglien" 7." Quelles" quaient" pu"
tre"ensuite"les"querelles"sur"la"dfinition"et"la"porte"de""lexistentialisme","il"est"
clair" que" Marcel," dans" le" Journal% mtaphysique," nonce" explicitement" les" grandes"
lignes"dune"pense"de"lexistence":""Lexistence"ne"peut"tre""proprement"parler"ni"
pose,"ni"conue,"ni"mme"peut"tre"connue,"mais"seulement"reconnue""la"faon"dun"
terrain"quon"explore""8."Contre"le"travail"de"la"rflexion,"il"est"des"faits"qui"rsistent":"
lici,"le"maintenant,"la"sensation,"mon"corps"sont"autant"de"formes"de"leccit""sur"
quoi"la"rflexion"ne"peut"mordre""9."La"sensation"nest"pas"coupure,"dchiffrement"de"
messages" que" nous" enverraient" les" choses," mais" " participation" " ;" je" nai" pas" un"
corps," je" suis" mon" corps." Ce" sont" ces" " jugements" dexistence" " qui" rendent" la"
dialectique"possible"et"non"linverse"10.""
La""dialectique""annonce"dans"la"prface"de"Vers%le%concret"ne"passe"plus"entre"
les" facettes" dune" philosophie," comme" chez" James," ni" entre" les" objets" et" les"
vnements," comme" chez" Whitehead," mais" tout" dabord" entre" les" deux" parties" du"
Journal":"la"premire"exacerbant"les"dialectiques,"la"seconde"bauchant"le"terrain"qui"
permettra" de" ne" pas" les" rencontrer" sans" cesse" sur" sa" voie," et" se" concentrant" sur"
certaines""anomalies""sur"lesquelles"la"rflexion"ne"peut"mordre."Dune"partie"""
1.%Vers%le%concret,"p."220.""
2."Sur"Wahl"et"Marcel,"cf."P."Ricur,"E."Levinas"et"X."Tilliette,"Jean%Wahl%et%Gabriel%
Marcel,"avec"une"prsentation"de"Jeanne"Hersch,"Paris,"Beauchesne,"1997."
Ltude"de"Paul"Ricur"est"essentielle.""
3"G."Marcel,"Gabriel%Marcel%interrog%par%Pierre%Boutang,"op.%cit.,"p."74.""
4"G."Marcel,"Journal%mtaphysique,"Paris,"Gallimard,"1927,"rdition"1997.""
5%Ibid.,"p."X.""
6%Ibid.,"p."XI.""
7."Cf."galement"G."Marcel,""Le"malheur"de"la"conscience"dans"la"philosophie"de"
Hegel,"par"Jean"Wahl","Europe,"15"septembre"1929,"p."149?152.""
8."G."Marcel,"Journal%mtaphysique,"p."XI.""
9.%Ibid.,"p."328.""
10.%Ibid.,"p."261.""
"

lautre"du"Journal,"la"transition"est"philosophique,"mais"aussi"biographique":"Gabriel"
Marcel"attribue""lexprience"de"la"guerre,"et"plus"prcisment""son"service"dans"la"
Croix?Rouge,"ce"changement"de"disposition"et"lattention"plus"grande"""mon"corps""
ainsi"quaux"modalits"quil"explore"dans"la"deuxime"partie"du"Journal."La"structure"
de" louvrage," qui" reflte" bien," en" premire" approche," la" distinction" entre" les"
dmarches"abstraites"de"la"raison"et"le"concret,"pose"un"problme"philosophique":"la"
premire" partie" nest?elle" que" le" moyen" darriver" " la" seconde," et" na?t?elle" quun"
intrt"finalement"documentaire"?"Ou"bien"nest?elle"pas"le"risque"qui"plane"toujours"
sur" la" pense" qui" pense" avoir" atteint" " le" concret" absolu" " et" croit" toucher" " une"
thorie" de" lexprience" religieuse" ?" Cest" sans" doute" un" euphmisme" de" dire" que" la"
lecture"de"Wahl"cherche"autant"que"possible""les"saisir"dans"leur"complmentarit,"
et"les"dernires"lignes"de"la"prface"auraient"tt"fait"de"trancher"tout"doute""ce"sujet.""
Si"lapport"propre"de"cette"partie"est"lanalyse"de"la"place"faite"par"Gabriel"Marcel"
en" philosophie" " ce" qui" ntait" jusque?l" considr" que" comme" des" sentiments" "
extrmement" fuyants" " 1," Wahl" est" en" revanche" plus" circonspect" sur" les" "
considrations" mtapsychiques" " de" Gabriel" Marcel," qui" occupent" une" partie"
considrable"du"Journal,"circonspect"galement""lgard"de"ce"quil"considre"comme"
un" troisime" niveau" du" Journal." Aprs" la" transcendance" de" ltre" pour" la"
connaissance" de" la" premire" partie," aprs" limmanence" dcrite" au" dbut" de" la"
deuxime,"Wahl"est"plus"sceptique"au"sujet"de"ce"que"Marcel"crit"sur""lexprience"
mystique" " et" la" croyance." De" ce" point" de" vue," ce" troisime" article" se" distingue"
clairement"des"autres":"Wahl"prend"bien"quelques"distances"par"rapport""James";"il"a"
bien"mis"quelques"critiques""propos"de"la"distinction"whiteheadienne"entre"objets"
et" vnements," mais" il" fait" maintenant" explicitement" part" d" hsitations" " suivre"
jusquau"bout"Gabriel"Marcel""2."Il"y"a,"selon"Wahl,"deux"menaces"qui"psent"sur"cette"
dmarche,"si"Marcel"entend"passer"du"mode"de"description"phnomnologique""une"
ontologie." Il" estime" dabord" que" les" dialectiques" exacerbes" ne" cesseront" pas" :" le"
chemin"vers"le"concret"est"celui"dune"oscillation";"sil"y"a"conciliation,"ce"ne"peut"tre"
que" par" une" " vision" mystique" " 3." Mais," prcisment," le" pari" de" Wahl" est" que" si"
lexprience" dont" Marcel" opre" la" description" dans" la" deuxime" partie" est"
transforme"en"thorie,"nous"serons""entrans"de"nouveau"dans"le"mouvement"de"
la" dialectique" " 4." Lautre" menace," symtrique," nest" plus" celle" du" ngatif," mais" celle"
de"lindistinction":"la"thorie"de"Marcel"sur"la"croyance"conduirait""donner"raison""
toutes"les"formes"que"lexprience"religieuse"peut"prendre."Le"propos"dpasse"le"cas"
de"Marcel":"si"Wahl"prsente"trois"auteurs"qui"sont"anims"de"soucis"parfois"voisins,"
quil" sagisse" du" statut" de" lexprience" religieuse" chez" James," du" problme" de" Dieu"
chez" Whitehead," ou" du" problme" de" la" croyance" chez" Marcel," et" si" la" qute" de" ces"
trois"penseurs"est"un"des"sujets"dintrt"vidents""

1
2
3
4
"

%Vers%le%concret,"p."267.""
%Ibid.,"p."261.""
%Ibid.,"p."26.""
%Ibid.%"

de"Wahl,"il"y"a"lieu"de"tenir"compte"de"son"laconisme,"voire"de"ses"rticences" 1."Ces"
deux" objections," comme" nous" le" verrons" plus" loin," connatront" de" nouveaux"
dveloppements"dans"les"rapports"amicaux"et"critiques"de"Wahl"et"Marcel.""
Quaccomplissent"donc"ces"tudes"dhistoire%de%la%philosophie%contemporaine%?"Le"
propos"nest"pas"dexposer"des"moments"privilgis"de"la"tradition":"James"est"certes"
connu,"mais"souvent"confondu"avec"le"mouvement"pragmatiste""
"auquel"il"a"contribu"mais"auquel"son"uvre"ne"se"rduit"pas""et,"au"sens"propre,"
les"auteurs"tudis"nont"pas"vritablement,"en"1932,"fond"ni"donn"naissance""une"
tradition" en" France." Lhistoire" de" la" philosophie" telle" que" Wahl" la" conoit" consiste"
souvent""faire"parler"une"voix"mineure"contre"une"tradition"tablie,"mais"aussi,"tout"
aussi"souvent,""faire"parler,"au"sein"dune"tradition"tablie,"ce"qui"soppose""elle"2."La"
seconde"orientation,"largement"reprsente"par"la"lecture"du"Parmnide%de"Platon"et"
du"jeune"Hegel,"caractrise"bien"ltude"sur"James":"il"sagit"de"retrouver"lempirisme"
de" James" derrire" tous" les" faux" dbats" sur" le" pragmatisme," et" cette" direction" " elle"
seule"justifierait"de"relire"les"pages"que"Wahl"lui"consacre."Cest"paradoxalement"en"
sappuyant" sur" llment" le" plus" particulier," la" lettre," que" lon" peut" relativiser"
limportance"de"ce"thme"en"gnral"dans"la"philosophie"de"James."Il"faudrait"noter"
sur" ce" point" une" grande" proximit," dans" la" mthode," entre" la" premire" partie" et" le"
Thought%and%Character%of%William%James%de"R."B."Perry,"qui"se"fonda"sur"des"lettres"et"
indits"pour"donner"en"1935"ce"qui"reste"le"meilleur"portrait"de"James" 3."crire"une"
histoire" de" James" contre" sa" rduction" au" pragmatisme," ce" serait" voir" " derrire" ce"
que" son" pragmatisme" peut" avoir" dirritant," ce" quil" y" eut" deffort" pour" voir" le" rel,"
dans"son"flux,"et"sa"varit,"et"dans"cette"unit"empirique"plus"transcendantale"peut?
tre"au"fond"que"lunit"transcendantale,"et"aussi"plus"complexe"" 4."Il"y"a"aussi,"dans"
ces" tudes," et" cela" sapplique" peut?tre" davantage" " Whitehead" et" Marcel," une"
dimension" de" pari," sil" est" vrai" que" " lhistoire" de" la" philosophie" contemporaine"
implique" toujours" une" sorte" de" prophtie" " 5." Dune" part," les" auteurs" voqus"
permettent"de"dchiffrer"la"philosophie"contemporaine,"et"dautre"part"le"mouvement"
vers"le"concret"que"lon"saisit"dans"leurs"uvres"est"une""
1."Cf."la"lettre"de"1933,"cite"par"Maurice"de"Gandillac,"au"sujet"de"la"ncessit"de"
complter"la"vision"dun"Bergson"par"celle"dun"Claudel"(Vers%le%concret,"p."179),"Le%
Sicle%travers,"Paris,"Albin"Michel,"1998,"note"p."158":""Ce"qui"mattire"dans"la"vision"
de"Claudel"est"un"certain"sens"dun"soubassement"solide"et"permanent."Peut?tre"y"a?
t?il"l"quelque"chose"doccidental,"mais"je"ne"vois"pas"pourquoi"cela"serait"chrtien."
()"Jaurais"pu"en"ce"sens"remplacer"Bergson"et"Claudel"par"Shelley"et"Wordsworth"
(si"on"dfinit"ce"dernier"comme"le"fait"un"peu"arbitrairement"Whitehead)"ou"mme"
par"Monet"et"Czanne".""
2.""Il"ne"sagit"plus"du"tout"de"voir"un"philosophe"par"lintermdiaire"de"sa"tradition,"
mais"au"contraire"de"voir"dans"un"philosophe"ce"qui"soppose""sa"tradition","Bulletin%
de%la%Socit%Franaise%de%Philosophie,"Sance"du"25"avril"1936,"p."126.""
3."R."B."Perry,"The%Thought%and%Character%of%William%James,%as%revealed%in%unpublished%
correspondence%and%notes,%together%with%his%published%writings,"2"vol.,"Boston,"Little,"
Brown"and"Company,"1935.""
4."J."Wahl,"dans"Recherches%philosophiques,"1936?1937,"VI,"p."451.""
5." " La" situation" prsente" de" la" philosophie" franaise" ," dans" M." Farber" (dir.),"
LActivit% philosophique% contemporaine% en% France% et% aux% tatsaUnis," t." 2," Paris," PUF,"
1950,"p."34?63,""
p."58.""

caractristique"primordiale"de"la"philosophie"en"train"de"se"faire."Il"est"frappant"que"
la" prface" ait" t" publie" paralllement" dans" le" premier" numro" des" Recherches%
philosophiques% 1," revue" davant?garde" qui" eut," entre" autres" mrites," celui" de" faire"
connatre" au" public" franais" la" phnomnologie" allemande" quand" les" revues" plus"
importantes"restaient"encore"timides""ce"sujet."Larticle?prface"appartenait"alors""
une" srie" darticles" sur" les" " Tendances" actuelles" de" la" mtaphysique" ," qui"
comprenait"en"outre"des"textes"aussi"fondateurs"que""Noumne"et"microphysique""
de" Gaston" Bachelard," et" lune" des" premires" traductions" de" Martin" Heidegger" 2." Il"
sagissait" galement" dclairer" des" philosophies" dont" linterprtation" navait" pas"
encore"t"fige"par"le"jeu"des"commentaires"savants,"ce"qui"tait"prcisment"le"mot"
dordre"des"Recherches%philosophiques%3."Dans"le"cas"de"Whitehead,"lessai"de"Wahl"est"
une" vritable" introduction" :" il" sagit," avec" quelques" sections" du" Cheminement% de% la%
pense% de" Meyerson," de" la" premire" tude" de" la" " philosophie" de" lorganisme" " de"
Whitehead,"qui"nest"plus"rduit"au"rle"de"compagnon"dcriture"de"Russell"pour"les"
Principia% Mathematica% 4." Il" fallut" cependant" attendre" le" milieu" du" sicle" pour" que"
lappartenance" de" Whitehead" au" mouvement" que" Wahl" dcrivait" ft" pleinement"
reconnue." Quant" au" Journal% mtaphysique" de" Gabriel" Marcel," si" son" succs" fut"
instantan,"lessai"de"Wahl"est"le"premier""en"clairer"toute"la"teneur"philosophique"
et" " linscrire" dans" les" principaux" dbats" du" temps." Ces" tudes" nont" pas" seulement"
valeur" descriptive" :" elles" contribuent" " accomplir" ce" mouvement" commun" quelles"
voquent.""
largissement%de%la%philosophie%"
Vers% le% concret% est" certainement" louvrage" dans" lequel" loriginalit" de" Wahl"
apparat"au"grand"jour."En"plus"du"dtail"de"ses"tudes"apparat"un"trait"important"de"
ses" uvres" " venir" :" son" talent" pour" les" fresques" qui" fixent" admirablement" un"
paysage"philosophique""un"moment"donn,"comme"il"le"fait"dans"la"prface,"dans"le"
Tableau%de%la%Philosophie%franaise,"comme"il"le"fera"dans"de"nombreux"autres"textes"
5
."Cette"originalit,"qui"se"joue""la"fois"dans"le"dtail"tnu"et"dans"la"vue""
1."J."Wahl,""Vers"le"concret","Recherches%philosophiques,"1931?1932,"I,"p."1?20.""
2."M."Heidegger,""De"la"nature"de"la"cause""(Vom%Wesen%des%Grundes),"trad."fr."A."
Bessey,"Recherches%philosophiques,"1931?1932,"I,"p."83?124.""
3.%%%%%%Recherches%philosophiques,"1931?1932,"I,"p."VII.""
4."Cf."A."Parmentier,"La%Philosophie%de%Whitehead%et%le%problme%de%Dieu,"Paris,"
Beauchesne,"1968,"p."12."Merleau?Ponty"lui"reprend"de"nombreux"lments,"
citations"et"traductions"dans"ses"cours"sur"la"nature":""Lide"de"nature"chez"
Whitehead","La%Nature,%notes%de%cours%du%Collge%de%France%(1956?1960),"Paris,"
Seuil,"1995,"chap."3,"p."153?165."Bergson,"avant"lui,"renvoie""sur"ces"ides"de"
Whitehead,"et"sur"leur"parent"avec"les"(siennes)"""larticle"de"Vers%le%concret"
dans"La%Pense%et%le%Mouvant,"1934,"Paris,"Alcan,"rd.""Quadrige","Paris,"PUF,"
1998,"note"p."78.""
5."Voir"par"exemple"la"prface"dExistence%humaine%et%transcendance;""Mtaphysique"
et"posie""dans"Posie,%pense,%perception%;""La"situation"prsente"de"la"
philosophie"franaise","dans"M."Farber,"LActivit%philosophique%contemporaine%
en%France%et%aux%tatsaUnis,"op.%cit.,"t."2,"p."34?63.""
"

densemble," se" manifeste" pour" la" premire" fois" dans" Vers% le% concret," qui" juxtapose,"
dans"son"plan"mme,"les"deux"orientations,"qui"se"nourrissent"lune"lautre."Le"rle"de"
ces"fresques"nest"jamais"purement"statique" 1,"et"prendre"acte"des"aperus"de"Wahl"
sans" voir" la" touche" quil" a" lui?mme" tent" dapporter" " ces" paysages" serait" un"
singulier" contresens." Vers% le% concret" dessine" un" chemin" qui" ne" sarrte" pas" " la"
dernire"page"du"livre.""
Se" rajoutant" " cet" effet" de" miroir," il" y" a," au" sein" mme" de" Vers% le% concret," une"
acclration."Les"articles"sur"Whitehead"et"Gabriel"Marcel,"pourtant"tout"justes"parus"
de"faon"spare"dans"des"revues,"sont"assortis"de"nombreuses"notes"insistant"sur"les"
rapports"entre"leurs""tentatives""et"les"philosophies"de"Kierkegaard"et"Heidegger."
Ces"deux"auteurs"occupent"dsormais"une"partie"croissante"de"lattention"de"Wahl"et"
dominent" discrtement" la" prface," certains" dveloppements" des" deux" dernires"
parties"et"surtout"les"notes"rajoutes"en"vue"de"ldition"du"livre."Larticle"de"1931,""
Hegel" et" Kierkegaard" ," marquait" nettement" la" direction" choisie" par" Wahl" dans" son"
interprtation" de" Hegel," en" posant" " la" question" de" savoir" ()" si" par?del" le"
Systme,"nous"ne"pouvons"dcouvrir"entre"ces"penseurs"si"opposs,"des"parents""
2
." Philosophiquement," la" prface" de" Vers% le% concret% occupe" donc" un" moyen" terme"
entre"le"livre"sur"Hegel"et"les"tudes"kierkegaardiennes"des"annes"1930."Heidegger"
a,"lui,"t"lu"ds"la"sortie"de"Sein%und%Zeit,"et"on"le"voit"apparatre,"pour"ainsi"dire,""
travers"les"fentres""ou"les"soupiraux""que"constituent"les"notes"de"la"prface."Mais"
ici"encore,"ce"qui"intresse"Wahl,"cest"la"proximit,"et"la"distance,"entre"les"thses"de"
Heidegger"et"celles"du"penseur"danois" 3.%La"figure"paradoxale"du"concret"serait"cette"
fois"celle"de"lexistant"singulier,"mais"elle"nous"ferait"sortir"du"cadre"de"lempirisme"
largi" que" Wahl" dessine" ici;" elle" nous" montrerait" Wahl" en" chemin" vers" ce" qui" allait"
bientt" devenir," au" prix" parfois" de" contresens" qui" attendaient" les" lecteurs" moins"
scrupuleux"que"lui,"la""philosophie"de"lexistence"" 4."Elle"risquerait"surtout"de"nous"
masquer"le"rle"que"jouent"les"tudes"de"Vers%le%concret%dans"la"pense"ultrieure"de"
Wahl,"et,"au?del,"de"nous"faire"manquer"leur"actualit."Il"est"tentant"de"penser"que"
James" incarne" une" tension" philosophique" dont" Wahl" diagnostique" et" regrette" la"
disparition" dans" la" philosophie" amricaine" du" milieu" de" sicle" :" il" est" une" voix" quil"
faudrait" parvenir" " entendre" si" lon" veut" remonter" " ce" que" cette" philosophie" a" de"
plus"crateur";"nous"dirions"galement"que"Whitehead"reprsente"une"approche"de"la"
nature,"au?del"de"la""bifurcation"cartsienne","qui"chapperait"aux"naturalisations"
les"plus"rductrices"que"Wahl"voit"crotre"aprs"1945";"et"enfin"que"Wahl"en"vient""
sopposer""Gabriel"Marcel"sur"le"thme"de"la"transcendance.""
De" ce" dernier" point" de" vue," il" est" probable" que" la" place" diffrente" que" vient" "
occuper" Gabriel" Marcel" tient" davantage" " la" double" volution" des" deux" hommes"
aprs"Vers%le%concret%qu"une"rinterprtation"que"Wahl"aurait"effectue"du""
1.%Tableau%de%la%Philosophie%franaise,"p."226?227.""
2."J."Wahl,""Hegel"et"Kierkegaard","Revue%philosophique,"1931,"p."321.""
3"J."Wahl,""Heidegger"et"Kierkegaard."Recherche"des"lments"originaux"de"la"philo?
sophie"de"Heidegger","Recherches%philosophiques,"1932?1933,"II,"p."349?370.""
4."Cf."Petite%histoire%de%lexistentialisme,"Paris,"ditions"du"club"Maintenant,"1947;"La%
Pense%de%lexistence,"Paris,"GF?Flammarion,"1951.""
"

Journal%mtaphysique."Dans"Vers%le%concret,"Wahl"avait"laiss"deux"questions"ouvertes"
:" dune" part," la" possibilit" que" la" premire" partie" du" Journal% se" retourne" contre" la"
seconde,""partir"du"moment"o"lon"sapproche"dune""thorie""de"lexprience"et"
de" la" croyance" religieuse" ;" dautre" part," il" apparaissait" clairement," " partir" des"
critiques" de" Wahl," que" le" caractre" indtermin" de" la" transcendance" tait"
irrductible."Il"est"certain"que"le"got"prononc"de"Wahl"pour"le""tournoi"de"lesprit"
entre"des"forces"contraires"" 1" ainsi"que"son"interprtation"de"Kierkegaard"devinrent"
vite"inconfortables"pour"Gabriel"Marcel."Mme"si"celui?ci"reste"un"lecteur"rgulier"des"
uvres" de" Wahl" 2," il" suffit" de" consulter" les" lments" publis" de" sa" correspondance"
pour"observer"son"raidissement,"quil"sagisse"du"premier"point"3"ou"du"second"4."Cest"
lors" dune" des" sances" les" plus" animes" de" la" Socit" Franaise" de" Philosophie," en"
dcembre" 1937," que" le" diffrend" qui" se" profilait" dans" Vers% le% concret% clate," quand"
Wahl" demande" " sil" convient" de" conserver" aux" ides" de" la" subjectivit" et" de" la"
transcendance" leur" aspect" thologique." La" transcendance" nest" pas" forcment" Dieu,"
ni" forcment" le" diable." Elle" peut" tre" simplement" la" nature," qui" nest" pas" moins"
mystrieuse"que"le"Dieu"des"orthodoxies"et"le"Dieu"des"htrodoxies"" 5."Il"y"a"certes"
au"sein"mme"du"concret"des"perces,"de"la"transcendance"dans"limmanence,"et"il"y"
en"a"ds"la"perception,"mais"elles"sont"irrductiblement"ambigus."La"longue"rponse"
de" Gabriel" Marcel" montrait" bien" quil" ne" partageait" aucun" des" points" quavanait"
Wahl" 6."Cest"sans"doute"lunion"de"ces"deux"thmatiques,"la"place"irrductible"de"la"
dialectique" en" philosophie," et" linterrogation" sur" la" transcendance," qui" explique" la"
tension"qui"atteint"son"sommet"dans"un"change"qui"a"pour"scne"les"colonnes"de"la"
NRF% 7."Ce"diffrend"va"tre"trs"vite"relativis"par"dautres"menaces"plus"immdiates"
pesant"sur"Wahl,"qui"se"trouve"alors"suspendu"de"sa"charge"de"professeur"par"les"lois"
antismites"du"gouvernement"de"Vichy,"bientt"emprisonn"par"la"Gestapo,""la"Sant"
et" " Drancy" en" 1941," nchappant" " la" mort" dans" les" camps" de" concentration" que"
grce"au"dvouement"de""
1.%Vers%le%concret,"p."26.""
2."Il"serait"possible"de"dresser"un"portrait"de"Wahl""partir"des"recensions"de"G."
Marcel":""Les"Philosophies"pluralistes","Revue%philosophique,"1921,"p."411"sq.;""
tude"sur"le"Parmnide,"par"Jean"Wahl","Paris,"NRF,"mai"1927;""Le"Malheur"de"la"
conscience"dans"la"philosophie"de"Hegel,"par"Jean"Wahl","Europe,"15"septembre"
1929,"p."149?152;""tudes"kierkegaardiennes,"par"JeanWahl","Le%Jour,"fvrier?mars"
1938;""Dsespoir"et"philosophie":"tudes"kierkegaardiennes,"par"Jean"Wahl","NRF,"
juin"1939,"p."1027?1032";""Le"Tableau"de"la"philosophie"franaise,"par"Jean"Wahl","
Une%semaine%dans%le%monde,"7"septembre"1946.""
3."Cf."Correspondance%Gabriel%Marcel%%Gaston%Fessard%(1934a1971),"Paris,"
Beauchesne,"1985,"p."140.""
4.%Ibid.,"19"juillet"1937";"25"aot"1938":""Je"lis"les"preuves"du"Kierkegaard"de"Wahl,"
remarquable"et"dcevant."Combien"je"me"sens"catholique"en"lisant"cela".""
5.%Existence%humaine%et%transcendance,"p."40.""
6."Voir,"en"contrepoint,"des"lments"intressants"dans"Jean"Wahl,""Cheminements"
et" carrefours" ," par" Rachel" Bespaloff," Revue% philosophique," 1940," 1," p." 86?104," en"
particulier""
p."90?93,"et"la"correspondance"de"Rachel"Bespaloff"adresse""Jean"Wahl"rassemble"
dans"les""
Lettres%de%Jean%Wahl%%Rachel%Bespaloff%(1937a1947),%Sur%le%fond%le%plus%dchiquet%de%
lhistoire,"Paris,"ditions"Claire"Paulhan,"2003.""
7."G."Marcel,""Dsespoir"et"philosophie":"tudes"kierkegaardiennes,"par"Jean"Wahl","
NRF,"Juin"1939,"p."1027?1032."Jean"Wahl,""Lettre","NRF,"Aot"1939,"p."333.""

ses"amis"et"sexilant"en"Amrique""partir"de"1942"pour"toute"la"dure"de"la"guerre."
Le"dialogue"se"poursuit"aprs"la"guerre,"de"faon"plus"apaise."Un"point"dorgue"est"
certainement" la" sance" Marcel" de" la" Socit" Franaise" de" Philosophie" 1," lors" de"
laquelle"les"deux"hommes"entament"un"dialogue"tonnamment"long"pour"ce"genre"de"
confrence" 2." On" peut" se" demander" si" cette" diffrence," entre" deux" " compagnons" "
issus"du"mme""placenta"philosophique"" 3,"peut"se"ramener,"comme"Gabriel"Marcel"
le"fait,""une"diffrence"dattitude"par"rapport""la""conclusion""en"philosophie" 4."Il"
reste"que"toute"lecture"de"ces"changes"qui"ne"prendrait"pas"en"compte"larrire?plan"
que" fournit" Vers% le% concret% sexposerait" " de" srieux" contresens" :" elle" risquerait" de"
rduire" " un" phmre" conflit" de" personnalits" un" diffrend" philosophique" dont"
nous"voyons"sesquisser"les"grandes"lignes"dans"les"dernires"pages"de"louvrage.""
Lusage"de"James"et"de"Whitehead"est"lui"plus"stable,"mme"sil"prend"une"tonalit"
particulire" dans" le" paysage" philosophique" de" laprs?guerre." Wahl," bien" avant" le"
clbre" colloque" de" Royaumont" sur" la" philosophie" analytique" 5," regrette" la" coupure"
toujours" plus" forte" entre" la" pense" continentale" et" les" philosophies" anglosaxonnes,"
en" particulier" les" " coles" qui" dominent" la" pense" amricaine," et" qui," en" un" sens," la"
strilisent"un"peu"aujourdhui""6."Elles"la"strilisent,"du"point"de"vue"de"Wahl,"si"elles"
limitent"lexercice"de"la"philosophie""lanalyse"du"langage"et"si"elles"restreignent"la"
nature" " ce" que" nous" enseigne" une" science" particulire." Wahl," tout" en" restant" un"
lecteur"attentif"de"la"philosophie"amricaine,"garde"toujours"la"nostalgie"dune"coute"
rciproque," de" la" part" des" philosophes" des" deux" continents" 7," et" peut?tre" le" regret"
dun" vanouissement" du" " sens" mtaphysique" possd" " un" si" haut" degr" par" les"
Royce,"les"James,"les"Peirce"et"par"Dewey"dans"certaines"de"ses"uvres""8."Le"courant"
philosophique"incarn"par"James"sest"dplac";"il"est"dsormais"port"par"certaines"
formes"de"lart%amricain":""Si"la"tension"qui"caractrisait"luvre"de"William"James"
nest"plus"prsente"chez"les"philosophes,"si"certains"des"lments"qui"caractrisaient"
pour" lui" lamricanisme" ont" t" aplanis," aplatis," levelled% down," en" revanche" ces"
lments" subsistent" ou" rapparaissent," et" sous" une" forme" aiguise," dans" plusieurs"
aspects"de"lart"amricain""9.""

1."G."Marcel,""Ltre"devant"la"pense"interrogative","Bulletin%de%la%Socit%Franaise%
de%Philosophie,"25"janvier"1958.""
2.%Ibid.,"p."20?23.""
3"G."Marcel,"Gabriel%Marcel%interrog%par%Pierre%Boutang,"op.%cit.,"p."74.""
4.%Ibid.,"p."74":""Il"y"a,"chez"lui,"un"certain"souci"de"ne"pas"aboutir,"de"ne"pas"conclure,"
et,"moi,"jaurai"toujours"le"dsir"de"conclure"tout"en"tant,"naturellement,"souvent"
arrt"par"des"scrupules"comprhensibles".""
5.%La%Philosophie%analytique,"Paris,"ditions"de"Minuit,"1962.""
6.%Le%Choix,%le%Monde,%lExistence,"Grenoble,"Arthaud,"1947.""
7.%Tableau%de%la%philosophie%franaise,"p."208.""
8.%Ibid.,"p."224?225.""
9."Variante"de"la"prface""lHistoire%de%la%philosophie%amricaine,"de"Grard"Deledalle,"
IMEC,"Fonds"Jean"Wahl.""

Le" mouvement" vers" le" concret," pour" tre" suivi" en" dtail," exige" ce" que" Wahl"
appellera" plus" tard" " llargissement" de" la" philosophie" " 1." Vers% le% concret" se"
dmultiplie"en"autant"de"mouvements"vers"la"posie,"lart"pictural,"le"roman."Vers"la"
posie," partie" intgrante" de" son" uvre" 2," mais" quil" traduit," tudie" ou" publie" sans"
relche."Il"est"de"ce"point"de"vue"frappant"quen"1943,"au"moment"le"plus"fort"de"la"
guerre," afin" de" marquer" " limmense" continuit" intercontinentale" ," et" son" atta?
chement" " lAmrique," terre" de" la" libert," Wahl" recoure" aux" potes," quil" traduit" et"
choisit"pour"le"public"franais" 3."Vers"lart"pictural,"dans"un"mouvement"qui"nous"est"
devenu"familier,""la"suite"notamment"des"travaux"de"Merleau?Ponty,"aprs"ceux"de"
Heidegger"sur"lorigine"de"luvre"dart."Il"ne"lest"pas"lorsque"Wahl"le"formule,""en"
juger"par"les"vives"rsistances"quil"rencontre"quand,"lors"dune"sance"de"la"Socit"
Franaise" de" Philosophie," il" avance," quelque" vingt" ans" avant" Lil% et% lEsprit," quau"
lieu"de"se"fixer"sur"les"traits"de"philosophie,"il"y"aurait"lieu"de""voir"ce"que"cest"que"
lintuition" du" monde" chez" un" Van" Gogh" " 4." Vers" le" roman," amricain" 5," mais" aussi"
anglais,"comme"en"tmoignent"les"magnifiques"tudes"de"Wahl"sur"Powys" 6,"et"aussi"
sur"D?H."Lawrence,"chez"lequel"il"retrouve""au?del"de"la"connaissance"intellectuelle"
fonde" essentiellement" sur" la" vue," tourne" vers" le" pass" []" un" autre" mode" de"
connatre"obscur"mais"puissant,"pais,"par"lequel"nous"sommes"relis"aux"choses"et"
aux"autres"" 7."Les"pices"recueillies"dans"Posie,%pense,%perception%contiennent"des"
points" de" dpart" des" plus" intressants" pour" une" premire" lecture" des" nombreux"
autres"textes"consacrs"par"Wahl""cet""largissement".""
Enfin,"lintrt"de"Wahl"pour"Whitehead"ne"sestompe"pas"aprs"Vers%le%concret":"il"
revient"sans"cesse""cet"auteur"dans"ses"cours,"dans"le"Trait%de%mtaphysique% 8."Cest"
cependant"la"premire"confrence"du"Collge"philo"
1.%Dfense%et%largissement%de%la%philosophie,%le%recours%aux%potes%:%Claudel,"Paris,"
CDU,"1958.""
2.""commencer"par"Connatre%sans%connatre,"Paris,"GLM,"1938.""
3.%crivains%et%potes%des%tatsaUnis%dAmrique,"Paris,"Fontaine,"1945"(reprise"de"la"
revue"Fontaine,%Alger,"1943,"n27?28).""
4.%Bulletin%de%la%Socit%Franaise%de%Philosophie,"1936,"p."124."Cf.""La"
correspondance"complte"de"Vincent"Van"Gogh","Revue%de%Mtaphysique%et%de%
Morale,"1963,"I,"p."100;""Rimbaud,"la"sauvagerie"et"le"silence","Revue%de%
Mtaphysique%et%de%Morale,"1957,"III,"p."331.""
5.""La"raison"pour"laquelle"de"nombreux"Europens"se"sont"tourns"vers"les"
romanciers"amricains"est"prcisment"celle"pour"laquelle"ils"ne"se"sont"pas"tourns"
vers"les"philosophes"amricains","Lettre""Marvin"Farber,"Philosophy%and%
Phenomenological%Research,"11,"3,"1951,"p."404.""
6.""Un"dfenseur"de"la"vie"sensuelle":"John"Cowper"Powys","Revue%de%Mtaphysique%
et%de%Morale,"1939,"p."309."Prface""John"Cowper"Powys,"Les%Sables%de%la%mer,"Paris,"
Christian"Bourgois,"rd."1982,"p."I?VI";"Livre"de"Poche"n3328.""
7.%Posie,%pense,%perception,"p."183.""
8." Voir" Entretiens% avec% Whitehead," recension" de" A." N." Whitehead," as" recorded" by"
Lucien" Price," London," Max" Reinhardt," 1934," p." 386," tudes% anglaises," 1957," p." 235?
237."Cest"encore"Jean"Wahl"qui"rdige,"en"1968,"presque"quarante"ans"aprs"Vers%le%
concret,"la"notice"sur"Whitehead"de"lEncyclopaedia%Universalis.""

sophique," que" Wahl" fonde" en" 1946," qui" illustre" le" mieux" la" place" quil" accorde"
toujours" " Whitehead," pris" comme" symbole" de" la" philosophie" contemporaine" et%
comme"reprsentant"dune"philosophie"amricaine"qui"ne"sest"enferme"ni"dans"une"
forme"rductrice"du"naturalisme,"ni"dans"le"positivisme"logique"du"Cercle"de"Vienne"
1
."Whitehead"est"son"fil"conducteur"pour"cette"confrence"inaugurale,"qui"aura"pour"
tche" dtre" " lcoute," comme" le" sera" le" Collge" lui?mme," de" la" " rvolution" des"
concepts""contemporaine" 2."Un"lecteur"attentif"de"cette"confrence"pourra"mesurer"
la" discrtion" de" Wahl" sur" les" bruyantes" philosophies" de" lexistence" alors" en" plein"
essor,"et,"symtriquement,"son"insistance"sur"la"philosophie"de"Whitehead."Il"faudrait"
relire" dans" cette" perspective" les" diffrents" textes" que" Wahl" consacre" " la"
transformation" de" lide" de" nature" dans" et" par" la" physique" contemporaine" 3." Cet"
usage" de" Whitehead," auquel" Wahl," le" premier" en" France," a" t" sensible," a" connu"
rcemment"de"nouvelles"applications"4.""
Fdrateur"entre"ces"courants,"infatigable"dcouvreur"dauteurs"qui"sont"souvent"
des"points"dappui"autant""son"inquitude"qu"sa"curiosit" 5,"acteur"lui?mme"de"ce"
mouvement" " vers" " quil" reconnat" chez" les" autres" penseurs" mais" qui" le" dcrit" si"
bien,"Wahl"a"t,"sa"vie"durant,""lcoute"dune""rvolution"dans"les"concepts""6,"qui"
dictait"un"rapport"de"proximit"mais"aussi"de"dtachement"par"rapport"aux"grandes"
philosophies" :" " Nous" devons" nous" familiariser" avec" elles," les" conserver" dans" nos"
mmoires," et" les" saluer" avant" de" leur" adresser" un" adieu" plein" de" respect" " 7." Les"
tudes"dhistoire"de"la"philosophie"sont"alors"autant"de"repres"sur"le"chemin"dune"
pense"en"progrs,"sur"la"voie"du"philosophe,"The%Philosophers%Way% 8,"comme"le"sont"
les" coups" de" sonde" dans" les" grands" problmes" mtaphysiques" du" Trait% de%
mtaphysique% :" elles" nous" rapprochent" sans" cesse" de" llucidation" des" " centres"
concrets"qui"sont"au"cur"de"la"pense"de"Jean"Wahl.""
Mathias"GIREL"Septembre"2004""

1.""Les"philosophies"dans"le"monde"daujourdhui","Le%Choix,%le%Monde,%lExistence,"
op.%cit.,"p."11?36.""
2.%Ibid.,"p."8.""
3."Cf."par"exemple""Physique"et"philosophie"chez"W."Heisenberg","Revue%de%Mtaa
physique%et%de%Morale,"1961,"III,"p."326";""La"nature"dans"la"physique"
contemporaine","ibid.,"1962,"II,"p."263;""Physique"atomique"et"connaissance"
humaine","ibid.,"1962,"II,"p."251";""Notre"monde"ferm,"cest"un"monde"infini","
dans"Mlanges%Alexandre%Koyr,"Paris,"Hermann,"1964,"2,"p."527?555.""
4."D."Andler,"C."Chevalley"et"B."de"Saint?Sernin"(dir.),"Philosophie%des%sciences,""Folio"
,"Paris,"Gallimard,"2002;"I."Stengers,"Penser%avec%Whitehead,%Paris,"Seuil,"2002.""
5."Cf."A."Dandieu"dans"Anthologie%des%philosophes%franais%contemporains,"Paris,"Le"
Sagittaire,"1931,"p."467.""
6.%Trait%de%mtaphysique,"p."5.""
7.%Ibid.,"p."8.""
8."Jean"Wahl,"The%Philosophers%Way,"New"York,"Oxford"University"Press,"1948.""