Self-knowledge

connaissance de soi

Worked through in 3 videos · 5 passages.

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Summary

Dominique Pagani links self-knowledge to the command "know thyself" inscribed at Delphi. He sees it as the whole programme of philosophy and its main command since its founding1 2. He also approaches it through its reverse side, which he calls self-"unknowing" and connects with the question of evil: the liar is the one who wants to know nothing about himself3. He takes the example of Oedipus, who seeks knowledge of himself outside himself and whose eyes are of no use to him4. In the 2025 sessions, he stresses what turns people away from this knowledge in bourgeois civil society. According to him, money makes it possible to put it off until later1. Together with neopositivism and "sound ghettos", it draws a curtain over what is essential, namely ourselves5. He thus links self-knowledge to an analysis of the repression of the subject.

Summary produced automatically from 5 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.

Cycle 14 · 9 Aug 2025The repression of the subject in bourgeois civil society

21:42"Know thyself," the imperative inscribed at Delphi and the principal imperative of philosophy since its founding.
1:02:40Money, neopositivism, and sonic ghettos draw the curtain over what is essential: ourselves.

Cycle 13 · 25 Jul 2025Naturalist ideology: answers to questions

23:03The Delphic "know thyself" is the whole program of philosophy; money allows it to be postponed.

Cycle 13 · 2 Dec 2024Evil, or the “unknowing” of the self

47:36The liar is one who wants to know nothing of himself; philosophy begins with the Delphic "know thyself."
49:41Oedipus seeks self-knowledge outside himself, and his eyes are of no use to him.