What is metaphysics ?

Anatole France was surprised - and upset - by the deep indifference that his dog showed when he took him to admire a flowerbed of  beautiful fragrant flowers... Do we have to show the same compassion (or desolation) for some of our contemporaries who throughout history erased the symbolical dimension... or metaphysical dimension ? On the occasion of the release of the collective book "Qu’est-ce que la métaphysique" (Ed Harmattan), we gathered with Jean Borella : Bruno Bérard, Catherine Conrad and Bruno Guillemin to clarify this question.

There is, in our modern society, a frantic quest towards the freeing of time and space, towards more comfort, towards more "usefulness". But does this "usefulness" obsession hide the "meaning" obsession?  The plethora of concepts which serves and feeds this utilitarian society is necessarily placed under the aegis of Reason (usefulness?) to the detriment of Intelligence (the meaning?)?

However, everybody agrees to say we have to limit something to define it with precision... isn't it the prerogative of intelligence which enables to define and to limit reason ?
To Catherine Conrad "it's supernature which teaches nature to us" and to compare metaphysics to a rose: "to be, to feel, to shine, and don't ask for anything in return..." Many concepts or "thought systems" are limited to what can be said, when metaphysics goes beyond and to fundamental principles, ontological or theological. That research should be the specificity of every Man questioning. Indeed didn't Aristotle asked: "Is it intelligence which feels the intelligible or is it Man ?"

To Jean Borella "intellectual intuition is a promise, an anticipation of the union of Man with God. Every intuition is hope in metaphysics. Philosophy and knowledge are based on a will to accomplish whereas metaphysics, is based on hope... that is why it goes beyond the human dimension. Intelligence is love, contemplation, abandoning oneself - giving oneself - which opens the way to metaphysics... and puts an end to concepts".
Do you want to meet these metaphysicians ?

Answer in this exceptional 45-minutes debate filmed at Jean Borella's place, in Nancy.
We also thank Gabrielle Borella for her warm welcoming.