(4 / 5)
Note: The following review was originally done for Reedsy and is being reposted here with the permission of the site.
In his introductory note, French philosopher Laurent Grenier asks readers not to take his views in Life Revisited as authoritative claims but as personal, original reflections. His ensuing essay, divided over eight chapters, strings several basic philosophical ideas and scientific principles into a coherent argument with interesting metaphors and analogies.
The subtitle of the book “A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Purpose of Existence” unfolds in the chapters as a confluence of two main disciplines – science and philosophy. More specifically, Grenier draws on known or widely accepted facts in physics and biology to build an argument that human adaptability is nature’s gift key to direct conscious energy toward the basic purpose of existence, namely the protection and promotion of life.
Grenier’s logical deductions are drawn from parallels and projections arising from key principles in science and reason. At times he includes his own conjectures or personal views in the course of his rationale toward proving a point; and when he does so, he puts it as a statement of notification to the readers. By this, he counters the commonly seen authorial tendency of one-sidedness that borders on dogmatism.
The main topics in individual chapters of the book are interesting and relevant to the essay’s focus – panpsychism, types of determinism and limitations of free will, the bounds of consciousness and confines of human knowledge, and so on. Grenier includes his personal story in a chapter as an example to illustrate a point. Otherwise he keeps the discussion to the topic at hand and doesn’t impose his personal details onto it. Each chapter ends with a simple diagrammatic illustration of the core argument explored therein.
While Life Revisited is broadly apolitical, at a few places Grenier does argue along the lines of certain debated issues like a climate emergency and industrial development feeding into corporate greed. He acknowledges these as his personal views and not authoritative statements. His stance comes from a secular viewpoint without antagonizing faith in divinity.
Grenier’s book comes as an extended essay and it could have been longer with more discussion to explore more grounds. Bearing in mind though that these are reflections, the conciseness doesn’t hurt as such. The points raised are significant and open up a healthy discussion.
The audience for Life Revisited is anyone interested in a good philosophical discussion about the timeless questions: what is reality; and why are we here? More specifically those with some basic knowledge of essential philosophical and scientific concepts are more likely to appreciate the book better.