Montesquieu et le climat | ENS-PSL

Catherine Larrère delivers a sophisticated and well-argued lecture that challenges the common perception of Montesquieu as a climatic determinist. She demonstrates a deep familiarity with both Montesquieu’s texts and the historical reception of his ideas. The lecture is structured logically: first, she reviews the historical critiques, showing how they often misrepresented Montesquieu’s position; second, she offers a close reading of the relevant passages in ‘The Spirit of the Laws’; and finally, she discusses the contemporary relevance of his thought. Larrère’s argument is solid: she shows that Montesquieu’s theory of climate was not deterministic but rather considered climate as one of many factors influencing societies, always mediated by human laws and institutions. She also clarifies the historical context, noting that the term ‘climate’ then meant a geographical zone, not the global climate system we think of today. The lecture is rigorous in its use of sources, referencing both primary texts and secondary literature. However, it is an interpretive essay rather than an empirical study, and some claims could benefit from more detailed textual evidence. The discussion of contemporary relevance is thought-provoking but somewhat speculative. Overall, the lecture provides a valuable corrective to simplistic readings of Montesquieu and offers a nuanced perspective that is relevant to current environmental debates.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on Montesquieu's theory of climate and its contemporary relevance.

8/10

The lecture is given by a recognized expert in philosophy and environmental ethics, based on a close reading of Montesquieu's texts and a critical review of historical interpretations. The argumentation is rigorous and well-documented, though it remains an interpretive essay rather than a systematic empirical study.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction: Larrère sets the stage, linking her two specialties: Montesquieu and contemporary ecology.
• 10:00Overview of the negative reputation of Montesquieu's climate theory, citing the famous phrase 'the empire of climate is the first of all empires'.
• 20:00Discussion of early critiques from the Church, accusations of materialism and fatalism.
• 30:00Examination of critiques from materialists like Helvétius and d'Holbach, and from empiricists like Hume.
• 40:00Analysis of the term 'determinism' which did not exist in the 18th century, and how it was later applied to Montesquieu.
• 50:00Discussion of 19th-century critiques, including Vidal de la Blache's opposition to German geography and the charge of determinism.
• 1:00:00Larrère presents her own reading of Montesquieu, showing that he saw climate as a 'natural reason' but not deterministic.
• 1:10:00Clarification that Montesquieu's 'climate' referred to geographical environment, not global climate.
• 1:20:00Conclusion: Larrère argues for the contemporary relevance of Montesquieu's nuanced approach, avoiding reductionism.

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• Perception du climat : Les 'grandes figures' de la météorologie et du climat — Related ENS resource on climate perception.
• École normale supérieure - PSL — Institutional website of the host institution.
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• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Montesquieu — Provides scholarly context on Montesquieu's philosophy, supporting Larrère's nuanced interpretation.
• Climate determinism - Wikipedia — Discusses the concept and its critiques, aligning with Larrère's argument that Montesquieu was not a determinist.

• Critiques of Montesquieu's climate theory — Historical critiques, such as those from the Church and later geographers, which Larrère argues are based on misreadings.