The honour of Georges Canguilhem

The sense of intellectual rigour that attracted so many readers to the work of Georges Canguilhem in the 1960s goes hand in hand with a deep sense of personal honour. He at times hints that there is a direct and necessary connection between the two, and that connection is best illustrated by his comments on the life and work of Jean Cavailles. For Canguilhem, the implacable logic that Cavailles found at work in the history of mathematics provided the inspiration that led him to take up arms in the Resistance. Cavailles exemplifies the extreme point where rigorous philosophy and political action merge in an undertaking against death.