Jean-François Mattéi on the superiority of European culture

In an interview conducted by Elisabeth Lévy, French philosopher Jean-François Mattéi reflects on what makes up European identity. "All civilisation is defined by a vision of the world. The Indians, the Aztecs saw the world, but not in the same way that the Europeans did. European civilisation puts vision in a privileged position; that which the Greeks called 'theoria'. It's with this theoretical vision that Europe was able to extend its hold over the world, and with this vision was born the works that assured its supremacy. ... The European vision has always aimed at an identity, a scientific identity with the idea of 'the real', an ethical and practical identity via 'the good', an aesthetic identity with 'the beautiful'. For me, there isn't only a specificity, but a superiority to European culture. Other cultures have signs, images, words, but Europeans invented the concept."

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