Jeremy R. Smith

@en-demic.bsky.social

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I know that I will be re-reading, teaching, and translating Laruelle's work. I continue to read him, as if for the first time each time. It is expected that the English translation Theory of Strangers will be published next year, marking the thirtieth anniversary of its original publication, an important work about Laruelle's constant critique of humanity’s judgment. I am hopeful, and remain hopeful, that more readers will come in with the reflections of others who will share similar experiences as I have.

In closing, I would like to return to what we can do now. Laruelle writes in Tétralogos that the eternal question of non-philosophy is “what is to be done,” coupled with the questions “in the face of what and with what material.” I believe that the non-philosophical community should come together, not to fill the yawning gap with a figurehead, further promoting the dominant tendency to split "the thinker" from "the individual." While Laruelle is most notable for saying "Laruelle does not exist," he also maintained that his thought, in contrast to philosophy, identified with humankind, not with the philosophical tradition. Instead, genuine democracy can arise by sharing a goal, inspired by Laruelle’s vision, in defense of generic humanity against the universal harassment of the World. Let us truly do what we say and say what we do by seeking to transform philosophy, to transform the World, into inventive material for the future.

Merci, François, for opening up that pathway. Let your legacy inspire multitudes.

$François Laruelle has passed away. I give my praise and gratitude — my indebtedness — to this man, a human philosopher. One of the joys of having translated, read, spoken with and written on François Laruelle has been to experience firsthand his unyielding generosity and humility. Although I feel fortunate for these fleeting moments, I cannot help but imagine how his loved ones – his partner Anne-Françoise Schmid and daughters Lorraine and Marlène – his former students, his friends, his peers – each-and-every-one [tout-un-chacun] were able to experience this vector directly. We have been left with a lingering seismic aftershock, a vector splintering off into thousands of directions, each indirectly touching on thousands more circles, as if it were the branches of a fractal. Even in passing, Laruelle's generosity has bloomed a positively chaotic unfolding: the outpour of reflections and retrospectives on Laruelle's work and profound influence is inevitable, each with their own contingent moments. My reflections here are not in any way a précis or to write in Laruelle's stead, to emulate him with pronouncements of his lexicon and what he would say (even in mourning, this is considered mockery). Rather, I would like to share my few memories, and humbly offer suggestions with what we can do now: now with his passing, to praise and honor him, to make a legacy not as disciples but as friends ("J'appelle disciple qui me trahit, et ami qui me trahit en me restant fidèle," Le philosophoire, 2015).$