Born August 20 1940, Épenoy (Doubs). Died May 9 2021.

Education and professional career

• 1961-1966 : Student at the École normale supérieure, Ulm
• 1965 : Agrégation in philosophy
• 1975 : Doctorat d'État in philosophy, Université Paris-I
• 1966-1971 : Assistant then Senior Assistant at the Paris Faculty of Letters and Humanities, then at the University of Paris-I
• 1971-1975 : Research associate then research fellow at CNRS
• 1975-1979 : Senior assistant then lecturer then professor at the University of Paris-I
• 1979-1983 : Professor Extraordinaire, then Ordinaire, in the Philosophy Department of the University of Geneva, in charge of teaching analytic philosophy
• 1983-1992 : Professor at the University of Paris-I and Associate Professor at the University of Geneva
• 1985-1988 : Director of the research unit associated with CNRS, UA 1079 (History and philosophy of science)
• 1992-1995 : Professor at the University of Paris-I
• 1995-2010 : Professor at the Collège de France, Philosophy of language and knowledge

Awards and distinctions

• 2019 : Grand Prix de Philosophie de l'Académie française