Born February 15 1920. Died January 16 2001.

Education and professional career

• 1937-1938 : Lycée Louis-le-Grand (Paris)
• 1939-1943 : École normale supérieure (Paris)
• 1943 : Agrégation in Philosophy
• 1943-1944 : Teacher at Lycée Victor-Hugo, Besançon
• 1944-1950 : Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (France)
• 1948 : Doctorate with thesis on Being and Work
• 1950-1962 : Professor at the University of Clermont-Ferrand
• 1962-1990 : Professor at the Collège de France, Philosophy of Knowledge Chair