French scholar gives a presentation on the late Professor Tran Duc Thao

This morning, November 9th, 2010, the Philosophy Department held a presentation on the late Professor Tran Duc Thao with the participation of two French scholars: Jean-Pierre Han and Jean-François Poirier.Speakers: Jean-François Poirier, translator, philosopher, writer, expert on modern German and French philosophy, and Jean-Pierre Han, literary and theater critic, founder and director of the theater journal Frictions, Théâtres-écritures, editor-in-chief of the journal Lettres Françaises. The presentations by the two scholars mainly focused on the research and philosophical theories of Professor Tran Duc Thao. In his presentation, critic Jean-Pierre Han introduced the formation and development of the French literary journal (Les Lettres Francaises) and the planned special issue on the Vietnamese philosopher Tran Duc Thao, which the journal is preparing for publication. He expressed his hope that Vietnamese researchers would collaborate on this special issue. Philosopher Jean-François Poirier presented in detail the philosophical works of Professor Tran Duc Thao. He provided very specific analyses and guidance on Professor Tran Duc Thao's work "Phenomenology and Dialectical Materialism." In addition, he addressed one of the most debated scientific aspects of Professor Tran Duc Thao's work: the theory of the origin of language. Many opinions from lecturers, graduate students, and undergraduates of the Philosophy Department regarding Professor Tran Duc Thao's research and scientific contributions in Vietnam and France were discussed by the two scholars. At the meeting with the two scholars, the Dean of the Philosophy Department also proposed several areas of cooperation in research on Professor Tran Duc Thao, such as: organizing a scientific conference on Professor Tran Duc Thao, translating and republishing his works and books in both France and Vietnam, and compiling his research works. The late Professor Tran Duc Thao was the head of the History Department at the University of Hanoi, now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi). He has had dozens of books published both domestically and internationally. He has translated and edited many classic works of Marxist philosophy. He studied, researched, and lived in both France and Vietnam. Many of his works have been published simultaneously in both countries. In 2000, he was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize by the Vietnamese government.