Michel Onfray's "La Contre-Histoire de la Philosophie," Volume 16, titled Freud (2), is a critical exploration of Sigmund Freud’s legacy, concluding a two-part investigation that began in Volume 15. This audio collection, published by Frémeaux & Associés, consists of 13 CDs of live lectures delivered by Onfray at the Université Populaire de Caen. The Core Objective: Dismantling the "Freudian Myth"
In this 16th installment, Onfray continues his "counter-history" approach by challenging the traditional, often hagiographic view of Freud taught in academic settings. He focuses on several controversial themes:
Irrationalism & Magic: Onfray argues that Freud’s work contains elements of irrationality, discussing topics like telepathy, spiritualism, numerology, and magical thinking as substitutes for scientific thought.
The Denial of the Body: A recurring critique is Freud’s perceived dismissal of physical biology in favor of "magical causalities" to explain human behavior.
Clinical Examination: The lectures delve into specific clinical examples, questioning the validity of Freud’s "cures" and the underlying logic of psychoanalytic equivalence. Historical Context and Controversy
Volume 16 gained significant notoriety because it serves as the audio foundation for Onfray's polarizing book, Le Crépuscule d'une idole (Twilight of an Idol). Released around 2010–2011, these lectures sparked a massive public debate in France between Onfray and professional psychoanalysts.
While traditional history views Freud as a liberator of the unconscious, Onfray reclassifies him within his "Counter-History" series as a thinker who perhaps obscures more than he reveals through his own "manifest content" of dreams and negation. Product Details for Collectors
For those seeking the "full" audio experience, here are the key specifications: Format: 13-CD Box Set or digital download.
Total Runtime: Over 13 hours of recorded lectures (the digital "Volume 16.1" subset covers approximately 5.5 hours).
Publisher: Available through retailers like FNAC and Amazon.
Volume 16 of Michel Onfray's Contre-histoire de la philosophie , titled "
", is a 13-CD audio box set originally released in 2011 by Frémeaux & Associés. This volume belongs to Cycle 9, "Le Siècle du nihilisme," and continues Onfray's critical examination of Sigmund Freud's life and work. Content Highlights
The audio lectures cover approximately 12 hours and 37 minutes of material, including:
The Left Freudians: Exploration of figures like Otto Gross, Wilhelm Reich, and Erich Fromm. How to Access “Audio 16 Full” The full,
Critical Deconstruction: Analysis of Freud’s "psychopathology," the "Freudian horde," and the perceived decline or "death" of psychoanalysis.
Political Psychoanalysis: Discussion on the "neuroses of the economically weak" and the function of the orgasm in social structures. Where to Buy
You can find the physical CD box set or digital versions at several retailers:
Frémeaux & Associés: The original publisher's catalog for the Counter-History series. FYE: Offers the V16 CD Box Set for approximately $73.09. Barnes & Noble: Provides the Volume 16.1 digital audiobook. Josey Records: Lists the V16 13-CD set for $74.99.
Amazon: Available through Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and Amazon France. Summary Table Information Volume Title Volume 16: Freud (2) Cycle Cycle 9 — Le Siècle du nihilisme Format 13-CD Box Set / Digital Audio Total Duration ~12 hours 37 minutes Release Year Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Michel Onfray - V16: contre Histoire Philosophie (CD)
Contre Histoire De La Philosophie is an album by Michel Onfray, released in 2011. The album is a spoken word 13-CD. Go to product viewer dialog for this item. MICHEL Onfray - V16: contre Histoire Philosophie (CD)
UPC: 3561302531625Label: Fremeaux & Assoc.FrRelease Date: 7.1.11Format: CD
V16: Contre Histoire Philosophie - Michel Onfray - Amazon.com
Michel Onfray - V16: Contre Histoire Philosophie - Amazon.com Music. Michel Onfray. Amazon.com contre-histoire de - Amazon
CONTRE-HISTOIRE DE LA PHILOSOPHIE VOLUME 16 "FREUD " COFFRE CD AUDIO MICHEL ONFRAY: ONFRAY MICHEL: Amazon.fr: CD et Vinyles} V16: CONTRE HISTOIRE PHILOSOPH – ArkivMusic
The full, unedited recordings of La Contre-histoire de la philosophie are available through several channels:
Note: Be wary of "full" uploads on unofficial sites, as they may be incomplete or mislabeled. Always support the philosopher’s work when possible.
| Segment (min) | Main Focus | Key Themes & Arguments | |---------------|------------|------------------------| | 0‑15 | Introduction & Methodology | Onfray restates his “counter‑historical” method: déconstruction of canonical narratives, emphasis on philosophie du quotidien (everyday philosophy), and the rejection of the “great‑man” model. | | 15‑45 | Pre‑Socratic Re‑Reading | Re‑evaluates Thales, Anaximander, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, positioning them as early materialists and proto‑political thinkers rather than abstract metaphysicians. | | 45‑75 | Socratic & Platonic Critique | Argues that Socrates is mythologized as a moralist; Plato’s Forms are presented as a political tool for elite control. Onfray highlights the Eleatic influences and the Socratic paradox of “knowing nothing.” | | 75‑105 | Aristotle & the Birth of Systematic Thought | Aristotle is portrayed as a pragmatic philosopher whose ethics stem from telos (purpose) rooted in social practice, not from transcendent virtues. Onfray disputes the view of Aristotle as the “father of logic.” | | 105‑130 | Hellenistic Schools (Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism) | Stoics are reframed as early political activists resisting imperial domination; Epicureans as radical materialists who demystify pleasure; Skeptics as proto‑post‑structuralists questioning epistemic certainty. | | 130‑155 | Christian Philosophy & Augustine | Augustine’s Confessions are examined as a personal narrative that masks a broader political agenda of the early Church. Onfray links Augustine’s ideas to later scholasticism and the legitimation of religious authority. | | 155‑185 | Medieval Scholasticism & Thomas Aquinas | Aquinas is presented as a synthesizer who reconciles Aristotelian naturalism with Christian doctrine, thereby cementing a dual‑world ontology that persists in Western thought. | | 185‑210 | Renaissance Humanism & Machiavelli | Machiavelli’s Prince is defended as a realist treatise on power, not a cynical manual. Onfray emphasizes the continuity between Machiavellian politics and modern liberal democracy. | | 210‑235 | Early Modern Rationalism & Descartes | Descartes is critiqued for his methodological solipsism and for establishing a Cartesian dualism that underpins the modern subject‑object split. | | 235‑260 | Enlightenment & the Birth of Modernity | Focuses on Voltaire, Rousseau, and Kant, arguing that the Enlightenment’s claim to universal reason is a political project aimed at reshaping social hierarchies. | | 260‑285 | Conclusion & Forward‑Look | Onfray summarises the “counter‑history” as an invitation to re‑appropriate philosophy for contemporary emancipatory politics, stressing the need for a philosophy of the body and ethical hedonism. | France Culture (Radio France): The original broadcasts are
Overall Verdict: 4/5 – A provocative, erudite, and rhetorically gripping lecture, but one that demands a critical listener.
No long article would be complete without noting the critiques. Many academic philosophers dismiss Onfray as a polemicist rather than a scholar. Specific to audio 16:
Onfray responds to these criticisms in later volumes and interviews (some of which are on audio 17). He admits he is not writing academic history; he is writing a manifesto.
Why, nearly two decades after its recording, does this specific audio continue to command attention?
Because Lecture 16 sits at the crossroads of Onfray’s entire philosophical project. It is the moment where the Classical world (Epicurus) crashes into the Renaissance (Bruno) to foreshadow the Enlightenment (Diderot, Sade). Without listening to this full lecture, you miss:
Conclusion: Your Next Step
The search for "michel onfray la contrehistoire de la philosophie audio 16 full" is not merely a quest for a file. It is a quest for a different way of doing philosophy—one that takes sides, that feels historical pain, and that celebrates the flesh as the only site of meaning.
Whether you purchase the official MP3 from the Université Populaire or brave the archival depths of Radio France, set aside 78 minutes. Put on headphones. Let Onfray’s voice guide you through the fires of the Counter-Reformation, the poetry of the atom, and the laughing ghosts of libertines long silenced.
After you finish Lecture 16, you will never hear the name "Plato" the same way again.
Further Resources:
Keywords used organically: michel onfray la contrehistoire de la philosophie audio 16 full, counter-history of philosophy, Epicurean underground, Lucretius audio lecture, full lecture Michel Onfray, French philosophy podcast, hedonist materialism.
Volume 16 of Michel Onfray's Contre-histoire de la philosophie (audio series) is titled
. This volume concludes his critical analysis of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis, following the first part in Volume 15. Content of Volume 16 counter-history of philosophy
In this 13-CD set, Onfray examines Freud's later life and the ideological structures of psychoanalysis, often echoing themes from his controversial book Le Crépuscule d'un idole
(The Twilight of an Idol). Key areas of focus typically include: Amazon.com The "Nietzschean" Freud:
Analyzing how Freud adapted or obscured philosophical predecessors. Psychoanalysis as "Religion":
Critique of the movement's institutional behavior and dogmas. Biographical critique:
Looking at Freud’s relationship with power and political figures during the interwar period. Availability and Format The full set is published by Frémeaux & Associés in collaboration with France Culture. Text Version:
While there isn't a single "paper" transcript of just Volume 16, Onfray's written Contre-histoire series (published by
) covers these topics across its 10+ volumes. The specific Freud critique is most directly found in the standalone book Freud: Le Crépuscule d'un idole
Contre-histoire de la philosophie N° 16: Freud (2) - Amazon
Volume 16 of Michel Onfray’s Contre-histoire de la philosophie
(released as part of the audio collection by Frémeaux & Associés) is the second of two volumes dedicated to a critical deconstruction of Sigmund Freud and psychoanalysis. Overview of Volume 16
This volume continues the "demystification" of Freud that began in Volume 15. Onfray argues that Freud’s work is not a rigorous science but a "secular hagiography" built on personal myths and clinical failures.
Format: A 13-CD box set containing approximately 15 hours of live lectures.
Core Argument: Onfray applies his "counter-history" method—which seeks to rescue forgotten materialist thinkers—to argue that psychoanalysis is an ideological construction rather than a medical discovery. Key Topics: The "manufacture" of clinical success stories.
Freud's relationship with power and his alleged authoritarianism within the psychoanalytic movement. The ideological underpinnings of the "Oedipus complex." Analysis & Reception
The series is widely praised for its orality and accessibility, bringing complex philosophical debates to a general audience through Onfray’s energetic and clear delivery. Contre-Histoire de La Philosophie Vol. 16 - Michel Onfray