In the 1930s, scientists who had formerly isolated themselves in a community of like-minded specialists, began to express an interest in participating in society once again, and also entered the field of critical journalism. While this established the image of scientists as general intellectuals, there was also the side-effect of being caught up in political games, especially by the ruling powers that sought to promote science for their own benefit. There are thus various opinions regarding the scientistsʼ involvement in the war that have arisen directly from the scientific community. Furthermore, the factors that encouraged the scientistsʼ involvement in national policy were a persistent problem for the scientists themselves in the mid-1930s, particularly with regard to their entry into the area of public opinion.

 It can be said that the critical works of Jun Tosaka, who was an active leftist intellectual, were directed against this cooperative relationship between the scientists and ruling powers. During this time, scientific discourse with specific commercial value attached to it, was required to be open to the public, but this system would eventually contribute to the rise of imperialist Japan.

Tosaka believed it was essential to have individual and specific perspectives that were separate from the public space, in order to bypass such an unsettling cooperative relationship. Thus, the “ literary studies ” that Tosaka envisioned can be summarized as a generic term for a methodology that fosters epistemological thought, and exists separate to the political dynamics that surround the scientistsʼ discourse and activities.

 With the development and spread of science in France during the 1850s, the public was looking for publications that would explain the latest scientific innovations at that time in an easy-to-understand and enjoyable manner. Louis Figuier (1819–1894), a French science writer, rose to prominence with his numerous books published from the 1850s in France. Prior to achieving success and fame, he had been interested in photography since the late 1840s. The invention of photography was officially announced in France in 1839. In 1848, Figuier published an article titled “La Photographie” in the Revue des deux mondes magazine. With a focus on this article, our research analyzes the background of his interest in photography as well as the characteristics and significance of the early history of photography that he presented in his article.

 At the time Figuier wrote this article, there was considerable interest in photography as a new technology in France. He emphasized the achievements of two Frenchmen who contributed to the development and invention of photography, and he edited a history of photography that would be welcomed by French readers. He also demonstrated that photography was still in its infancy and expressed optimism for future technological improvements. Consequently, photography became a recurring theme in Figuierʼs works and the basis for his subsequent success as a science writer.