1930 年代、それまで専門知の探究に力を注いでいた職業科学者たちが、同時代論壇への参入を通じて社会参画の意思を志すようになった。この動きは、高尚な人格と洞察能力を持つ総合的知識人としての科学者像を確立する一方で、結果的に科学振興を目論む統治権力に迎合する側面を持つものでもあった。戸坂潤の批評活動は、こうした科学者と統治権力の協働関係に向けられたものとして理解できる。科学者による公共意識の高まりが、批判精神を欠いたままに帝国日本への国策貢献と接続してしまう事態に対して、戸坂は警鐘を鳴らしていた。このような共犯関係を回避するためには、公共的な有用性とは異なる個別具体的な視点を持つことが重要であり、ゆえに巷間の科学者に「文学」に携わることを積極的に奨励していた。戸坂は「文学」の解釈・吟味を通じて認識論的な思索を深める企てを「文藝学」と呼び、そこに時局の政治力学とは異なる知的対話の契機を探ろうとしていた。
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.