Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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English Page · Branch 868 of 3781
YEAR 1797 · Entry 868
French
p. 173531 juillet.
La faculté de penser est de mille espèces comme toutes les facultés. Elle varie en force, en clarté, en consistance, en étendue. L’oiseau pense, mais non pas comme l’homme, ni le poisson comme l’oiseau. Ainsi l’arbre sent, mais non pas comme l’animal, ni le chempignon comme l’arbre. Tout ce qui est individu, c’est à dire existant à part et formant un être distinct ayant la faculté de croître et de se reproduire, a de la sensibilité. Tout ce qui joint à la sensibilité la faculté de se mouvoir ou sur soi ou autour de soi avec choix et par une détermination propre, a quelque manière de pensée. Mais l’homme seul a des pensées dont il peut former un tissu et une longue contexture.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1797
p. 1736July 31.
The faculty of thinking has a thousand kinds, like all faculties. It varies in strength, clarity, consistency, and extent. The bird thinks, but not as man does, nor the fish as the bird. So the tree feels, but not as the animal does, nor the mushroom as the tree. Everything that is an individual, that is, exists apart and forms a distinct being with the faculty of growing and reproducing itself, has sensibility. Everything that joins to sensibility the faculty of moving, either upon itself or about itself, by choice and its own determination, has some manner of thought. But man alone has thoughts of which he can form a fabric and a long interweaving.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1797 · Entry 868
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume I presents the entries on printed pages 32–475. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.