Further thoughts on emulation:
We need to replace competition, which is the desire to get ahead of the other, with emulation, which is the desire to get the best out of ourselves, given that the other shows me that I can really make progress. That’s what champions are for.
Albert Jacquard. Link to this site.
“Emulation implies a “contest” in the double sense of the word: we measure ourselves against others and lend each other a hand. Competition, on the other hand, is based on every man for himself, the opposition of the chosen and the excluded.” “The competitive model leads to rivalry in order to crush the adversary. (…) The model based on emulation aims less at surpassing others than at surpassing oneself. It relies on reciprocal stimulation to increase each individual’s power to act.”
Chantal Jacquet, in debate with sociologist Gérald Bronner. Transcribed in the April 2023 issue 168 of Philosophie Magazine.
Commentary:
Emulation has always been part of education. However, its definition has evolved over the centuries, initially meaning competition, rather with a negative connotation, in particular to induce, or even provoke, the learning of knowledge. Its meaning then evolved to distinguish itself from this, taking on a positive connotation and becoming a means of learning to perfect one’s skills by drawing inspiration from the achievements of others.