Not long ago, construction-site supervisor Antonio Sanna used to spend his weekends playing soccer.
Patrons browse the shelves in a Paris bookstore.
Books on philosophy are enjoying renewed popularity, and dozens of cafes are sponsoring weekly debates. Across town, on the top floor of the French headquarters of Coopers and Lybrand, the international accounting firm, an unusual bird sits in his aerie. There is a growing demand for philosophy, and a rising interest in morality. Moral philosophy is not always the focus at the Cafe des Phares, where the subjects for debate are proposed and chosen by the audience. Encouraged and loosely guided by a chairman perched on a small cafe table, patrons passed a microphone among themselves and let loose - some showing signs of philosophical rigor in their comments, others telling personal stories, or simply showing off.