Comment caractériser le vivant dans le cadre scientifique tel qu'il se pratique et partant, identifier les contraintes et limites épistémiques qui rendent si délicate la théorisation d'un système matériel doté des propriétés que nous qualifions de vitales? Pour y répondre nous nous proposons de mener une enquête au coeur des propositions dedéfinitions de la vie, de leur inscription dans les thématiques qui courent tout au long de l'histoire de la pensée philosophique et scientifique. Elle introduira une analyse détaillée d'approches centrées sur des modèles théoriques du vivant, représentation globale de ces systèmes matériels originaux. / How to characterize the living beings in the scientific framework as it is practiced, and thereby, identify the constraints and epistemic limits which make tricky the theorization of a physical system which has the properties that we call vital? To answer we propose to conduct an investigation at the heart of various proposals of definitions of life, their connections with themes that runs throughout the history of philosophical and scientific thought. It will introduce a detailed analysis of some approaches centered on theoretical models of the living as global representation of these peculiar material systems.

The thesis deals with a relationship between humans and animals. In particular, it focuses on a trend of inclusion and exclusion of animals to/from society. Main research questions are designed to answer a question how the dynamics of this trend looks. A dynamic of moral status of animals, legal status of animals, symbolic status of animals and a status of another living being is examined on the European society from antiquity to the present. This time period is divided into 7 parts. The thesis explores not only the dynamics of the statuses, but also their interaction. The symbolic establishment of human - animal boundaries in the European history is considered as well. The thesis reflects essential turning points and tendencies which had the influence on the trend of inclusion and exclusion of animals to/from society. Reader should get the basic knowledge about the development of human - animal relationship through the history.