Bergson - Softcover

Kolakowski, Leszek

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1890318116 ISBN 13: 9781890318116

Publisher: St. Augustines Press, 2001

Synopsis

Kolakowski shows how Henri Bergson sought to reconcile Darwin’s theory with his own beliefs about the nature of the universe. Bergson believed that time could be thought of in two different ways: as an abstract measuring device used for practical purposes, or as durée, the "real" time we actually experience. He also held that all matter is propelled by an internal élan vital, or life-drive, and that the life of the universe is constantly creative and unpredictable. On the basis of these ideas he constructed a system of thought that embraced his views on memory, matter, consciousness, movement, religious morality, and the nature of laughter. His pantheistic and dynamic vision of the universe, which emerged at a time of crisis in Western intellectual life, was symptomatic of the struggle between a rigid scientific determinism and the Christian tradition of a divine creation.

About this title

About the Author:

Leszek Kolakowski (1927-2009) was professor of philosophy at the University of Warsaw until the Polish political crisis of March 1968 when he was formally expelled. He then moved to universities in North America and the United Kingdom. From 1981 to 1994 he was a professor in the Committee on Social Thought and the department of philosophy at the University of Chicago. He is best known for his critical analyses of Marxist thought, especially his three-volume history, Main Currents of Marxism (1976). In his later work, he increasingly focused on philosophical and religious questions. He was the author of numerous books. 

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Augustines Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1890318116
• ISBN 13: 9781890318116
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 125