Table Of ContentThis is a book about the philosophy of Henri Bergson (1859-
1941) which shows how relevant Bergson is to much contem-
porary philosophy. It does not pretend to be a comprehensive
scholarly account. Rather it deals with selected features of
his thought and reveals how his approach solves certain key
philosophical problems.
The book takes as its point of departure Bergson's insis-
tence on precision in philosophy. It then discusses a variety of
topics including knowledge and representation, laughter, the
nature of time as experienced, how intelligence and language
should be construed as a pragmatic product of evolution, and
the antinomies of reason represented by magic and religion.
This is not just another exposition of Bergson's work. It
helps us to understand why Bergson commanded massive in-
ternational interest in his own day, not only in the academic
world, but much more widely, and it shows why he deserves to
be read now.
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BERGSON
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MODERN EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY
General Editor
Robert B. Pippin, University of Chicago
Advisory Board
Gary Gutting, University of Notre Dame
Rolf-Peter Horstmann, University of Munich
Mark Sacks, University of Essex
This series seeks to publish a range of high-quality books on philoso-
phers, topics and schools of thought prominent in the Kantian and
post-Kantian European tradition. The series is non-sectarian in ap-
proach and methodology, and includes both introductory and more
specialised treatments of these thinkers and topics. Authors are en-
couraged to interpret the boundaries of the modern European tradi-
tion in a broad way and to engage with it in primarily philosophical
rather than historical terms.
Some recent titles
Frederick A. Olafson: What is a Human Being?
Stanley Rosen: The Mask of Enlightenment: Nietzsche's Zarathustra
Robert C. Scharff: Comte After Positivism
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BERGSON
THINKING BACKWARDS
F. C. T. MOORE
University of Hong Kong
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
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Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 IRP
40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA
10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia
© Cambridge University Press 1996
First published 1996
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Moore, F. C. T. (Francis Charles Timothy)
Bergson : thinking backwards / F.C.T. Moore.
p. cm. — (Modern European philosophy)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-521-41340-0. - ISBN 0-521-42402-x (pbk.)
1. Bergson, Henri, 1859-1941. I. Title. II. Series.
B2430.B43M65 1996
i94~dc2O 95-22210
CIP
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 0-521-41340-0 Hardback
ISBN 0-521-42402-X Paperback
Transferred to digital printing 2004
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For
Leila, Mariam and Sarah
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CONTENTS
Abbreviations page ix
Preface xi
Introduction 1
A. Bergson's Philosophical Itinerary 1
B. Motivations 12
1. The Requirement of Precision 14
2. Philosophy and Knowledge: Uses and Misuses
of 'Representation' 18
A. Pure Perception 18
B. Embodied Perception 32
C. Recognition and Memory 34
D. Two Forms of Knowledge 39
E. Holistic Views of Knowledge and Experience 41
F. Intensive Magnitudes 43
3. Durance: Unfolding in Time 54
4. Laughter 66
5. Tension 91
6. Aporetic Philosophy 97
A. Sorites 98
B. The Weakness of the Will 100
C. Buridan'sAss 103
vii
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Viii CONTENTS
7. Branching 105
8. Going Beyond 115
9. Magic and the Primitive:
The Antinomies of Pure Intelligence 123
10. Paradoxical Epilogue:
Reason Ruefully Repressed 140
Works Cited 142
Index of Names 147
Index of Subj ects 149
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