Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed
In his main work, <i>Matter and Memory</i>, Henri Bergson presents a panpsychist ontology which cuts through the Gordian knot of the mind vs. matter problem. Taking this age-old philosophical topic, Bergson pushes the dualism of mind and matter beyond breaking point. Matter is reconceive...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-9789/3/1/5 |
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| author | Adam Lovasz |
| author_facet | Adam Lovasz |
| author_sort | Adam Lovasz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In his main work, <i>Matter and Memory</i>, Henri Bergson presents a panpsychist ontology which cuts through the Gordian knot of the mind vs. matter problem. Taking this age-old philosophical topic, Bergson pushes the dualism of mind and matter beyond breaking point. Matter is reconceived as the sum of all images. Bergson introduces the dual concepts of cosmic “perception” and cosmic “memory”. Matter itself is reinterpreted as a continuum of all possible intensities of perception and memory. Bergson’s ontology has important epistemological ramifications. There is no sharp dividing line between consciousness and matter. In light of these insights, I propose a reading of Bergson’s relatively lesser-known lecture, “‘Phantasms of the Living’ and Psychical Research”, presented at the Society for Psychical Research in 1913. Here, Bergson elaborates upon the implications of his image-ontology for the possible post mortem fate of consciousness. In my concluding remarks, I suggest that Bergson’s observations may be of help in constructing an anti-reductionist and indeterministic epistemology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:16:51Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-9789 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:16:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
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| spelling | doaj.art-053aa3153db54932b8e0aff771e6c1bb2023-11-17T12:13:30ZengMDPI AGLiterature2410-97892023-01-0131667910.3390/literature3010005Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness UnframedAdam Lovasz0Philosophy Department, Eötvös Lóránd University, Egyetem tér 1-3, 1053 Budapest, HungaryIn his main work, <i>Matter and Memory</i>, Henri Bergson presents a panpsychist ontology which cuts through the Gordian knot of the mind vs. matter problem. Taking this age-old philosophical topic, Bergson pushes the dualism of mind and matter beyond breaking point. Matter is reconceived as the sum of all images. Bergson introduces the dual concepts of cosmic “perception” and cosmic “memory”. Matter itself is reinterpreted as a continuum of all possible intensities of perception and memory. Bergson’s ontology has important epistemological ramifications. There is no sharp dividing line between consciousness and matter. In light of these insights, I propose a reading of Bergson’s relatively lesser-known lecture, “‘Phantasms of the Living’ and Psychical Research”, presented at the Society for Psychical Research in 1913. Here, Bergson elaborates upon the implications of his image-ontology for the possible post mortem fate of consciousness. In my concluding remarks, I suggest that Bergson’s observations may be of help in constructing an anti-reductionist and indeterministic epistemology.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-9789/3/1/5consciousnesscorporealityepistemologyanti-reductionismmaterialismmemory |
| spellingShingle | Adam Lovasz Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed Literature consciousness corporeality epistemology anti-reductionism materialism memory |
| title | Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed |
| title_full | Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed |
| title_fullStr | Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed |
| title_full_unstemmed | Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed |
| title_short | Henri Bergson’s Haunted Epistemology: Consciousness Unframed |
| title_sort | henri bergson s haunted epistemology consciousness unframed |
| topic | consciousness corporeality epistemology anti-reductionism materialism memory |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-9789/3/1/5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT adamlovasz henribergsonshauntedepistemologyconsciousnessunframed |