Henri Bergson
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Proper noun A French philosopher known for his influential theories on time, consciousness, and creative evolution. He argued for a distinction between scientific, measurable time and lived, subjective duration (durée), and proposed the concept of élan vital (vital impetus) as a creative force behind biological evolution and human development.
Usage
- Henri Bergson is a central figure in 20th-century philosophy.
- The concept of duration in Henri Bergson's work contrasts with clock time.
- She wrote her thesis on the influence of Henri Bergson on modernist literature.
Advanced Usage
- Bergsonian (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of the philosophy of Henri Bergson.
- The novel has a distinctly Bergsonian treatment of memory and time.
- To discuss his core philosophical concepts:
- Bergson's élan vital was a challenge to mechanistic theories of evolution.
- The philosopher emphasized the importance of intuition over pure intellect.
Variants and Related Words
- Bergsonism (noun): The philosophical system or ideas of Henri Bergson.
- Duration () (noun): A key Bergsonian concept referring to the continuous, qualitative flow of conscious experience.
- Élan vital (noun): A term coined by Bergson for the vital impulse or creative force he believed drives evolution.
Synonyms
- Philosopher
- Thinker
- Metaphysician
Related Phrases
- Creative evolution: The title of one of Bergson's major works (1907) and his theory that evolution is a creative, not purely mechanistic, process.
- Laughter: The subject of another work by Bergson (, 1900), where he analyzes the social function of comedy.
Noun
- French philosopher who proposed elan vital as the cause of evolution and development (1859-1941)