Creative revolution : Bergson's social thought
I have three main aims in writing this thesis on the social thought of Henri Bergson: to establish what society is in his view, to work out the implications of this for individuality, and to demonstrate the contemporary value of his philosophy as a whole, thus construed. It will be the task of the first two chapters to establish that society is a biological and cultural reality for Bergson. This will involve the demonstration that Bergsonâs understanding of living systems can be applied to groups as well as to single organisms, and that while the biological evolution of society underlies both individual actions and cultural evolution they nevertheless remain irreducible to it. In chapter three, I will consider the implications of his account of society for our understanding of the individual. These implications will be quite serious, as Bergson attributes an irreducible agency to society that immediately demands a re-assessment of the agency of the individual in terms of a participation in wider natural and cultural processes, and specifically a re-assessment of the central Bergsonian notion of individual freedom in the context of this natural and cultural evolution. In the conclusion, I will make a case
Vaughan, Michael
B Philosophy (General) ; HM Sociology
Creative revolution : Bergson's social thought. I have three main aims in writing this thesis on the social thought of Henri Bergson: to establish what society is in his view, to work out the implications of this for individuality, and to demonstrate the contemporary value of his philosophy as a whole, thus construed. It will be the task of the first two chapters to establish that society is a biological and cultural reality for Bergson. This will involve the demonstration that Bergsonâs understanding of living systems can be applied to groups as well as to single organisms, and that while the biological evolution of society underlies both individual actions and cultural evolution they nevertheless remain irreducible to it. In chapter three, I will consider the implications of his account of society for our understanding of the individual. These implications will be quite serious, as Bergson attributes an irreducible agency to society that immediately demands a re-assessment of the agency of the individual in terms of a participation in wider natural and cultural processes, and specifically a re-assessment of the central Bergsonian notion of individual freedom in the context of this natural and cultural evolution. In the conclusion, I will make a case
creative revolution bergson social thought three_main aim write social thought henri_bergson establish society view work implication individuality contemporary value philosophy whole thus construe task first_two establish society biological_cultural reality bergson involve demonstration bergson live system apply group well single organism biological evolution society underlies individual action cultural_evolution nevertheless remain irreducible consider_implication account society individual implication quite serious bergson attribute irreducible agency society immediately demand re_assessment agency individual term participation wider natural cultural process specifically re_assessment central bergsonian notion individual freedom context natural cultural_evolution conclusion make_case