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The Creative Mind: An Introduction to Metaphysics

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As has been noted by others in previous reviews this book is about several issues: one a kind of autobiography of his life's work and as well a lesson in what philosophy is and should be in comparison to science. Bergson points out that science much as other fields such as literature, philosophy, art and so on rely on two ways of approaching reality one is the scientific systematic, mechanical way which is practiced by the majority of researchers and the intuitive way which is used occasionally to make headway. The first of these approaches clarifies succinctly what has been discovered in a systematic way which aims to make the phenomenon explicit as a whole, the second of these, the intuitive approach, is that which is required to make the initial leap, the creative surge needed to make sense of a phenomenon which no longer makes sense when old approaches are applied. As such, both of these approaches need to be practised side by side with scientists and artists both making use of them. Unfortunately the first of these, the standard methodical approach, is prone to be considered the only way of attack on a problem given the intellect which is a system to analyse and make use of the world's phenomena. This ensures a mechanical way of thought comes to the fore. Bergson stresses that this method is well and good where it applies, mostly after a discovery has been made, but in the stages where something is to be understood as a whole rather than as made of parts, intuition comes in providing the guiding light, a sort of vague feeling of rightness or truth which cannot be denied. From this pont it is developed using the first method, but the first method cannot succeed without this creative step.

It needs to be noted that the systematic approach is relatively easy to implement for a mind trained in it, as are most of today's researchers, and unfortunately it is difficult to escape the confining modes of thought which prevail once this method has gained a firm foothold of the mind. The creative approach is vague and fleeting seeming to glide past you as you attempt to grab hold. This is the wrong approach, it needs to be cultivated without a method otherwise it is a sham intuition and just another form of the first method. Strangely enough once such an intuition has overwhelmed the mind it convinces not by argument or proof but by a strong sense of rightness, "this is true and that is all", it cannot be denied. Any attempt to deny this makes no sense as even those who argue against this possibility themselves suffer from these intuitions which they cannot explain either.

Bergson was a man who lived this intuitive mode more than most, especially through his experience of duration. He is qualified more than most in describing this way of "thinking", actually sensing, and he brings it out in this fine book. Although not as illuminating as his "Creative Evolution" it is still a very well written book and he deserves his Nobel prize for literature. Compare this with for example "Process and Reality" by Whitehead which is so full of obscurity it stands as a prime example of how not to write. It is Whitehead's attempt to be clear which is his downfall in fact.

As always Bergson's books are themselves examples of intuitive writing if there is such a thing.

This is the English edition of a book called "La Pensee et le mouvant" in its original French. It is a collection of essays, written across quite a long period. The first two essays, which are called I and II (they are the two parts of the title essay, that is "Le Pensee et le mouvant") are the heart of the book. They amount to an intellectual autobiography by Bergson, and they actually provide important clarifications to some points of his thought, that is, they don't merely recapitulate his earlier writings, but in some cases add important further information (hence this book is essential not just for beginners, but for serious Bergson scholars as well). The title requires a remark. This book (the same translation) has been in and out of print in English several times. It has appeared as "The Creative Mind" and as "Introduction to Metaphysics". This edition appears to combine the two titles. Of course neither of the two English titles is a translation of the French title. Presumably the original translator didn't feel that "Time and Movement" was catchy enough. The original French is literally "Time and the Moving," with "moving" in the sense of "that which is moving" or "the moving thing". Perhaps the original translator felt that since the title couldn't felicitously be rendered directly into English, that he might as well completely re-title it. In any event the title isn't that important. Where the translator really did us a disservice is in leaving out the footnotes. The French text includes a number of quite lengthy footnotes, that provide lots of interesting commentary by Bergson himself. This collection was assembled by Bergson toward the end of his life, and it includes essays, such as "Introduction to Metaphysics" that were written some thirty-five years earlier. The early essays are reprinted as they were first published, but Bergson uses the footnotes to draw attention to where and how his views have changed. Perhaps the lay reader won't miss the footnotes, but the serious scholar should be advised to consult a French copy to look at alongside this.

This book is composed of two introductory essays accompanied by several other essays from various period's in Bergson's life. Thus, there is no flow in the book; one can probably start on any of the essays. However, because the book lacks a direct flow of thought, I found it necessary to often go back and reread sections that are further elaborated on elsewhere. Prior to this book, i was only familiar with Bergson through Deleuze, yet Bergson does not assume that his reader is familiar with concepts such as "duration" that are developed more completely elsewhere and gives adequate explanations in "The Creative Mind." Bergson's main task in this book is to explore "philosophical intution". He admirably points out the necessity for such a way of knowing, namely, its abilty to grasp pure movement, duration. He argues against the idea that philosophy should attempt to be a grand synthesis of positive science and instead argues that philosophy should be complementary to science, such that they have "points in common" at which they can verify one another. In addition to this, there are several other topics discussed, such as the "possible" in relation to the "real". Overall, although i really enjoyed reading this book as it is full of clever insights and is written with an honesty and passion that is rare in philosophy, i find that Bergson ultimately fails to distinguish metaphysics from science in the manner in which he desires. Despite this, as the title suggests, this is a book that encourages us to recognize what is unique and novel in things, including our own thought, as opposed to thinking of ourselves and other thinkers as merely part of a historical norm and things as existing only in relation to some higher essence-- that is, what is unique and novel in things, their essence, comes from within and is immanent to the things themselves and does not come "from above".

This collection of philosophy is a decent (but perhaps somewhat outdated in some mind-matter concepts) introduction to Metaphysics. In general it is a valuable source and interesting read. It shows us the eternal change, or flux, of reality. Constant creativity, or, eternity. If movement isn't everything, it is nothing. This is a book about Duration. He sees time as only that which prevents everything from happening at once. But the broader perspective of this book is noteworthy. Philosophy needs precision and the genuine search for truth which is held by science. Without scientific precision, we preoccupy ourselves with false, unanswerable questions. And he goes over some of these, and by resolving them shows such things as it is absurd to suppose that disorder logically or chronologically precedes order. He sees science and philosophy as capable of being complementary."Science and metaphysics will differ in object and method, but will commune in experience." It seems that the precision is needed to actually arrive at answers to our questions as opposed to giving birth to even more new questions. His works are against the widespread solely dialectic philosophizing which applies its facts to all other areas outside of its investigation. The difference between metaphysics and science will be, namely, that whereas science relies on analysis metaphysics will use Intuition. He holds them as definitely two distinct arts, but both of equal value and both capable of reaching the bottom of reality. He makes a big claim: that he rejects the accepted consensus of the relativity of knowledge and our inability to reach absolutes. Between the two fields of precise knowledge, he places moral, social, and even organic life. This should be a well appreciated book to the philosopher of any level. The philosopher neither obeys nor commands, but seeks to be one with nature.

I haven't read this work in a while, though I read it many times at various points in my adult life. It does, however, stand out for me as the most difficult subject that Philosophy has yet to answer. Or, can it be answered, is probably closer to the point. This is the problem of what we call Intuition. For Bergson, Intuition is a definite, cognative thing. While it might not reflect modern thinking on the mind-brain as a bio-mechanism, this does not mean that it is wrong. In fact, it might well be better to ask is the current view wrong because Bergson doesn't fit within it?

Bergson is set apart from most of his French counterparts like Sartre because his philosphy tends to go after niche subjects, such as Time, Laughter, and Intuition. Issues that rarely get attention by "serious" Philosophy. His works have been discredited by Bertrand Russell only to see a rennaisance of sorts in view of the darkness left by Russell and his logically minded cronies.

This specific book is probably an interesting starting point for Bergson. It allows the reader to ask questions along the way. Since these are lectures, there is a broad latitude given to the subject at hand. Metaphysics is not a subject that anyone has successfully defined, unless its by negation, so I will not endeavor to explain it. But, the clear area that Bergson seems to wish to cover is that Intuition is not some primal instinct nor is it a superstition, but rather a complex function of the mind.

Great stuff from Bergson, as always, but the publisher needs to be reprimanded for their lack of effort. No bibliographic information, no footnotes (present in the French), no notes of translation, and no index. How can such a work be given so little care?