Bergsonism

/ˈbɜːɡsoʊnɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The philosophical system or school of thought developed by Henri Bergson that stresses intuition, creative evolution, and the inadequacy of purely rational or mechanical explanations of reality.

Etymology

From Henri Bergson's name plus the suffix '-ism,' indicating a complete philosophical system or doctrine. It was formally recognized as an intellectual movement in the early 20th century, especially after Bergson won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1927.

Kelly Says

Bergsonism was basically the philosophical rebellion against cold mechanism—Bergson argued that life itself cannot be reduced to mere physics and chemistry because creativity and freedom are built into the universe's very fabric.

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