Revival: Bergson and His Philosophy (1920)

J. Alexander Gunn

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781351346764
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Philosophy History & Theory

The stir caused in the civilised world by the writings of Bergson, particularly during the past decade, is evidenced by the volume of the stream of exposition and comment which has flowed and is still flowing. If the French were to be tempted to set up, after the German manner, a Bergson-Archiv they would be in no embarrassment for material, as the Appendix to this book – limited though it wisely is – will show. Mr. Gunn, undaunted by all this, makes a further, useful contribution in his unassuming but workmanlike and well-documented account of the ideas of the distinguished French thinker. It is designed to serve as an introduction to Bergson's philosophy for those who are making their first approach to it, and as such it can be commended.

APPENDIX

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Note on Bibliographies.

PART ONE.

Bergson’s own writings chronologically arranged.

PART TWO.

Section 1. Books directly on Bergson:

(a) French.

(b) English and American.

(c) Others.

Section 2. Books indirectly on Bergson:

(a) French.

(b) English and American.

Section 3. Articles: English and American.

(a) Signed, under author.

(b) Unsigned, under date.

Section 4. English Translations of Bergson.

A NOTE ON BIBLIOGRAPHIES

THE books and articles which have appeared, dealing with Bergson’s thought, are truly legion. Three bibliographies have already been compiled, one in each of the countries: England, America and Germany, which are of value and merit attention.

In 1910, Mr. F. L. Pogson, M.A., prefixed to Time and Free Will (the English translation of the Essai sur les données immédiates de la conscience) a comprehensive bibliography, giving a list of Bergson’s own published works, and numerous articles contributed to various periodicals, and in addition, lists of articles in English, American, French, German and other foreign reviews upon Bergson’s philosophy. This bibliography was partly reprinted in France two years later as an appendix to the little work on Bergson by M. Joseph Desaymard, La Pensée de Henri Bergson (Paris, Mercure de France, pp. 82, 1912).

Then in 1913, when Bergson paid his visit to America, Mr. W. Dawson Johnston, the Librarian of the Columbia University, New York, presented him with a copy of a little work of fifty-six pages entitled A Contribution to a Bibliography of Henri Bergson. This exhaustive work was prepared under the direction of Miss Isadore G. Mudge, the Reference Librarian, and includes all books published and all periodical literature of value by or on Bergson, complete up to 1913. “The bibliography includes” (to quote the Preface) “90 books and articles by Professor Bergson (including translations of his works), and 417 books and articles about him. These 417 items represent 11 different languages divided as follows: French, 170; English, 159; German, 40; Italian, 19; Polish, 5; Dutch, 3; Spanish, 3; Roumanian, 2; Swedish, 2; Russian, 2; Hungarian 1.” For this work Professor John Dewey wrote an introduction. It was published by the Columbia University Press in 1913, and is the best evidence of the world-wide popularity of Bergson and the international interest aroused by his writings.

A more recent compilation, however, which contains later books and articles, is a German one, which appeared during the war. It is the work of Walter Meckauer and forms a valuable part of his book Der Intuitionismus und seine Elemente bei Henri Bergson, published in Leipsig in 1917 (Verlag Felix Meiner)

The bibliography which follows gives more up-to-date lists of works than those mentioned, bringing the list of Bergson’s writings up to 1919, and it includes books and articles on Bergson which have appeared in the current year (1920). All the important books in French, English, or German on Bergson are given. As the present work is designed mainly to meet the needs of English readers, lists of foreign articles are not given, but in order to show the wide interest aroused by Bergson’s thought in the English speaking world, and for purposes of reference, a comprehensive list of articles which have appeared in English and American periodicals is appended. Finally a list of the English Translations of Bergson’s works is given in full under their publishers’ names.

PART ONE

ONE BERGSON’S OWN WRITINGS CHRONOLOGICALLY
ARRANGED

1878 SOLUTION OF A MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM.

This, his first published work, appeared when he was nineteen years of age in Annales de Mathématiques. (Brisse et Gerono.) It is of interest, as it shows us an early ability in the study of this science.

1882 LA SPÉCIALITÉ.

Discours au Lycée d’Angers—a publication of sixteen pages; address given at the prize-giving in August of that year. Angers: Imprimerie Lachéze et Dolbeau.

1884 EXTRAITS DE LUCRÈCE avec un commentaire, des notes et une étude sur la poésie, la philosophie, la physique, le texte et la langue de Lucréce.

Published Delagrave, Paris, 1884. By 1914 ten editions had appeared. This work is of interest in showing his ability in classical scholarship. Pp. xlvii+159.

1885 LA POLITESSE.

Another address. This one was given at Cle...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Half Title
• Original Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• I. LIFE OF BERGSON
• II. THE REALITY OF CHANGE
• III. PERCEPTION
• IV. MEMORY
• V. THE RELATION OF SOUL AND BODY
• VI. TIME—TRUE AND FALSE
• VII. FREEDOM OF THE WILL
• VIII. EVOLUTION
• IX. THE GOSPEL OF INTUITION
• X. ETHICAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS
• XI. RELATION TO RELIGION AND THEOLOGY
• XII. REFLECTIONS
• APPENDIX: BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEX