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Persona #136

Henri Bergson

1859–1941
French philosopher, Nobel laureate in Literature 1927, founder of process-vitalism

Durée — time as lived qualitative duration, against the scientific spatialization of time; the élan vital as the creative principle of evolution

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where personas disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid (32 attributes) is shown.

Attribute Henri Bergson
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Relational
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Emergent
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Finite
Matter · Ontological Status Emergent
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Multiple
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Immediate
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Both
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method Mystical
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Emergent
Energy · Conservation Variable
Energy · Dispersibility Reversible
Information · Ontological Status Relational
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each persona's writings reveal about their stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Henri Bergson

Relational — durée is the heart of Bergson's metaphysics. Time is lived qualitative flow, not spatial sequence. Non-deterministic — creative evolution introduces real novelty.

Space

Henri Bergson

Emergent — the spatialization of time and matter is an intellect-driven construction; the deeper reality is qualitative duration.

Matter

Henri Bergson

Emergent — matter is a contraction of duration, a slowing-down of vital élan.

Observer

Henri Bergson

Multiple time-instances through memory's integration of the past into the present. Active in creative evolution. Cosmic-ordering metaphysical agency — the élan vital as cosmic creative principle.

Energy

Henri Bergson

Emergent, variable, reversible — the élan vital is energetic in a non-Newtonian sense.

Information

Henri Bergson

Conserved at both scales. Bergson affirms personal immortality through memory and the soul's creative continuity.

Internal Tensions

Where each persona's working synthesis strains against itself.

Henri Bergson

Bergson's "Duration and Simultaneity" (1922) argued against Einstein's relativity and is now widely regarded as having lost that argument decisively. The setback to Bergson's reputation in the 1920s-30s was substantial; mid-century analytic philosophy treated him as a popular sentimentalist. The Deleuzian revival (Bergsonism, 1966) and subsequent process-philosophy interest have recovered him as a serious figure. The substantive distinction between durée and spatialized time has held up better than the specific arguments against Einstein did.