French Second Empire
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Henri Bergson
Paris, French Second Empire
Archival Overview
French philosopher of intuition and process who won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature, world-famous for Time and Free Will, Creative Evolution, and his concept of living duration (la duree).
Biographical Record
Henri Bergson (1859–1941) held the chair of philosophy at the College de France, captivating audiences across Europe. In 1889, he introduced 'la duree' (duration)—arguing that real time is not spatialized tick-tock clock time, but a qualitative, continuous stream of living consciousness experienced through intuition.
In 'Creative Evolution' ('L'Evolution creatrice', 1907), Bergson introduced the 'elan vital' (vital impetus), proposing that life evolves through creative, unpredictable leaps rather than mechanistic determinism. In 1940, refusing exemption from anti-Semitic Vichy decrees, he stood in line in the freezing rain to register as a Jew.
Key Life Milestones
Creative Evolution (L'Evolution creatrice)
Published the international bestseller on biological vitalism and duration that captivated European culture.
Nobel Prize in Literature
Awarded the Nobel Prize for his rich and vitalizing philosophical ideas and literary brilliance.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialMormant (Seine-et-Marne), France