To be Henri Bergson by Stefano Donno

Henri Bergson (1859-1941) was a French philosopher who is known for his contributions to the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. He was born in Paris, France, and received his education at the École Normale Supérieure, where he studied philosophy and mathematics.

One of Bergson's most famous ideas is his concept of élan vital, or "vital impetus," which he introduced in his 1907 work "Creative Evolution." According to Bergson, the élan vital is a force that drives the evolution of living organisms and gives them their unique characteristics. He argued that this force cannot be reduced to simple mechanical causes, and that it is the source of creativity and novelty in the world.

Bergson also made significant contributions to the philosophy of time and consciousness. In his 1889 work "Time and Free Will," he argued that time is not a fixed, measurable quantity, but rather a subjective experience that is closely linked to human consciousness. He also argued that the experience of time is fundamentally different from the experience of space, and that it is impossible to understand time without taking into account the subjective experience of the individual.

In addition to his philosophical work, Bergson was also a highly influential public figure in France. He was elected to the French Academy in 1914, and he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1927 for his contributions to philosophy and literature.

Throughout his career, Bergson's ideas were highly influential in shaping modern thought, and his work continues to be studied and debated by philosophers today