Matter and Memory is a book of cognitive philosophy by Henri Bergson which discusses the classic problem of how the human mind and its memories are related to the spirit. Bergson uses the phenomena of memory to construct arguments in favor of the spirit's existence. The various types of memory, and how they are related to the physical world, are discussed. Bergson analyses how memories are formed, what bearing they have on the world, and how they ultimately come to constitute their possessor's innate spirit. This book was originally written by Bergson in response to an essay by Th odule Ribot, who held that all memory could be traced back to the brain's nervous system. Thus, the essence of human memory could be reduced to mere matter, rather than containing a higher, spiritual element. Bergson fervently disagreed with this opinion, and strove to write this thesis as a counter to the notion that the spirit can be reduced to only molecular activity.

French philosopher Henri Bergson produced four major works in his lifetime, the second of which, "Matter and Memory," is a philosophical and complex nineteenth century exploration of human nature and the spirituality of memory. In this work, Bergson investigates the function of the brain, and opposes the idea of memory being of a material nature, lodged within a particular part of the nervous system. He makes a claim early in this essay that Matter and Memory "is frankly dualistic," leading to a careful consideration of the problems in the relation of body and mind. His theories on sense, dualism, pure perception, concept of virtuality and famous image of the memory cone often make Bergson's essay a confusing and challenging existentialist work. However, the years of research and extensive pathological investigations spent in preparation for this and other essays have gained Bergson great distinction as a brilliant, though unjustly neglected, theorist and philosopher.

Matter and Memory is a book of cognitive philosophy by Henri Bergson which discusses the classic problem of how the human mind and its memories are related to the spirit. Bergson uses the phenomena of memory to construct arguments in favor of the spirit's existence. The various types of memory, and how they are related to the physical world, are discussed. Bergson analyses how memories are formed, what bearing they have on the world, and how they ultimately come to constitute their possessor's innate spirit. This book was originally written by Bergson in response to an essay by Th odule Ribot, who held that all memory could be traced back to the brain's nervous system. Thus, the essence of human memory could be reduced to mere matter, rather than containing a higher, spiritual element. Bergson fervently disagreed with this opinion, and strove to write this thesis as a counter to the notion that the spirit can be reduced to only molecular activity.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1908 Edition.

The Henri Bergson "Mind" Reader: Matter & Memory and Time & Free Will; An Essay on the Immediate Data of Consciousness. By Henri Bergson, Nancy Margaret Paul, and W. Scott Palmer

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Reprint of 1911 English Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Matter and Memory is one of the four main works by the French philosopher Henri Bergson (1859-1941). Its subtitle is "Essay on the relation of body and spirit," and the book presents an analysis of the classical philosophical problems concerning this relation. Within that framework the analysis of memory serves the purpose of clarifying the problem. Matter and Memory was written in reaction to the book The Maladies of Memory by Th odule Ribot, that appeared in 1881. Ribot claimed that the findings of brain science proved that memory is lodged within a particular part of the nervous system; localized within the brain and thus being of a material nature. Bergson was opposed to this reduction of spirit to matter. Defending a clear anti-reductionist position, he considered memory to be of a deeply spiritual nature; the brain serving the need of orienting present action by inserting relevant memories.

This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.