"Introduction to Metaphysics" (French: "Introduction à la Métaphysique") is a 1903 essay about the concept of

reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...

Henri Bergson Henri-Louis Bergson (; 18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941) was a French philosopherHenri Bergson. 2014. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 13 August 2014, from https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/61856/Henri-Bergson

. For Bergson, reality occurs not in a series of discrete states but as a process similar to that described by

process philosophy Process philosophy, also ontology of becoming, or processism, is an approach to philosophy that identifies processes, changes, or shifting relationships as the only true elements of the ordinary, everyday real world. In opposition to the classic ...

or the Greek philosopher

Heraclitus Heraclitus of Ephesus (; grc-gre, Ἡράκλειτος , "Glory of Hera"; ) was an ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. I ...

. Reality is fluid and cannot be completely understood through reductionistic analysis, which he said "implies that we go around an object", gaining knowledge from various perspectives which are relative. Instead, reality can be grasped absolutely only through intuition, which Bergson expressed as "entering into" the object.

Editions

* Henri Bergson. ''An Introduction to Metaphysics.'' Translated by T. E. Hulme. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1912. * Henri Bergson. ''The introduction to a new philosophy; introduction à la métaphysique.'' Translated by Sidney Littman. Boston: J. .W. Luce, 1912. * Henri Bergson. ''An Introduction to Metaphysics.'' Translated by T. E. Hulme. Introduced by Thomas A. Goudge. New York: Liberal Arts Press, 1949. * Henri Bergson. ''An Introduction to Metaphysics.'' Translated by T. E. Hulme. Introduced by Thomas A. Goudge. Indianapolis and Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company 1999: : The essay is also contained in the following collections: :* ''The Creative Mind: An Introduction to Metaphysics'' 1923. Citadel Press 1992: :* ''The Creative Mind: An Introduction to Metaphysics'' 1923. Dover Publications 2007:

External links

Introduction to Metaphysics
at

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music ...

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Online books by Henri Bergson
at The Online Books Page 1903 essays Metaphysics books Philosophy essays Works by Henri Bergson {{metaphysics-book-stub