In “Matter and Memory” (1896), Bergon analyses the classical philosophical problems connecting matter and memory, arguing that memory is situated within a particular part of the nervous system and is therefore material nature. A fascinating treatise that will appeal to those with an interest in philosophy. This classic work is being republished now in a new edition complete with a chapter From “Bergson And His Philosophy” by J. Alexander Gunn. Henri-Louis Bergson (1859–1941) was a French-Jewish philosopher. He had a significant influence on the tradition of continental philosophy during the first half of the twentieth century until World War II, and is famous for his idea that immediate experience and intuition are more important than abstract rationalism and science for understanding the nature of reality.
In one of his most important philosophical writings, Henri Bergson here discusses how the matter of the brain and the world external to the body create mental impressions and memories. Matter and Memory, first published in 1912, introduced the current selectionist theories of memory, which postulate that there is a part of the brain that generates all possible images to be stored in memory and a part of the brain that chooses which images to store.
Crossing academic disciplines and touching on matters that concern us all--how do we remember, and why?--this essential work will enthrall students of philosophy and psychology and lay readers alike.