The Philosophy Book

226

INTUITION GOES

IN THE VERY

DIRECTION OF LIFE

HENRI BERGSON (1859–1941)

IN CONTEXT

BRANCH

Epistemology

APPROACH

Vitalism

BEFORE

13th century John Duns

Scotus distinguishes between

intuitive and abstract thought,

and claims that intuitive

thought takes precedence.

1781 Immanuel Kant publishes

Critique of Pure Reason,

claiming that absolute

knowledge is impossible.

AFTER

1890s William James begins

to explore the philosophy

of everyday experience,

popularizing pragmatism.

1927 Alfred North Whitehead

writes Process philosophy,

suggesting that the existence

of the natural world should be

understood in terms of process

and change, not things or

fixed stabilities.

kinds of knowledge.

This is gained by using

our intellect and reason;

we are distanced from

the thing itself.

This is acquired

through an intuitive grasp

of the truth; it is a very direct

form of knowledge.

Absolute knowledge:

knowing objects in

the world as

they actually are.

Relative knowledge:

knowing objects

in the world from a

particular perspective.

Intuition goes

in the very

direction of life.