Barnes & Noble Digital Library

A cornerstone of Bergson’s thought, this early work challenges the ideas of Herbert Spencer and Immanuel Kant. Bergson introduces his concept of Duration, and argues in defense of free will, and therefore against Kant—who said we cannot know whether free will is a reality, for it can only exist outside of time and space. Bergson’s notions of time, as set forth in this book, had a tremendous impact on Marcel Proust’s work.