Henri Bergson’s concept of duration (la durée) is central to his philosophy and represents a unique approach to understanding time. Bergson distinguished duration from the objective, measurable concept of time that we’re accustomed to in science and everyday life. Instead of seeing time as a series of divisible, homogeneous moments (like points on a timeline), he proposed duration as a continuous, qualitative flow, which is directly experienced and cannot be broken down into separate units.
Here are some key aspects of Bergson’s concept of duration:
1. Qualitative, Not Quantitative: Duration is a lived experience of time that is qualitative rather than quantitative. For Bergson, time as we experience it internally—through consciousness—is not composed of distinct moments but rather flows seamlessly, with past, present, and future blending together. This stands in contrast to the mechanical, clock-based time of science, which divides time into identical, measurable units.
2. Inner Time and Consciousness: Duration is fundamentally tied to our inner experience and consciousness. Bergson argued that true time is felt rather than measured, akin to how we might experience the flow of emotions, thoughts, or memories. In this way, duration captures the subjective, continuous nature of consciousness, where moments blend and interpenetrate each other rather than existing in isolation.
3. Creative Evolution and Becoming: For Bergson, duration is also linked to the idea of becoming and creativity. Unlike static or mechanical views of time, duration allows for novelty, growth, and genuine change. Since duration is a continuous flow, it is inherently open-ended, creating new possibilities and evolving in unpredictable ways. This notion aligns with Bergson’s view of life and reality as processes of creative evolution, where each moment brings something new rather than repeating what has come before.
4. Memory and the Past as Living: Duration includes our memories and past experiences as part of our present consciousness. Rather than seeing the past as something “behind” us, Bergson argued that the past remains active within our present experience, shaping who we are and how we perceive the world. This view implies that time is not linear in a strict sense; instead, past and present coexist in a fluid, interwoven way within our consciousness.
5. Contrast with Space: Bergson emphasized that duration should not be spatialized—that is, it should not be represented as if it were a series of points along a line (a spatial metaphor). He believed that by spatializing time, we lose the true nature of duration, which is fluid, indivisible, and resistant to fixed measurements. Spatialized time is an abstraction, useful for science and measurement, but it doesn’t capture the essence of lived, experiential time.
In sum, Bergson’s concept of duration offers a way of understanding time that is continuous, indivisible, and qualitatively rich, centered on the lived experience of consciousness. Duration contrasts with the scientific notion of time as a series of discrete, measurable moments, emphasizing instead the fluid, evolving, and creative aspects of temporal experience. Through this concept, Bergson sought to capture the unique flow of life and consciousness, where past and present intermingle and where genuine change and novelty are always possible.
