Bergson’s Open Society as Determined by the Flow of Life Alone - Daria Dugina

Bergson’s Open Society as Determined by the Flow of Life Alone - Daria Dugina

The application of Bergson’s basic principles to social life yields an altogether peculiar interpretation of the openness of the society that Bergson postulates. The non-linearity of evolution that was of such fundamental importance for him requires choosing intuition rather than intellect as the main source of knowledge, and this always leaves room for the most unexpected turns in the history of civilization. Such a society is truly as unpredictable as life itself. Life, faced with cooling down and freezing in matter as well as intellect, tries to reignite itself. Therefore, from time to time, living history explodes any and all ideological dogmas — not only in traditional society, but also in democracy and liberalism. As soon as democracy, which for Bergson is progressive compared to caste society, becomes more static and intellectual, it turns into a dogma, social life will explode and open up new horizons.

Hence why Bergson’s ideas have been seized upon by so many on the left — Bergson was one of the main sources of inspiration for the Postmodernist Gilles Deleuze. Bourgeois democracy is more in sync with life than medieval hierarchy, but even democracy is capable of degenerating, after which it will be necessary to carry out a new — this time anti-bourgeois — revolution. In order for society to be open, from time to time it needs to be changed beyond recognition and observe the multi-linear nature of creative evolution. As follows, the “open society” should never be locked into one ideology. Sooner or later, life itself and its impulse will destroy liberalism and its dogmas. This is demanded by openness, according to Bergson. Understood in this way, the history of evolution can have no end — like life itself.

Excerpt from: Bergson and Popper’s “Open Society”: A Traditionalist View

Translated by Jafe Arnold

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Bergson’s Open Society as Determined by the Flow of Life Alone - Daria Dugina

The application of Bergson’s basic principles to social life yields an altogether peculiar interpretation of the openness of the society that Bergson postulates. The non-linearity of evolution that was of such fundamental importance for him requires choosing intuition rather than intellect as the main source of knowledge, and this always leaves room for the most unexpected turns in the history of civilization. Such a society is truly as unpredictable as life itself. Life, faced with cooling down and freezing in matter as well as intellect, tries to reignite itself. Therefore, from time to time, living history explodes any and all ideological dogmas — not only in traditional society, but also in democracy and liberalism. As soon as democracy, which for Bergson is progressive compared to caste society, becomes more static and intellectual, it turns into a dogma, social life will explode and open up new horizons.

Hence why Bergson’s ideas have been seized upon by so many on the left — Bergson was one of the main sources of inspiration for the Postmodernist Gilles Deleuze. Bourgeois democracy is more in sync with life than medieval hierarchy, but even democracy is capable of degenerating, after which it will be necessary to carry out a new — this time anti-bourgeois — revolution. In order for society to be open, from time to time it needs to be changed beyond recognition and observe the multi-linear nature of creative evolution. As follows, the “open society” should never be locked into one ideology. Sooner or later, life itself and its impulse will destroy liberalism and its dogmas. This is demanded by openness, according to Bergson. Understood in this way, the history of evolution can have no end — like life itself.

Excerpt from: Bergson and Popper’s “Open Society”: A Traditionalist View

Translated by Jafe Arnold

Buy Eschatological Optimism now:  https://pravpublishing.com/product/eschatological-optimism/

Follow the Prav Publishing on Telegram: https://t.me/PRAVPublishing