Bergson, Complexity and Creative Emergence

This is a book about evolution from a post-Darwinian perspective. It recounts the core ideas of French philosopher Henri Bergson and his rediscovery and legacy in the poststructuralist critical philosophies of the 1960s, and explores the confluences of these ideas with those of complexity theory in environmental biology.

'This is no ordinary introduction to Henri Bergson. What David Kreps' excellent study gives us is Bergson, complexe: first, because there is no simple way to take (or leave) Bergson's ideas his thought of durée, élan, and 'multiplicity' demands the most subtle and nuanced reading to give them their full justice; and second, because only by intertwining his ideas with the most up-to-date research in systems thinking, complexity theory, and poststructuralism can we begin to understand their absolute contemporaneity. Kreps' work does all this and more it gives us the Bergson we need for today.'

-John Mullarkey, author of Bergson and Philosophy

'Kreps' book is a thoroughly researched and well-written work that shows how Bergson's philosophy of evolution and time can also reinvigorate our ideas about complexity and organization in the natural and physical sciences.'

-Stephen Crocker, author of Bergson and the Metaphysics of Media

Autorentext
David Kreps is a sociologist of technology and philosopher of science. He is Senior Editor of the journal Information Technology and People, author of papers and conference presentations on social Information systems, and is editor of Gramsci and Foucault: A Reassessment.

Inhalt

1. Introduction
2. Bergson's Core Ideas
3. Bergson Redux
4. Systems Theory Grows Up
5. Durée Compléxe
6. Creative Emergence