Journal of Philosophical Investigations (Jun 2014)
The Relation of Intuition and Intelligence in Bergson's Philosophy
Abstract
One of the most ambiguous points of Bergson’s philosophy is the relationship of the intuition and intellect as two sources of human’s knowledge. Based on his conception of world as a dynamic and fluid thing, Bergson seeks for a reliable method to achieve the valid and infallible knowledge. Considering the duration as the truth of time, he not only regards the intuition to be useful for achieving knowledge, but also regards it as the only real method of achieving to the true knowledge. He holds the other methods as unreliable. In this inquiry, besides studying the elements of knowledge in Bergson’s philosophy in the light of the other components of his system, we will consider the essence, function, and interaction of intuition and intellect (which Bergson construes as intelligence). Moreover, we will demonstrate that while intuition is absolutely prior to intellect, it initially seems that these two sources of knowledge have various functions in two different realms. However, based on a more precise scrutiny, we will understand that according to Bergson’s view the combination of intuition and intellect and their reciprocal and evolutionary action brings about true knowledge for human being
