IN THE THRESHOLD OF DIALECTICS

Bergson and the spectre of negativity

Abstract

The present work aims to reevaluate some important topics of Bergson's philosophy (such as the method of intuition, the concept of duration and the confrontation between positivity and negativity) based on Horkheimer's dialectical critique developed in his well-known 1934 article On Bergson's metaphysics of time. Our goal is to resume Horkheimer's undertaking in a new light, without ignoring the manifold developments of Bergson's philosophy throughout the 20th century. Thus, we aim to dive into Bergson's philosophy by exploring its underlying antinomies and showing how the author falls into the same traps he attributes to traditional Metaphysics. Based on this analysis, we question the possibility of a positive Ontology such as the one envisioned by Bergson, which ultimately purges all negativity but must pay a high price in return, that is, the loss of concreteness as a viable alternative to the alleged abstraction of German Idealism.