Bergson: Thinking Backwards

This is a book about the philosophy of Henri Bergson (1859-1941) that shows how relevant Bergson is to much of contemporary philosophy. The book takes as its point of departure Bergson's insistence on precision in philosophy. It then discusses a variety of topics including laughter, the nature of time as experienced, how intelligence and language should be construed as a pragmatic product of evolution, and the antimonies of reason represented by magic and religion. Written in a terse and clear style, this book will prove appealing to teachers and students of philosophy, cognitive science, psychology, religious studies and literature.