The Meaning of the War: Life & Matter in Conflict

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bergson, Henri, 1859-1941

Contributor:

Carr, Herbert Wildon, 1857-1931

Standardized Title:

Signification de la guerre. English

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Other Title:

Life and matter in conflict

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Meaning of the War: Life & Matter in Conflict" by Henri Bergson is a philosophical examination of the nature of war, written during the early 20th century amid the tumult of World War I. This text, a discourse delivered at the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques, delves into the conflict between life and mechanized forces, exploring how these opposing principles manifest in the face of war. Bergson articulates his views on the broader implications of warfare, challenging the materialistic perspectives prevalent at the time. In this work, Bergson argues that World War I represents the struggle between the vibrant forces of life and the rigid mechanisms of a militarized society, particularly criticizing Germany's embrace of a materialistic and militaristic ideology. He contrasts the organic growth of nations with the artificial unification stemming from Prussian militarism, stressing how this mechanized mindset ultimately leads to violence and destruction. As he reflects on the moral implications of war, Bergson emphasizes that true moral and spiritual strength arises from ideals of justice and freedom, which stand in stark opposition to Germany's brute force. Thus, he posits that the outcome of the war is not just a matter of material superiority but a decisive confrontation between moral forces that can rejuvenate humanity and the destructive paths of mechanization. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Introduction

Life and matter at war

The force which wastes and that which does not waste.

Credits:

Produced by Thierry Alberto, Henry Craig, Jeannie Howse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 55.6 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2005-11-20