Bergson contra Bergson: Race and morality in The Two Sources

Abstract

Interest in the work of Bergson has seen a revival in political theory over the past two decades. Initially, this interest focused primarily on Bergson’s earlier writings. However, recently there has been increased attention to Bergson’s controversial last book – The Two Sources of Morality and Religion. This has had the benefit of bringing attention to a book frequently maligned as uneven and disappointing. At the same time, mostly absent from this renewed interest has been the subject of race. One of the great ironies of The Two Sources is that, even as it calls for an open morality, it relies on a series of regressive, racist and Eurocentric assumptions. It is this article’s contention that, if we are going to see a renewed turn to The Two Sources, we must grapple with these assumptions, both to investigate how they limit the effectiveness of Bergson’s argument, and to ensure that they are not smuggled into our own work. The article goes on to argue that Bergson’s philosophy ultimately gives us the tools to challenge these reactionary elements; that his focus on morality as a dynamic and open-ended process provides us with the opportunity for recognizing the contingent limitations of Bergson’s worldview.