The Influence of Bergson’s Entropic and Negentropic Ideas on Polish Philosophy Before the Second World War

Paweł Polak; Jacek Rodzeń

doi:10.18290/rf24724.10

Published : 2024-12-30

Vol. 72 No. 4 (2024)

The Influence of Bergson’s Entropic and Negentropic Ideas on Polish Philosophy Before the Second World War

Paweł Polak

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1078-469X

Jacek Rodzeń

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5321-4104

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rf24724.10

Abstract

The second law of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy became one of the most important scientific ideas to influence Western culture in the 19th century. Pessimistic conclusions, such as the concept of the heat death of the universe and the specter of the inevitable decay of everything, inspired philosophical reflection at the fin de siècle. The philosophy of Henri Bergson played a key role in overcoming this pessimistic attitude. In his famous work L’évolution créatrice (1907), he proposed a bold metaphysical vision for the completion of science through a vision of creative evolution driven by the metaphysical factor of élan vital in opposition to destructive (entropic) factors. Bergson’s philosophy appealed specifically to negentropic ideas, so it made an important contribution to the worldview debate of the time. The influence of Bergson’s thought on Polish philosophy has been studied many times, including from a worldview perspective, but no one has yet analyzed the impact of his entropic and negentropic ideas. With research into the cultural significance of these ideas developing today, such research would be particularly relevant. This paper therefore aims to fill this significant research gap and present an initial analysis of the influence of Bergson’s specific entropic and negentropic ideas on Polish thinkers prior to the outbreak of World War II. This paper begins with presenting the historical background for the influence of entropic ideas on Western thought at the turn of the 20th century. Bergson’s philosophical entropic and negentropic ideas are then analyzed. By outlining the background to their reception like this, it becomes possible to illustrate the reception process in Polish philosophy in the next two parts. First, we focus on a group of philosophers who challenged the pessimistic consequences of the established scientific view of the world, while the following part shows the reactions to Bergson’s ideas by philosophers associated with science. Finally, some general conclusions are drawn about Bergson’s influence and the reasons for his failure. Some little-known connections between neo-romanticism and the reflection on entropic ideas are also highlighted.

Keywords:

Henri Bergson, élan vital, creative evolution, entropic ideas, heat death of the universe, pessimism, fin de siècle philosophy, scientific worldview, neo-romanticism

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