Synopses & Reviews
Appearing in English for the first time,
Intuition of the Instant—Bachelards first metaphysical meditation on time and its moral implications—was written in 1932 in the wake of Husserls lectures on streaming time-consciousness, Heideggers
Being and Time, and Henri Bergsons philosophy of the élan vital. A culmination of Bachelards earlier studies in scientific epistemology, this work builds the epistemic framework that would lead theorists of all stripes to advance knowledge by breaking with accepted modes of thought.
Intuition of the Instant sows the seeds of Bachelards future poetics, most notably in the essay “Poetic Instant and Metaphysical Instant” (1939)—included in this volume, along with an excerpt from Jean Lescures lecture “Introduction to Bachelards Poetics” (1966). Eileen Rizo-Patrons translation offers a key to Bachelards subsequent works on science, time, and imagination, which remain epistemological touchstones.
Synopsis
Appearing in English for the first time, Intuition of the Instant—Bachelards first metaphysical meditation on time and its moral implications—was written in 1932 in the wake of Edmund Husserls lectures on streaming time-consciousness, Martin Heideggers Being and Time, and Henri Bergsons philosophy of the élan vital.
About the Author
Gaston Bachelard (1884-1962) began his teaching career in 1919 as professor of physics and chemistry at the Collège de Bar-sur-Aube. In 1927, Bachelard earned his doctorate in letters at the Sorbonne, specializing in epistemology. In 1930 he was appointed professor of philosophy at the University of Dijon, where he taught until 1940, at which time he was named chair of history and philosophy of science at the Sorbonne (1940-1954). In 1961 he won the French Grand Prix National des Lettres for his widely acclaimed The Poetics of Space (La poétique de lespace, 1957).
Eileen Rizo-Patron edited Traversing the Heart: Journeys of the Inter-religious Imagination (2010) with Richard Kearney. She is currently a research associate at State University of New York, Binghamtons Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Philosophy, Interpretation, and Culture.
Table of Contents
Translators Preface
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE: The Instant
CHAPTER TWO: The Problem of Habit and Discontinuous Time
CHAPTER THREE: The Idea of Progress and the Intuition of Discontinuous Time
CONCLUSION
ADDENDA:
"Poetic Instant and Metaphysical Instant" (1939), by Gaston Bachelard
Reading Bachelard Reading Siloë:
An excerpt from "Introduction to Bachelards Poetics" (1966), by Jean Lescure
AUTHORS BIOGRAPHY
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY