The Two Sources of Morality and Religion
by Henri Bergson · Les Deux Sources de la morale et de la religion
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- 1932
- Form
- Treatise
- Language
- French
- Length
- Medium · 320 pp120 to 300 pages
- Difficulty
- Difficult4 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendThe Two Sources of Morality and Religion, translated by R. Ashley Audra and Cloudesley BreretonUniversity of Notre Dame Press, 1977The authorised translation, kept in print by Notre Dame.
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Bergson's last book distinguishes two kinds of morality and two kinds of religion. Closed morality is the pressure of social obligation that holds a group together against outsiders; open morality is the call of exceptional individuals, saints and heroes, to a love of all humanity. Static religion is the myth-making function that defends society against the dissolving power of intelligence; dynamic religion is mysticism, contact with the creative source of life. The closing chapter considers whether mechanised humanity can recover the mystical impulse.
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The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns The Two Sources of Morality and Religion are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.
