The Philosophy of Free Will: Bergson, Consciousness, and Time

“The will is not free – it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect – but there is something behind the will which is free.”

― Swami Vivekananda

Do you truly choose, or are your actions inevitable—dictated by prior causes, biological impulses, or the laws of physics?

This philosophical puzzle has been “overclocking the CPUs” of ancient and modern thinkers for a long time…

And one of the figures that illuminates it better than others is Henri Bergson – a French philosopher best known for his ideas on time, consciousness, and intuition, particularly his concept of durée, which emphasizes the fluid, subjective nature of time over mechanistic, spatialized views.

Bergson challenges you to reconsider not just your decisions, but time itself.

His philosophy of durée—a lived, subjective sense of time—offers a framework for understanding free will in a deterministic universe.

The Determinism Dilemma

To understand free will, it’s essential to grapple with determinism, the idea that every event, including human actions, is determined by preceding events according to laws of nature.

If this is true, your decisions might seem as inevitable as a rock rolling downhill. Yet, the notion of free will—that you can choose differently under the same circumstances—implies something more.

Philosophers divide into camps over this conflict. Some, called incompatibilists, argue that determinism and free will cannot coexist.

Within this group, libertarians believe in a kind of freedom that breaks the chain of causality altogether.

Others, like compatibilists, contend that free will can thrive even in a deterministic framework.

Bergson, however, takes a unique approach. He reframes the debate by suggesting that our understanding of time—and how we impose spatial concepts onto it—distorts the way we think about freedom.

He argues that we often mistake time for something static, like the ticks of a clock or frames on a film reel. This view, which he calls “spatialized time,” reduces the continuous flow of existence into discrete units.

It’s a perspective that works well for studying matter, where repetition and predictability reign. But when applied to consciousness, this mechanistic view falters.

Your lived experience of time isn’t like a stopwatch—it’s fluid, evolving, and full of novelty. Bergson’s durée represents this subjective time, where every moment is unique and cannot be reduced to mere mechanical causation.

Consciousness, he argues, is fundamentally creative, introducing genuine novelty into the universe.

To deny free will, then, is to deny this creativity. It’s to treat your decisions as though they unfold like dominoes falling, rather than as an active process shaped by your ongoing interaction with time and experience.

Contrasting Perspectives: A Simple Breakdown

ConceptDeterminismBergson’s Free Will
TimeStatic, measurable, like frames on a filmFluid, continuous, subjective (durée)
CausationLinear and predictableOpen-ended, allowing for novelty
ConsciousnessBound by physical lawsDistinct and indeterminate
Human ActionsInevitable outcomes of prior eventsCreative and emergent

Analyzing Key Quotes of Henri Bergson

“The idea of the future, pregnant with an infinity of possibilities, is thus more fruitful than the future itself, and this is why we find more charm in hope than in possession, in dreams than in reality.”

In this quote from Time and Free Will, Henri Bergson reflects on the nature of time, human experience, and our relationship with the future.

“The idea of the future, pregnant with an infinity of possibilities, is thus more fruitful than the future itself…”

Here Bergson suggests that the future, when imagined or anticipated, is full of endless possibilities. In this sense, the future is not yet determined, and its open-ended potential holds a kind of richness that makes it more exciting or meaningful than the future once it becomes reality.

The uncertainty and potential of what could happen bring a certain energy or “fruitfulness” that actual outcomes often lack.

“…and this is why we find more charm in hope than in possession, in dreams than in reality.”

Bergson goes on to explain that our emotional attachment to the future often comes from the hope and dreams we project onto it.

The anticipation of what might be is often more thrilling than the actual experience.

Hope carries the allure of what is possible, whereas possession or reality is fixed and limited.

Our dreams, which are unfettered by the constraints of the present moment, seem more attractive because they are not yet bound by the limitations of the actual world.

We are free when our actions emanate from our total personality, when they express it, when they resemble it in the indefinable way a work of art sometimes does the artist.

In this quote, Henri Bergson explains that true freedom arises when our actions are an authentic expression of our total personality, rather than being shaped by external forces or habitual patterns.

When we act in ways that reflect the fullness of who we are—our values, desires, and inner self—we experience freedom, as our actions are not determined by outside influences.

He compares this to a work of art.

Just as an artist’s work reflects their innermost thoughts and personality, our actions, when truly free, should resonate with the core of our being, making freedom a creative, personal expression of who we truly are.

If reality impacted directly on our senses and our consciousness, if we could have direct communication between the material world and ourselves, art would be unnecessary.

According to Bergson art exists because of the way we perceive and interact with reality.

If the material world could directly and immediately affect our senses and consciousness, without any mediation or interpretation, there would be no need for art.

Art, in this sense, is a form of expression that bridges the gap between the raw, external world and our subjective experience of it.

Since reality is not experienced in a direct or unfiltered way, art allows us to communicate and make sense of our experiences.

It serves as a way to capture and express the deeper, more nuanced aspects of life that we can’t grasp through mere direct perception.

Therefore, art becomes necessary because it helps us explore, interpret, and communicate our inner worlds in response to the external world, especially when that world cannot be directly felt or understood.

There is no greater joy than that of feeling oneself a creator. The triumph of life is expressed by creation.

Henri Bergson expresses the profound satisfaction that comes from the act of creation.

He suggests that the highest form of joy is found in experiencing oneself as a creator—someone who brings something new into existence.

For Bergson, creation is not just an artistic or intellectual act; it represents the very triumph of life itself.

It signifies a dynamic, vital force that emerges from within, allowing individuals to shape their world, express their uniqueness, and contribute to the ongoing process of evolution.

This creative act, whether through art, thought, or action, is an affirmation of life’s potential and energy.

Creation embodies the essence of life’s vitality, and it is through creating—whether ideas, art, or actions—that we experience the greatest sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Finding Freedom in the Everyday

What does this mean for you?

Bergson’s philosophy encourages you to view your choices as more than just the result of automatic responses to biological impulses or external circumstances.

Instead, he invites you to see them as moments of creation, where you actively shape your future.

According to Bergson, time isn’t a fixed, linear progression; it is fluid and dynamic, meaning that at any given moment, you have the potential to introduce novelty into the world.

Every decision you make, whether big or small, contributes to the unfolding of a unique future that could not have been predicted by mere causal chains.

When you make a decision, you’re not simply reacting to the world around you or following predetermined paths.

You’re engaging in a creative process, drawing from your unique personality, experiences, and consciousness to forge new possibilities.

This is the true essence of free will in Bergson’s view—it is not the absence of influence, but the capacity to create new directions within the flow of time.

Take, for instance, a basketball player taking a free throw. While the trajectory of the ball is undeniably influenced by the laws of physics—gravity, force, angle—the player’s skill, concentration, and the choices made in the moment infuse the act with something more: a sense of personal freedom and agency.

The player is not simply a passive participant in the physical world; their awareness, focus, and choices are actively shaping the outcome, despite the unyielding laws of physics.

Similarly, in the film The Matrix, Neo’s decision to take the red pill is a powerful example of freedom as creation.

By choosing to wake up from the simulated reality and see the truth, Neo is not just reacting to external stimuli—he is actively shaping his destiny.

In this moment, his choice is not merely about the information he receives but about embracing a new reality, one that empowers him to create his own path, free from the constraints of the matrix.

This act of choosing, of breaking away from preordained constraints, reflects Bergson’s view of free will as a creative and personal act that shapes the future.

Every choice is an opportunity to introduce something new into the unfolding of time, making each moment an act of creation, full of possibility and freedom.

My Take

When I think about free will, I’m reminded of a road trip I took years ago. Driving alone through winding mountain paths, I faced a fork in the road. Both paths were equally scenic, and no GPS signal could guide me.

I chose one, not because of careful calculation, but because something in the moment drew me toward it—a mix of curiosity, intuition, and a sense of adventure.

Looking back, I realize that moment encapsulated what free will means to me: not the absence of influence, but the presence of genuine choice within a world of constraints.

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