Contents
- Quotes on Life and Time
- Quotes on Memory and Creativity
- Quotes on Philosophy and Religion
- Quotes on Education and Knowledge
Henri Bergson (1859-1941) was a French philosopher and Nobel Prize winner. He is best known for his works on the philosophy of time, memory, and creativity. His writings have had a profound influence on modern thought and have been widely quoted by many famous people. Here are some of his most inspirational and thought-provoking quotes.

Quotes on Life and Time
- 'The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.'
- 'Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.'
- 'The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.'
- 'The life of man is a long march through the night, surrounded by invisible foes, tortured by weariness and pain, towards a goal that few can hope to reach, and where none may tarry long.'
Quotes on Memory and Creativity
- 'The real is not the actual, but that which, when presented to the mind, is believed.'
- 'The memory of a man is like a box of pictures, in which the past is preserved in all its freshness and variety.'
- 'Creative evolution is the effort of an internal force to bring about a certain state of things which it foresees, but which can only be attained by passing through a series of intermediate stages.'
- 'The creative act is not an act of creation in the sense of the Old Testament. It does not create something out of nothing; it uncovers, selects, reshuffles, combines, synthesizes already existing facts, ideas, faculties, skills.'
Quotes on Philosophy and Religion
- 'Philosophy is the science which considers truth.'
- 'Religion is the recognition of all our duties as divine commands.'
- 'The aim of religion is not to explain the unknown, but to render the known more intelligible.'
- 'The philosopher is one who, in the midst of the confusion of opinions, distinguishes the relative truth from the absolute truth.'
Quotes on Education and Knowledge
- 'Education is the process of making the unconscious conscious.'
- 'Knowledge is the eye of desire and can become the pilot of the soul.'
- 'The aim of education is to enable us to enjoy life more and suffer it less.'
- 'The only real education is self-education; the only real teacher is one's own intellect.'
Quotes on Human Nature and Society
- 'The greatest virtue of man is perhaps curiosity.'
- 'The most important thing in life is to be able to give up one's self-interest for the sake of others.'
- 'The most important social duty is to think for oneself.'
- 'The most important thing in society is the individual.'
Quotes on Art and Beauty
- 'Art is the expression of the profoundest thoughts in the simplest way.'
- 'Beauty is the promise of happiness.'
- 'The artist is the creator of beautiful things.'
- 'The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.'
Henri Bergson's quotes are timeless and thought-provoking. They can help us to gain a better understanding of life, time, memory, creativity, philosophy, religion, education, knowledge, human nature, society, art, and beauty. His words can inspire us to think more deeply and to live more fully.
We hope that these Henri Bergson quotes have been inspiring and thought-provoking. May they help you to gain a better understanding of life and to live more fully.
Completion: Henri Bergson's quotes are timeless and thought-provoking. They can help us to gain a better understanding of life, time, memory, creativity, philosophy, religion, education, knowledge, human nature, society, art, and beauty. His words can inspire us to think more deeply and to live more fully. May these Henri Bergson quotes help you to gain a better understanding of life and to live more fully.