Elements for a Bergsonian aesthetics of nature

Authors

  • Gabriela Rocha de Almeida Federal University of Minas Gerais image/svg+xml

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2178-6224v21i1p53-71

Keywords:

Philosophy of biology, Aesthetics of nature, Evolutionary aesthetics, Henri Bergson

Abstract

Although there is much research on Bergsonian philosophy of art, they rarely address the possibility of a Bergsonian aesthetics of nature. However, if we consider that one of the author's most relevant works deals with the philosophy of biology and evolutionism, an aesthetics of nature emerges as a feasible and fruitful possibility. This article seeks to present elements for such an endeavour, starting with the evolutionary theory presented in Creative evolution, moving on to the presentation of the evolutionary aesthetics of nature, and reaching the possibility of a Bergsonian aesthetics of nature. Specifically, we will address the relationship between aesthetic properties of nature and aesthetic experience in the work, seeking to engage in dialogue with contemporary versions of evolutionary intuitionism and its application to the evolutionary aesthetics of nature.

Author Biography

  • Gabriela Rocha de Almeida, Federal University of Minas Gerais

    Bacharela, licenciada e mestra em Filosofia pela Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora.

References

ATKINSON, Paul. Henri Bergson and Visual Culture: a philosophy for a new aesthetic. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021.

BAYER, Raymond. L’esthétique de Bergson. Revue Philosophique de la France et de l’Étranger, 131 (3/8): 244-318, 1941. Disponível em: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41084634 Acesso em: 01 jun. 2026.

BERGSON, Henri. [1907]. A evolução criadora. Tradução de Bento Pra-do Neto. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, 2005.

COELHO, Humberto Schubert. The rationality of beauty: aesthetics and the renaissance of teleology. Zygon. Journal of Religion and Science, 57 (1): 46-59, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/zygo.12737

CONTINI, Annamaria. Estetica della biologia: dalla scuola di Montpellier a Henri Bergson. Milano: Mimesi, 2012.

DARWIN, Charles Robert. [1859]. The origin of species by means of natural selection. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1968.

DARWIN, Charles Robert. [1871]. The descent of man and selection in rela-tion to sex. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981.

GILLES, Mary. Henri Bergson and British modernism. Montreal and King-ston: McGill-Queen's Press-MQUP, 1996.

GOMES, Ana Beatriz Antunes. Bergson e a evolução da vida. Kínesis-Revista de Estudos dos Pós-Graduandos em Filosofia, 4 (07): 254-272, 2012. https://doi.org/10.36311/1984-8900.2012.v4n07.4469

KANT, Immanuel. [1790] Kritik der Urteilskraft [ Hamburg: Felix Meiner Verlag, 2003.

LENNOX, James G. The Darwin/Gray correspondence 1857-1869: an intelligent discussion about chance and design. Perspectives on Science, 18 (4): 456-479, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1162/POSC_a_00018

MCGILCHRIST, Iain. The matter with things: our brains, our delusions and the unmaking of the world. London: Perspectiva, 2021.

PADEN, Roger; HARMON, Laurlyn; MILLING, Charles R. Ecology, evolution, and aesthetics: Towards an evolutionary aesthetics of na-ture. The British Journal of Aesthetics, 52 (2): 123-139, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/ays001

PARSONS, Glenn; CARLSON, Allen. Functional beauty. Oxford: Clar-endon Press, 2008.

PIAZZA, Marco; VINCENTI, Denise. Il problema estetico in Henri Bergson: la critica di Raymond Bayer alla teoria della percezione pu-ra. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics, and New Media Theories, 4 (2): 91-120, 2018. Disponível em: https://www.academia.edu/85970620/Il_problema_estetico_in_Henri_Bergson_la_critica_di_Raymond_Bayer_alla_teoria_della_percezione_pura Acesso em: Acesso em: 01 jun. 2025.

ROCHA, Gabriela. Consciência integrada e espiritualidade: um elo filosófico entre Bergson e McGilchrist. Colloquium: Revista Multidisci-plinar de Teologia. 9 (2): 106-124, 2024. https://doi.org/10.58882/cllq.v9i2.187

STECKER, Robert. Aesthetics and the philosophy of art: an introduction. 2. ed. Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010.

SPENCER, First principles. [1860]. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

TAHAR, Mathilde. Bergson as visionary in evolutionary biology. Pp. 446-460, in: SINCLAIR, M; WOLF, Y. The Bergsonian mind, Ox-on/New York: Routledge, 2021. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429020735-40)

THORNHILL, Randy. Darwinian aesthetics informs traditional aes-thetics. Pp. 9-35, in: VOLAND, Eckart; GRAMMER, Karl. (eds.). Evolutionary aesthetics. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2003. Disponível em: 10.1007/978-3-662-07142-7_2 Acesso em: 01 jun. 2016.

VOLAND, Eckart; GRAMMER, Karl. Introduction. Pp. 1-5, in: VOLAND, Eckart; GRAMMER, Karl. (eds.). Evolutionary aesthetics. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2003.

WORMS, Frédéric. Bergson ou os dois sentidos da vida. Trad. Aristóteles Angheben Predebon. São Paulo: Editora Unifesp, 2010.

ZANGWILL, Nick. The metaphysics of beauty. Cornell: Cornell University Press, 2001.

Published

2026-06-28

Issue

Section

Papers

How to Cite

ALMEIDA, Gabriela Rocha de. Elements for a Bergsonian aesthetics of nature. Filosofia e História da Biologia , São Paulo, Brasil, v. 21, n. 1, p. 53–71, 2026. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2178-6224v21i1p53-71. Disponível em: https://revistas.usp.br/fhb/article/view/fhb-v21-n1-03. Acesso em: 10 jul. 2026.