Time is not made of distinct present moments
We tend to think of the present moment as an infinitely small, discrete period of time; the present moment occurring just after the past, and just before the future. But, argues Emily Herring, this is a mistaken way to understand time. Time is not split into isolated, discrete present moments. Time is a flow, containing past, present and future all at once. The following is adapted from Chapter 5 of Emily Herring’s upcoming book Herald of a Restless World: How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People (Basic Books 2024) released in the US October 22nd and in the UK October 24th. Henri Bergson had spent his early childhood immersed in music, both his father’s compositions and the piano lessons he received from a young age. To his chagrin, he soon had to give up his musical education to focus on more serious subjects, but for the rest of his life he placed music among the highest arts. His many admirers often suggested that despite his incomplete musical training, he had remained