The philosophical inquiry into the nature of time and the function of memory in the context of Bergson and Proust

Henri Bergson and Marcel Proust, although they worked in different disciplines, share similar thoughts on time and memory. The concept of "duration" (durée) developed by Bergson, and the understanding presented in Proust's In Search of Lost Time, contain profound thoughts on the nature of time and memory. Both Bergson and Proust have developed unique perspectives on time and memory, differing from traditional views. In this thesis the evolving thoughts of Bergson and Proust on time and memory are discussed, focusing on their overlapping and contrasting aspects. According to Bergson, real time is duration, and attempting to distinguish between duration and memory is a futile effort. Without memory, a connection cannot be established between "before" and "after" in terms of both time and duration. Bergson developed a comprehensive and holistic understanding of time, which is in complete contrast to the homogeneous, measurable, and mathematical concept of time. The "past" is always present with the "now"; it does not disappear. Proust agrees with Bergson that time is not linear and that the past maintains its existence within itself. However, for Proust, unlike Bergson, the preservation of this existence is meaningless if it is not remembered. However, while for Proust, reminiscence occurs incidentally when an object is perceived, according to Bergson, memory has the power to create and manage perception; the actualization of the memory into a perception depends on the person himself; therefore, no reminiscence is incidental. Indeed, there is no such thing as pure perception. Perception, even if very short, ultimately requires a certain duration and is immersed in memory-images during this time. And memory is not a regression from the present to the past, but a progression from the past to the present. As much as Bergson attributes existence to memory beyond the body, with optimism and a turn towards life, Proust's orientation is just as much towards extinction. According to Proust, consciousness or memory does not exist outside the body; they also perish when the body ceases to exist. Lost time, lost memory can only be compensated through art. Keywords: Henri Bergson, Marcel Proust, Time, Duration (Durée), Memory.