Henri Bergson: Time and Free Will

Abstract

Precognition has been an ongoing feature of "alternative" belief. From the Biblical Witch of Endor to the Mystic Megs at the back of today's glossy magazines, via Nostradamus and Mrs Piper 1 , few ages or societies have not had its share of those who know the future. The skeptic often forms the view that some seers are tempted to protect themselves in one of three ways: First, they so vaguely word their predictions that they can twist the meaning of the prophesy to match any eventuality. Secondly, they refer to statistically likely events (the outbreak of war, the assassination of a politician, the divorce of a film star), thus stacking the odds in their favour. Thirdly, they can give an unknown individual what professional fortune tellers call a "cold reading." This involves passing on information that will almost certainly be correct—the precognitive equivalent of a doctor telling the people that it might be a good idea if they stopped smoking, exercised more and lost a little weight.