Gaston Bachelard: A Philosophy of the Surreal

Zbigniew Kotowicz is research fellow at the Centre for Philosophy of Science of the University of Lisbon. He spent some fifteen years working as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, mostly with R. D. Laing’s Philadelphia Association. Subsequently, he took a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Warwick. He was Wellcome Research Fellow in the History of Medicine in the Department of History, Goldsmiths, University of London.

• AcknowledgementsAbbreviationsIntroduction1. The New Scientific MindThe Epistemological RuptureThe Epistemological ObstacleThe Ruses of PrejudiceNaïvetyScience and HistoryRationalismTruth, Dialectics, the Philosophy of NoMathematics, la phénoménotechniqueAgainst SubstancePythagorism (and further thoughts on la phénoménotechnique)Some Concluding RemarksAppendix to Chapter 1: 'Surrationalism' by Gaston Bachelard2. The ImaginaryThe TurnThe Imagining FacultyImagination and ViolenceNarcissismThe Body, HylozoismA Psychoanalysis of a Philosophical MindThe Four ElementsThe Imaginary and PhilosophyOvercoming Pain, Overcoming DeathTopophiliaMasculine Death, Feminine Death3. The Poetics of TimeThe InstantDurationThe VoidRhythm and VibrationAgainst BergsonThe Void and NothingnessConcluding RemarksAppendix: Bachelard and AtomismSome Preliminary Remarks on Democritus, Epicurus and Pierre GassendiDemocritus and HylozoismThe Atom in Contemporary ThoughtThe VoidFour Atomist systemsBachelard and Atomism (Epistemology)Bachelard and Atomism (‘Metaphysics’)On Philosophical AspirationNotesBibliographyIndex

After reading Kotowicz’s book, I find that I have become intrigued by Bachelard; as much by the discontinuities and apparent contradictions as by the overall coherence… Gaston Bachelard: A Philosophy of the Surreal is a fascinating book, a pleasure to read, and a work that will provoke thought and, quite likely, disagreement. By the end it does not seem that Bachelard is any easier to pin down, but there are quite a number of moments of compelling clarity.