Rethinking Politeness with Henri Bergson

Description

In 1885, Henri Bergson addressed a class of French high school students on the subject of politeness. Bergson would go on to become one of the most influential philosophers of his time, yet although this essay set forth a striking theory of politeness and foreshadowed aspects of his later work, it remains remarkably little-known. Rethinking Politeness with Henri Bergson offers the first English translation of Discours sur la Politesse, and brings together leading linguistic anthropologists to critically engage with and expand on Bergson's ideas. At the core of Bergson's essay is a tripartite classification of politeness acts into politesse des manières ("politeness of manners"), politesse de l'esprit ("politeness of mind/spirit"), and politesse du coeur ("politeness of the heart"). Presented along a hierarchy of intersubjective attunement and ethical aspirations, Bergson's three types call for the progressive abandonment of habits when they get in the way of our ability to help others. They can also be read as an invitation to consider politeness as a dimension of human sociability that is relevant to social theory. Collectively, the essays in this volume untangle the ideological, socio-historical, and material conditions that shape notions of the ideal social agent, and propose a rethinking of politeness that serves as a bridge to larger issues of civility, citizenship, and democracy. Cover Half-Title Series Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Contributors 2nd Half-Title Introduction Politeness 1. A Sympathetic Reading of Bergson’s “Politeness” 2. Politeness Is Political 3. “Politesse,” Power, and Point of View: Bergson’s Essay in Comparative Perspective 4. “Politeness Has a Heart”: From Mantras to Stance-Taking in French Children’s Socialization to Politeness 5. “Hey, but That’s Not Respectful!”: Civil Discourse and Liberal Education in Pluralistic France 6. Giving Up on Politeness: The Desire for Tactile Knowledge and the Art of Finding Life Lovable 7. The Surface of Politesse: Acting murtah in Dhofar, Oman 8. Programming Politeness: Digital Servantry and the Rules of Social Engagement 9. Grace, Too: Reflections on Bergson’s Ethics 10. Bergson’s Intuitive Politeness Index