Abstract
This paper aims to reconsider the concept of “representation” in French philosophy. Nowadays, we often regard the prefix “re-” of “representation” as implying “duplication” or “repetition”. However, this is not certain from an etymological point of view. Henri Bergson pointed out the ambiguity of the word “representation,” insisting that it does not mean “the primary object” that is originally given to the mind. Bergson rather suggested that the prefix “re-” of “representation” means “opposition.” This paper examines Bergson’s viewpoint, with reference to his entries in Vocabulaire technique et critique de la philosophie (1926) edited by André Lalande, as well as to other texts by Bergson.
