"The Incident" and Bergson: Navigating Time Beyond Space to Escape the Loop

Through this blog, we will elucidate Henri Bergson's concept of "duration" by drawing parallels with a computational model. By examining the cyclical interactions within the python code, I will try to provide a tangible visualization of Bergson's notion of continuous time.

Bergson's Duration: The Time Beyond Space

Henri Bergson's philosophical concept of "duration" challenges traditional, segmented views of time, proposing instead a continuous, indivisible flow deeply intertwined with human consciousness.

Unlike the objective ticking of a clock, duration emphasizes the qualitative, subjective experience of time, where each moment is both unique and a culmination of all preceding ones. This perspective sees memory not as static remnants of the past but as dynamic entities that actively shape the present, making each moment a layering of now over our accumulated memories.

Bergson's duration, by critiquing spatial metaphors like "timelines", underscores time's true essence as an interwoven fabric of past, present, and future, offering insights into debates on free will and determinism.

The Computational Model: A Cyclical Dance of Elements

The provided code offers a lens through which we can explore Bergson's concept of duration. At its core, the code captures a repetitive sequence of interactions between Element A and Element B:

In each cycle, Element A issues a warning to Element B. Depending on Element B's response, their roles might interchange in the subsequent cycle.

This continuous loop, devoid of a clear beginning or end, serves as a computational representation of Bergson's duration. Each iteration, while superficially similar, is inherently influenced by the entirety of past interactions.

Furthermore, the cyclical nature of the code transcends the spatial confines typically associated with computational structures. In most of the programming paradigms, processes are visualized linearly, moving from one function or operation to the next in a spatial sequence.

However, the repetitive and cyclical interactions between the elements in the code surpass this spatial representation, echoing Bergson's idea that time (duration) is not merely a spatial or linear progression but a continuous, interwoven flow.

Just as Bergson's duration emphasizes the continuous nature of time, the code's cyclical structure underscores a continuous loop of interactions. However, within this continuity, there's room for variation, much like Bergson's idea that each moment, though influenced by the past, holds potential for novelty.

In the code, each cycle's outcome is contingent upon the decisions made in previous cycles. This mirrors Bergson's notion that the present is an accumulation of the past.

The code's structure, where past interactions influence future ones, resonates with Bergson's idea that memory is an active, living force that shapes our present experiences.

The heed_warning and ignore_warning functions in the code symbolize moments of agency and decision-making. This aligns with Bergson's view of duration as a lived experience, where consciousness plays an active role.

The potential for Element B to either heed or ignore the warning introduces an element of unpredictability and novelty, emphasizing the dynamic nature of duration.

'The Incident': traveling within time(duration)

The film portrays the psychological torment of the characters as they grapple with their entrapment, the erosion of hope, and the mounting desperation. As they attempt to break free from the loop, the characters confront their personal demons, past mistakes, and the haunting realization of their own limitations.

This cyclical, inescapable nature of time in the film serves as a metaphor for the human condition, where individuals often find themselves trapped in repetitive patterns, behaviors, or circumstances.

The stairwell and the road, both spatial constructs, become secondary to the overarching temporal dilemma the characters face. No matter how much they move in space (up the stairs or along the road), they remain ensnared in the same moment of time.

Call back to Bergson's philosophy, "The Incident" emphasizes the temporal over the spatial. While space (the stairwell or the road) is the apparent prison, it's the unyielding loop of time that truly ensnares the characters. This mirrors Bergson's idea of "duration", where time is a continuous, indivisible flow, deeply intertwined with consciousness and memory.

The characters' experiences in the film, reliving the same moments with slight variations, resonate with Bergson's notion that each moment in time is both unique and a culmination of all that preceded it.