The opposition between reason and imagination in Gaston Bachelard's philosophy

Abstract

This article aims to present the project of separation between reason and imagination formulated by Gaston Bachelard, based on the main works in which he explicitly addresses this philosophical endeavor, namely: Le matérialisme rationnel (1953), La poétique de l’espace (1957), and La poétique de la rêverie (1960). To this end, we analyze his arguments regarding the distinction between rational materialism and imaginary materialism, rational consciousness and imagining consciousness, as well as image and concept. This work does not aim to defend the thesis of complementarity between the domains of reason and imagination, a position widely discussed by one of the branches of Bachelardian studies. Instead, we seek to contribute to the enrichment of this debate by revisiting the philosopher's arguments and highlighting a different perspective on the issue.