In this analysis of one major philosopher by another, Gilles Deleuze identifies three pivotal concepts - duration, memory, and elan vital - that are found throughout Bergsons writings and shows the relevance of Bergsons work to contemporary philosophical debates. He interprets and integrates these themes into a single philosophical program, arguing that Bergsons philosophical intentions are methodological. They are more than a polemic against the limitations of science and common sense, particularly in Bergsons elaboration of the explanatory powers of the notion of duration - thinking in terms of time rather than space.