Unlike air or water, Bachelard identifies as the element that says "no". It resists us. Whether it is the hardness of a diamond or the "mesomorphic" stickiness of paste (a mixture of earth and water), matter demands an active, incisive will to be transformed. 2. The Psychology of the "Will"
Bachelard's work is characterized by a dialectical approach, where opposing forces are brought into tension to reveal deeper truths. In "Earth and Reveries of Will," he explores the interplay between the earth, representing stability and inertia, and the will, symbolizing creative energy and movement. This dialectical relationship gives rise to a rich and complex understanding of human experience, where the individual is seen as a dynamic, imaginative being, shaped by their interactions with the natural world. gaston bachelard earth and reveries of will pdf