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Creative Evolution — Henri Bergson (trans. Arthur Mitchell, 1911)

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Wherever anything lives, there is, open somewhere, a register in which time is being inscribed.Creative Evolution (1911), ch. I, trans. Arthur Mitchell

to be where it is, each street to run as it does. Now, the cardinal error of Spencer is to take experience already allotted as given, whereas tlie true problem is to know how the allotment was worked. I agree that the laws of thought are only the integration of relations between facts. But, when I poeit the facts with the shape they have for me to-day, I suppose my faculties of perception and intellection such as they are in me to-day; for it is they that portion the real into lots, they that cut the facts out in the whole of reality. Therefore, instead of saying that the relations between facts have generated the laws of thought, I can as well claim that tt is the form of thought that has determined the shape of the facts perceived, and consequently their relations among themselves: the two ways of expressing oneself are equivalent; they say at bottom the same thing. With the second, it is true, we give up speaking of evolution. But, with the first, we only speak of it, we do not think of it any the more. For a true evolutionism would propose to discover by what modus Vivendi, gradually obtained, the intellect has adopted its plan of structure, and matter its mode of subdivision. This structure and this subdivision work into each other; they are mutually complementary; they must have pro- gressed one with the other. And, whether we posit the present structure of nnind or the present subdivision of matter, in either case we remain in the evolved: we are told nothing of what evolves, nothing of evolution.

And yet it is this evolution that we must discover. Al- ready, in the field of physics itself, the scientists who are pushing the study of their science furthest incline to beheve that we cannot reason about the parts as we reason about the whole; that the same principles are not apphcable to the origin and to the end of a progress; that neither creation nor annihilation, for instance, is inadmissible

xr.j THE EVOLUTIONISM OF SPENCER 389

when we are concerned with the constituent corpuscles of the atom. Thereby they tend to place themselves in the concrete duration, in which alone there is true generation and not only a composition of parts. It ia true that the creation and annihilation of which they speak concern the movement or the energy, and not the imponder- able medium through which the energy and the movement are supposed to circulate. But what can remain of matter when you take away everything that determines it, that is to say, just energy and movement themselves? The philosopher must go further than the scientist. Making a clean sweep of everything that is ooly an imaginative Bymbol, he will see the material world melt back into a simple flux, a continuity of flowing, a becoming. And he will thus be prepared to discover real duration there where it is still more useful to find it, in the realm of life and of consciousness. For, so far as inert matter is concerned, we may neglect the flowing without committing a serious error: matter, we have said, is weighted with geometry; and matter, the reality which descends, endures only by its connection with that which ascends. But life and con- sciousness are this very ascension. When once we have grasped them in their essence by adopting their movement, we understand how the rest of reality is derived from them. Evolution appears and, within this evolution, the pro- gressive determination of materiality and intellectuality by the gradual consolidation of the one and of the other. But, then, it is within the evolutionary movement that we place ourselves, in order to follow it to its present re- sults, instead of recomposing these results artificially with fragments of themselves. Such seems to us to be the true fimction of philosophy. So understood, philosophy ia not only the turning of the mind honneward, the coincidence of human consciousness with the living principle whence

370 Creative Evolution

it emanates, a contact with the creative effort: it is the study of becoming in general, it is true evolutionism and consequently the true continuation of science — provided that we und rstand by this word a set of truths either experienced or demonstrated, and not a certain new scholasticism that has grown up during the latter half of the nineteenth century around the physics of Galileo, as the old scholasticism grew up around Aristotle.

372 Index ^^^^^

Actlvltr, (Continued')

transform Ism. 25

vital, haa evolved diVBrgently,

Ancient philosophy. Achilles and

tortoise. 111-2

See Divergent Unea of evolu-

Aleiandrlan philosophy. 3M-3

Allegory ot the Cave. 191

Anima (De), 322 note

101. 121. 133. 132. iSe, STO.

Apogee or sensible object, 344.

and cauBBllon. 102

Archimedea. 343-4

mutual, between materiality

Aristotle. 135, 174-5. 227-8, 314,

and Intellectual Ity. 187. 20B-7

and progreBa, 101-2

Arrow of Zeno. 308-18

Spinoza, 363

ascent toward God. In Aris-

Adleotlvea. substantives and

totle. 323

verb*. S03-4, 315

Astronomy, ancient and mod-

em, 334-6

Affection, Role or, In the Idea of

In the Idea ot nought. aSl-»,

becoming In, 313-4, 3IT

Ms, 29s. 295. 296

bow and Indivisibility of mo-

In nepatlon. SSll-7

tion. J 08- 9

AfflrmaUon and negation. ZIS-S.

Caelo (De), of Aristotle. 322

nolo, 314 note

Age and Individuality, le-fl

and Cartesian geometrj-, 334-6

Albuminoid Bubntnnees. 121-3

causality In. 323, 326-6

Alclopo, 96

Alexandrian phUoaophy. 32!. »iS

AJgae In UluBlrallon ot probable

cinematograph leal nature of.

circularity of God'a thought.

Alimentation. llS-4, 117. 24T

Allegory of the Cave, 191

concentric sphere*. 828

AltemaUons of Increase and de-

concepts. 326-7, 35G

crease of mutability of tbs

■■conversion" and "procanlon"

universe, 146-6

Alveolar froth, S3-*

degradaUon of Ideas Into sensi-

Ambiguity of tha Idea of ■'sen-

ble flui. 317-8, 321, 323-4, tlT.

•rallty" in phlloBophy. 230-1,

J20-I

degrees of reality, 123-4. 837

of primitive Brganisms. it. 112.

Ammoplilla hlrauta. paralyzing

of Ideas, etc.

Insllnet In. 173

duration, 317-9 note, 333-4, 32T-

Amoeba. In IlluaUatlon of Imita-

tion ot the living by tbe un-

organlEed, St-6

Bnneads of Plollnus. 210 natt

In Illustration of the ambiguity

easenee and accident. 364

of prlmldve organ Isma. 99

essence or form, 3M-S

In illuBtratlon ot the mobility

eternal, 317-8, 324-S

characteristic of animals. 103

Eternity. 811-g, 320. 334. S3)

In Illustration of the "explo-

■Ive- eipendltu™ ot energy

eilenslon. 210 note. 818, 811.

charactBrlstlc of »nlmalB.

form or Idea. 314-30. 382. 337.

329.lt, 353

^^^^^^K Anarchy. Idea of. 233. 334. Sea

^^^^^H DlMTdAT

ident PhlloBophr, (Continued)
a of Aristotle, IRS-T. 312-4,
319, 362, SKS
SXl), 86S

Idea. 311-22. 3bl-3 and Indlvlslbltlty ot motion,

3D7-8, 311
intelllElble reality In, 3S6
lnteUlglMes ot Plotlnui, 363
)ldJ-0», °t Plotlnua, 210 not*

phy. 31S, 327

and modem geometry, 333-4 and modern phlloagpliy, 22 6 -T.

349-Gl. 364. 369 and modem science, 329-30,

Don-beIng, 316. 337
« TZOCtlTlKOS, 322
oacUlatlon about being, senBlbte
reality as. 317-S
fnyalcB ot Arlatotle, 227-8 note,
324 note, 33D-I
Plato. 48, 156, 131. 210 note,
316-3. 321-t, 327, 330. 348. 349
Plotlnua. 21D. 316. 333. 326 note,
349, 352-1
procession In Alexandrian phl-

loiopliy. 323
ibvTJ), 210 «o(s, 360
realism In. 232

n of Idea through mat-
ter or non-being. 317
■ecllonlng of becoming, 31S-B
sensible reality, 314. 3I6-t, 321,
327-9, 362-3

21. 126. 129. 131-2. 1
g, 139, 179, 184-6
AnlmalB, 106-47. 167, 170. 181. 133.
I ST, 212. 114, 216. 251, 263,
264. 262-5, 267, 271, 2B3, 301

deduction In, 212

Induction in. 211

and man, 139-43, 183, 137, IH, 213, 263. 261, 267

respect to brain,
133. 181-5. 263-5
nd man In respect to COQ-
Hclousness, 139-13. 180. 133,
187. ISS, 192, 212. 263-8

mathemattcKl order, 218. 5s«

Archimedes. SIS -4

Arlatotte. See Ancient Philoso- phy, Arialotle

Arrow, Flying, of Zeno. SOR->, 310. 312-3

Art, «-7, 39 nole, 4K. 89. 177

Artemla Sallna, trBnsfoniia.tlona

t>I.

ArthropodB In i

11! Artlculats speclea. 1SS

of I

I time. 332-3 Artificial, how fa

InBtruments. 138, 139. 140-

Artist. In Illustration of tlie c

ttveneaB of duration, 340-

Ascendlng coHmlc movement.

203, 2te. 369

' Ascent toward God. In Arlat

Buoclatton

259, 260. See Socie-
ties
Aitninomy and deduction. 213
and the Inert order, 224
modem. In reference to nnclent
Kicnce. 334-6
Atmosphere of spatial Ity bsthlnr

IntelllEence. 204
Atom. 240. 364. IGG
as an Intellc
ter. 20S 2E0

movement, etc.. Automatism. 12T. ItS-

Baclcground of Instinct and Intel-
ligence, consciousness as. IM
Backward -looklnE attitude of ths

Intellect. 47, 48. 237
Baldwin. J. M.. 27 nolo
Ballast of Intelligence, 153. 331).

239. 369-70
Bastlan. 21! note
Bateson. 63

9 of, falsely so called. 1(4.
247-8. 273, 298-3D1, 307-B
In the successors of Ksint, SSS.
See Change, wew, Duration.
Time, Views o( reality
Bees. 101. 140, 142, 146, 166. 171
Beethoven. 334
Berth old,

Beth«

Sw

Attention. 3, 148-B. 1E4, ISI. 20t
discontinuity of, 3
In man and In lower animals,

St 1 net. Tension as Inverted
eirtenslon. Tension of pernon-
ellty. Sympathellc apT)recla-
tlon. etc.. Relaxation and In-
tellect

Attraction and Impulsion In Greek philosophy. 32S. 334

Attribute and subject, 143

Automatic activity. 146
as Instrument Of voluntary. iSt
order, 224. 231-4. Bea NcgatlTe

Bifurcations of tendency. 54.

Divergent lines of evolution Biology, 12, !S. 26. 31-2. 43, 161-

evolutionist. 16S-9

and philosophy. 43. 194-6

and physico -chemistry. 36

Blaringhem, 85

Bodies. 156, 1S8, 189, SOO-1, 360.

tlon of the unextended Into

defined as bundles of qualities.

Bola-Revmond (Du). 38 ,246

oclal instincts fn, ITl

Bomblnc

Bow, strain of. Illustrating Indl- vlalblllly of motion, 3011-10

Nervoufl ajrstem ClrcumstancM tContlnuedt

CortBlnty o( Induellon, 3IS, ifig, ijo-l. 193, 19*. 151. UC

„ ^" , ^. ^ '" '*!»"'"' to special ln.tlncta.

Chance snaloROUS to aiaorder. IBS 168 193

233, m. Sec AflecHon classes ot words corre-Dondloi

In evolution. 36-7. 104. lll-B, to the Ihreo kinds ot repre-

126. 169-70, 171, 252, 254, 255. sentatlon 303-4

2«S, 2S7, 826-7. Sea Indeter- Claualus, 241

mlnatlon Clearneai chBracteriallc of intel-

ChanBe, I, 7-8. IS, S5-)t, 24B. 275, [get, IflO

iin. 3ia-v. 34d-4, BM-tt j||e unorganlKed, 190. l»g-»

Charactl"' ino"l."B.'"99"lOO "'.rf ','"*«'"JL Intellect a> U

Charrln. 81 ^oU , \?- 'S!,

'''78""lTi m m' 280 "■ "■ "' S'and'wUUns. 237

Cht,"-."t:m'.ltff;,l47.8 "" "", "!»' -"■-«<'""'•'" f

adolescence of, in Illustration J^^ '"""« °' duraUon, 193-

of evolutionary becoming, „.i . . ., . . 3^l.j Coleopter, Inallncl In, lie

al theory. J6B, 2S0
es. microbial. IBS
variation in lizards, 73, 7*
CominE and going of the mind
between the without and tlM
within Elves rise to the ld««i
ot "Nothing," 279
between nature and mind, the

Chipped

[n paleontology,

Chlorophyll Ian function, 107-9,

114, 117, 246, 253 Choice, 110. 125, 143-B. ITS, ISO,

Chrysalis, 114 note
Cinematograph. 306-7, 339-40
Cinematograph leal character ot
ancient philosophy, 315-6
of Intellectual linowledKe, 306,

ctuHlist

phi-

losophy.

vicious. In the Intu Itlonal method Is only apparent. 193,

Circulation, protoplaamic. iml-
Uted, 31-3
tn plants and animals, IPB

Circumstances In the determina-
tion of evolution. 101-g. III-
•, 133, Its, 142. IGO-L, 1«T,

Comparison of ancient phliosophy
with modem. 226. 318-9, 331
328-9, 345-6. S49-E1, 3S3-4.
3£6

Compenet ration, 363-3. Bee In- terpenetratlon

Complementarity of fomu
evolved, ill, xlii, fit, lOl. 103.
113. 116-7, 136, 136, 164, 155
of Instinct and Intelligence, 14*,
173. See OptMslllon of In-
stinct and Intelllrence
Of Intuition and intellect. 343,

In the powers of life. 49. 96-1,
140-3, 177, 178-9, 183-5. 339.
243, 354. 343
of science end metaphj-slcs. 344,

Complexity of the order of nuttll- emalica, 208-10, ZIT. 361

Conatrnctlon (Oontinittd)
tellact, 163-1
aa the method of Kant'

Creation (Continued)
See Materiality the
□r spirituality
of present by past, E, lO-S, 17.

order as. E30

'olutlOQ. 7. 15. II. ZT,

29. 36, 37, aa, 100, 104-B, 111.

Creatlveness ot free action, 1)1,

of Invention, 260

Creeplne plants In Illu:

vegetable niobllily, IDS
Cricket victim of paralyzing In-
stinct o( spliex, 173
Criterion, quest ot a. 63 ff.

of evolutionary rank. 133. 28S
Criticism, Kantian, 205. 287 not«,
356. 360-2
of knotvledge. 194-E

through becoming by Intellect, 311. Bee Views of

through matter by perception.

of vital tendency. Bl.
G2. 54. 110. 126
CrUBtacea, 19, 111. 129-30
Crystal Illustrating (by contnst)
Individuation. 13
:, 7B note
Culminating points of evolution-

Creation, It, T, It, 12, 22. 29, 30. Cuvler. 126 note 15. 13. 100, 101. 103, 105, lOS.

114. 128-31, 161, 163-1. 178. Dantec (L«). IS note, 81 not*

200, 217. 218, 223, 226, 230. 237- Darwin, 63-5, 66, 72. lOg, 170 not*

10. 261. 270. 276, 339-40 Darwinism. 56, gS, SC

in Desoartes's philosophy, 315 Dastre. 36 note

. 218-9 Dead, the. Is the object Of IQ-

Duration xlv note, 2, 4-S,

abHolulenens ot, 205

and deduction. 213

in Descartes 's philosophy, S4C

IndlvlBlbilily of. 8. 308-9 and Induction. 315

as spatlality. 203, 207-8. 244. rhythm of, U, 138, 346. Sta

250 Creation. Evolution, Invui-

Dlvereent lines of evolution, xf!, tlon. Time, Unforeieeable-

E4, 55. ST. 97-101. 103-4, 106, ness. Uniqueness

130 132, 134-6. 142, 149, 150, B:chlnodenns In reference to anl-

168 173. 181, 254, 256. 266, 267. ""'I mobility. 130. 131

a— DIssoclaUon of tenden- Efficient cause in conception of

cles. Complementarity, etc.. chance. 234 i