Creative Evolution
Creative Evolution, published in French in 1907 and in Arthur Mitchell's English translation in 1911, is the book that made Henri Bergson the most famous philosopher of his time. Accepting that life has evolved, he rejects both the mechanist account, in which everything follows from prior causes, and the finalist account, in which everything serves a plan, and proposes instead an original impulse of life, the élan vital, that pushes forward unpredictably along the diverging lines of plants, insects and vertebrates. From this he develops a theory of intellect as a tool shaped for action and of intuition as the faculty that grasps duration and change. The prose is lucid and the images memorable. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about Creative Evolution
Creative Evolution by Henri Bergson can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read Creative Evolution online?
Yes. Creative Evolution opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is Creative Evolution free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of Creative Evolution is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is Creative Evolution in the public domain?
Yes. Creative Evolution by Henri Bergson is a public-domain work, here in the translation by Arthur Mitchell. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read Creative Evolution?
About 9 h 27 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is Creative Evolution?
Creative Evolution by Henri Bergson is filed under "Philosophy" in the Vinteuil library.
