Creative Evolution

By: Henri Bergson

Narrated by: Michael Lunts

Henri Bergson’s highly influential book, ‘Creative Evolution’ (‘Evolution Creatrice’, 1907) established a theory of evolution - called ‘Creative Evolution Theory’ - which gained a considerable following in the first half of the 20th Century. It also helped the author to win the Nobel Prize in 1927 for his work investigating the origins of biological information and divergence in the evolutionary process.

In this work, Bergson seeks an alternative explanation as to how new forms of life emerge compared to those prevailing at the time. This included both the ‘mechanistic’ or deterministic explanations of biological science on the one hand, and on the other the ‘finalist’ or strictly teleological explanation of those who believed in the hand of a ‘Creator’ or God, coordinating life in a divine plan.

Creative Evolution proposes a third explanation in what Bergson calls élan vital’ or ‘vital impetus’, a force that infuses all matter and drives it forward into an ever-changing and infinite variety of living forms. This appears as a vital impetus that can also be related to humanity’s own creative life force. Bergson’s book builds on his ‘Theory of Time’ as set forth in works such as ‘Matter and Memory’ and ‘Time and Free Will’. In these works, and in the present volume, Bergson sees continuous ‘duration’ as real time, as opposed to the way in which time is divided up into measured units by the ‘organising’ mind of science.

Life, as we really experience it, is subject to constant change and our tendency to explain evolutionary change by looking only at ‘ends’ achieved rather than the processes by which they emerge, divorces us from the life force itself.

Instead, Bergson feels we need to reengage with our instincts as well as with our intelligence in order to understand the evolutionary process, as both co-exist to some extent within us, all forms of life having a common origin in that instinctual, innate knowledge of simpler life forms. Though these may be unconscious or semi-conscious, they are, in Bergson’s view, much more in touch with the ever-changing nature of real time than the analytical and rational knowledge of our species

As he writes: “Our thought, in its purely logical form, is incapable of presenting the true nature of life, the full meaning of the evolutionary movement. Created by life, in definite circumstances, to act on definite things, how can it embrace life, of which it is only an emanation or an aspect?”

It is to attempt an answer to this question that ‘Creative Evolution’ directs its attention.©1907 Public Domain - Translation by Arthur Mitchell (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd

I recommend this recording of the book, not the other one!

This is an excellent recording, in every way, of Bergson's Creative Evolution. It is a relief to finally have a reading performance that is worthy of the book. The reader is clear, sounds erudite, and pronounces words correctly. He sounds like a reader who understands the text he is reading.

All of this is in contrast to the Ellis Freeman recording that has been available for the last few years. It's only virtues have been that it was previously the only recording available of the book, The Freeman recording is technically clear, and they recorded the whole book. On the other hand, their recording is probably the worst reading performance I have heard amoung the hundreds of Audible titles I own or listened to. Freeman's performance has been a puzzle to me since the first time I bought it. The reader misprounces even common words, as well as historical and rare ones. Freeman sounds as though they don't understand what is being read. There is a weird lilting rhythm to their voice that would typically be interpreted as being used for a humorous book, which Creative Evolution is not. I'm inclined to believe that it was a way of getting though making the recording and that Ukemi did no quality control.

A while back I bought the Freeman recording a second time just so I could listen to the book and have it around for multiple listens of an excellent piece of philosophy from a Nobel Prize winning author. I don't mean to pile on to the earlier recording. It has been frustrating. I wanted to like it because I wanted a good recording of Bergson's. book. Also, I found Freeman's voice to be pleasant and to ring of joy. But the performance has the defects I describe above.

I am relieved by this wonderful new recording by Michael Lunts. I'm making time to urge members to get it and steer clear of the earlier recording.

I even deleted the Freeman recording out of my library because there is no longer any reason for it to be there.