ii6 HOLISM AND EVOLUTION chap. 



factor in organic activity and development intelligible. The 

 current view of structure restricts it entirely to the past 

 and explains it as a product of the past, and therefore fails 

 to give a complete view of it. It is unnecessary at this stage 

 to explore other factors in the field of organism, as we 

 shall have to make further use of the concept of the field 

 when we come to consider the principles of organic Evolu- 

 tion in Chapter VIII. Enough has been said to show that 

 in biology, perhaps even more than in physics, the concept 

 may prove helpful in the elucidation of phenomena which it 

 is almost impossible to explain on the narrow and confined 

 basis of the existing organic concepts. 



In explaining the important topics with which this chap- 

 ter deals I do not know in how far I have succeeded in mak- 

 ing my meaning clear. Nor do I feel sure that the ideas 

 here developed have been presented in their best or final 

 form. It is quite possible that in more expert hands they 

 may prove capable of better statement and more skilful 

 development. I trust, however, that what seems unclear 

 and doubtful at this stage will become both intelligible and 

 acceptable in the following chapters, where the concepts of 

 this chapter will be further developed and applied in the 

 explanation of organic and psychic Evolution. 



Let me conclude with a word on nomenclature, intended 

 to prevent ambiguity and misconception in the sequel. Ac- 

 cording to the view expounded in this chapter the whole 

 in each individual case is the centre and creative source 

 of reality. It is the real factor from which the rest in each 

 case follows. But there is an infinity of such wholes com- 

 prising all the grades of existence in the universe; and it 

 becomes necessary to have a general term which will include 

 and cover all wholes as such under one concept. For this 

 the term Holism has been coined; Holism thus comprises 

 all wholes in the universe. It is thus both a concept and a 

 factor: a concept as standing for all wholes, a factor 

 because the wholes it denotes are the real factors in the uni- 

 verse. We speak of matter as including all particles of 

 matter in the universe: in the same way we shall speak of 



