2 50 HOLISM AND EVOLUTION chap. 



movements is greatly enlarged and intensified, until we see 

 the sureness and delicacy of the instinctive reactions which 

 characterise all Mind in its subconscious levels. It is, how- 

 ever, when consciousness appears that an immense accession 

 to this power of control is brought about. Consciousness, as 

 we have seen, is a power of illuminating objects in the field of 

 experience. The organism through this power of illumina- 

 tion can gradually arrive at a fair knowledge of its sur- 

 roundings in so far as they are harmful or beneficial to it. 

 Its power of selection is thus more surely guided, and it 

 learns to know accurately and easily what to avoid and what 

 to welcome. When the human level is reached a revolution 

 in the conditions of knowledge is effected. The human 

 mind can make its own combinations and correlations from 

 the materials with which it finds itself surrounded. It 

 can, therefore, in a large sense make or mould its own en- 

 vironmental conditions, and thus eliminate or neutralise hos- 

 tile influences and reinforce favourable conditions. This is 

 already the case on the empirical level of knowledge; it is 

 far more the case where the empirical stage has been passed 

 and the developed scientific stage has been reached. Here 

 the mind does not wait on events, but moulds and creates 

 events through its control of the appropriate conditions. In 

 this way the development of the several sciences has meant 

 continuous increase, not only of knowledge, but of real power 

 over the material and other conditions of life. Here again 

 Mind the Organiser or Correlator has shown its creative 

 power in shaping the conditions which surround its activity. 

 Instead of being the slave of these conditions it gains a more 

 or less complete mastery over them. It can at will bring 

 about those combinations and selections which will assist 

 or further its purpose, and it can, through selective manipu- 

 lation of the surrounding conditions, neutralise or cancel out 

 any which are unfavourable to the execution of its aims. 

 Knowledge thus becomes an efficient instrument of the 

 will; and where the will itself is nobly trained, guided 

 and controlled, the individual acquires and wields an 

 almost unlimited power for Good. Thus is freedom at last 



