94 CREATIVE EVOLUTION 



this theory may take, supposing it avails at all to 

 explain the detail of the parts, it throws no light on 

 their correlation. 



Then comes the doctrine of finality, which says that 

 the parts have been brought together on a preconceived 

 plan with a view to a certain end. In this it likens the 

 labour of nature to that of the workman, who also 

 proceeds by the assemblage of parts with a view to the 

 realization of an idea or the imitation of a model. 

 Mechanism, here, reproaches finalism with its anthropo 

 morphic character, and rightly. But it fails to see that 

 itself proceeds according to this method somewhat 

 mutilated ! True, it has got rid of the end pursued 

 or the ideal model. But it also holds that nature has 

 worked like a human being by bringing parts together, 

 while a mere glance at the development of an embryo 

 shows that life goes to work in a very different way. 

 Life does not proceed by the association and addition of 

 elements^ but by dissociation and division. 



We must get beyond both points of view, both 

 mechanism and finalism being, at bottom, only stand 

 points to which the human mind has been led by 

 considering the work of man. But in what direction 

 can we go beyond them ? We have said that in 

 analysing the structure of an organ, we can go on 

 decomposing for ever, although the function of the 

 whole is a simple thing. This contrast between the 

 infinite complexity of the organ and the extreme 

 simplicity of the function is what should open our eyes. 



In general, when the same object appears in one 

 aspect as simple and in another as infinitely complex, 

 the two aspects have by no means the same importance, 

 or rather the same degree of reality. In such cases, the 

 simplicity belongs to the object itself, and the infinite 



