66 The Triunity of Man [CH. 



Itself creative, it seeks expansion in its creation an 

 expansion that involves others. All creation of the en- 

 vironment of others is fatherhood, in so far as it is con- 

 scious. 



Human fatherhood is thus still closely associated with 

 mere reproduction, which is the preeminent, though by 

 no means the sole manifestation of the creative activity 

 of animals, as we have seen 1 . Among animals parent- 

 hood and the creation of environmental conditions for 

 others are alike processes the significance of which is not 

 realised. They are unconscious. Human fatherhood 

 goes far beyond either mere parenthood or mere uncon- 

 scious influence over the destinies of others. It entails 

 knowledge and will; and further it consciously creates 

 an environment that is spiritual. This creation all men 

 and women worthy of the name feel to be the most im- 

 portant of all their activities, however feebly they may 

 fulfil it. Man is a centre of will and thought, and by 

 this will and thought he originates. 



In time and matter, then, man is active with the 

 particular kind of activity we call creative. This crea- 

 tive activity, whatever its apparent lowly origin in the 

 satisfaction of desire, whether reproductive or other, 

 without thought or understanding of its consequences 

 for others, becomes definitely and consciously purposive 

 in the higher stages. The fact that the environment of 

 others will be affected is understood, and in a large 

 measure, even in man as he is now, this furnishes the 

 motive of action. 



We see then that creative activity is always intimately 

 connected with other beings, and comes eventually to 

 realise its own motive as thought and as love. Its final 

 purpose, we have found 2 , is interpenetration and union, 

 the sharing of experience; for towards this man is 



1 Evolution and the Need of Atonement, ch. i. 

 * Evolution and Spiritual Life. 



