43 6 CONCLUSION. 



in the language of chapter vIII., when the individual 

 has become a perfect Individual, and has been deve- 

 loped to the utmost of his powers, and Is In perfect 

 harmony with and completely adapted to the whole 

 of his environment. 



This attainment of the end of the world-process 

 may be described by the most various formulas, for 

 It would represent the perfection of all the varied 

 activities of the process. We may call it in the 

 language of physics a state of perfect equilibrium, 

 or in that of biology, a perfect life or adaptation to 

 environment, or In that of sociology, the perfection 

 of the Individual In the perfection of society ; or 

 again, we may describe It psychologically as perfect 

 happiness, goodness, knowledge and beauty. 



But though it Is the perfection and aim of all 

 the activities of life. It is yet contrasted with them 

 by its metaphysical character. For It would be 

 opposed to the changing Becoming of our world of 

 Time as a changeless and eternal state of Being. In 

 it Becoming would be no longer possible, for all 

 would be all they could be ; the actual and the 

 potential would be co-extensive, for all would have 

 realized their highest Ideals. And as all would be 

 in perfect equilibrium, perfectly adapted to their 

 environment, and In perfect correspondence with It, 

 there could be no more chancfe : neither within nor 

 without the universe would there be left a cause of 

 disturbance or change. 



Nor would there be any more Time, for Time, 

 as we saw (ch. ix. § 1 1), was but the measure of the 

 impermanence of the Imperfectly- adjusted, and so 

 it would pass away together with the changes by 

 which alone it could be estimated. For without 

 consciousness of change there can be no conscious- 



