HOLISM AND EVOLUTION BY GENERAL THE RIGHT HON. J. ,C. SMUTS :IlllRD EDJ:IJD.JV MACMILLAN AND CO., LIM ITED ST. MAR TIN'S STREET, LONDON I936 · .. B.L.No.64. Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research Library, S t'\\.) I~OO MUKTESAR. rJ Class. SC..ience,,' in General. Register No. .3062 n.oom ·Np. Inward No. 268& ~ Shelf No. Received. 21-12-1936 Book No. :I'd G I1W-S7-I II ·6.1'22-6·12·32-2CO• .~ HOLISM AND EVOLUTION MACMILLAN AND COo, LIMITED LONDON 0 BOMBAY 0 CALCUTTA 0 MADRAS MELBOURN°E THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK. 0 BOSTON 0 CHICACO , DALLAS 0 ATLANTA 0 SAN FRANCISCO THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED TOIWNTO COPYRIGHT First Edition I9.6 Second Edition. '9'7 Third Edition . I936 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN To 'YS16p.oov dE1 ,,'rOVEl' ~"ov· WO'T€ O~7'£ olJalav olYr€ ,,'v£a,v cOs oJuav 8e, 1Tpouayopw£Lv 'TO ~Aov lv "o's oJu, p.~ ..,OlV1"a. "That which comes to be always does so as a whole; so that if a man does not count the whole among realities he ought not to speak of substance or of coming-to-be as real. "-Plato, Sophist (p. 245 d). PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION THE second edition of this book has been out of print for some time, but the demand for it continues. In spite there­ fore of some hesitation on my part, I have accepted the invitation of my publishers to issue a third edition. After all, the book has broken new ground. It has added a new word to the dictionary, and definitely opened up a new viewpoint both in science and philosophy which many have considered important. My own impression is that the deepest need of our time both in human affairs and in know­ ledge is indicated by the concept of Holism. If therefore the public demand for the book continues ~t would be unfair to deprive others of the opportunity to read it. My hesitation has been due to the .feeling that some parts of the book call for a revision, for which, however-, I cannot find time at present. Th~ advances especially in the physical and biological sciences during the last ten years, since the first edition in 1926, have been so important that parts of the earlier chapters are no longer up to date. As I have not­ been able to do the necessary revision, I have had to content myself, with verbal alterations and the omission of redundant passages. The exposition of Holism itself remains unaltered, as my view of the general theory has not substantially changed. I t has not been possible to deal with criticisms or to attempt more detailed exploration. I still look forward to the time (I confess less hopefully) when I shall have some leisure to do fuller justice both to the general theory and to its important applications to the higher concerns of the human race. Our race and our civilisation are to-day confronted with the alternatives of integration or disinte­ gration. And Holism points the way to the former as against the latter alternative. It therefore supplies a clue Vll Vlll PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION not only for philosophy but also for a programme of action. My practical business in life has been concerned more with the action than with the philosophy of Holism. But such' is the ultimate influence of thought on action that the philo­ sophy may yet prove no less important than the programme of action which the dire necessities of our time so urgently call for. J. C. SMUTS. PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION THIS work deals with some of the problems which fall within the debatable borderland between Science and Philosophy. It is a book neither of Science nor of Philo­ sophy, but of some points of contact between the two. To my mind it is the surface of contact between the two that will prove fruitful and creative for future progress in both, and to which special attention should be directed. Some border problems between the two are here considered in the light of recent advances in physical and biological science. And a re-examination of fundamental concepts in the light of these advances reveals the existence of a hitherto neglected feature of a very important character. This feature, called Holism in the sequel, underlies the synthetic tendency in the universe, and is the principle which makes for the origin and progress of wholes in the universe. An attempt is made to show that this whole-making or holistic tendency is fundamental in nature, that it has a well-marked ascertainable character, and that Evolution is nothing but the gradual development and stratification of progressive series of wholes, stretching from the inorganic beginnings to the highest levels of spiritual creation. This work deals with our primary concepts of matter, life, mind and person­ ality in the light of this principle, and discusses'some of the problems of Evolution from this new point of view. The discussion is not technical, specialist or exhaustive in any sense. It is intended to sketch an'cl explain the general lines of argument rather than to go into details. It is especially the fundamental concept of Holism which I wish to explain and justify, as well as the scientific and philosophic view­ point to which it leads .. The detailed elaboration must be left to more compet~nt hands and to those favoured with ix x PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION more leisure than I can find in a busy public life. I have tried to sketch the general lines of reasoning in a way which, while I hope scientifically accurate so fa~ as they go, are yet popular enough to be readily understood by readers with a fair average reading in general science. It is my belief that Holism and the holistic point of view will prove important in their bearings on some of the main problems of science and philosophy, ethics, art and allied subjects. These bearings are, however, not fully discussed in this work, which is more of the nature of an introduction, and is concerned more with the laying of foundations. than With the superstructure. I have no time at present to do more than write an introductory sketch; but I hope in the years to come to find time to follow up the subject and to show how it affects the higher spiritual interests of mankind. The old concepts and formulas are no longer adequate to express our modern outlook. The old bottles will no longer hold the new wine. The spiritual temple of the future, while it will be built largely of the old well-proJZ.ed materials, will require new and ampler foundations in the light of the immense extension of our intellectual horizons.' This little book indicates the lines along which my own mind has travelled in the search for new and more satisfactory concepts. A generation ago, when I was an undergraduate at Cam­ bridge, the subject of Personality interested me greatly, and I wrote a short study on "Walt Whitman: a Study in the Evolution of Personality," in order to embody the results I had arrived at. This study was never published, but the subject continued at odd intervals to engage my attention. Gradually I caPle to realise that Personality was only a special case of a much more universal phenomenon, namely, the existence of wholes and the tendency towards wholes and wholeness in nature. In 1910 I sought relief from heavy political labours in an attempt to embody my new results in a study called" An Inquiry into the Whole," which also was not published. I had no· time to return to the subject until, in 1924, a change of government released me from burdens which I had continuously borne for more PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION xi than eighteen years. When I came to read once more the MS. of fourteen years earlier I found much of the scientific setting out of date and I found my conception of Holism had also altered in certain respects. I therefore decided once more to make a fr.esh start with my study of wholes and Holism in nature. The present work is the first-fruits of this fresh effort. The aspects and bearings of Holism in which I am mainly interested are not yet reached in this study, which, as I have said, is of an introductory character.· But I feel that unless I now make a determined attempt to pre­ pare at least a part of my inquiry for publication, it will in all probability never get beyond the incubation stage in which it has remained so many years. This I would person­ ally regret, as I think that in Holism we have an idea which may perhaps prove valuable and fruitful, and which for better or worse should be lifted out of the obscurity in which it has so long remained in my mind. Whether my partiality for the idea, which has been my companion throughout a crowded life, will be shared by others, time alone will show. The work has unfortunately had to be written in some­ what of a hurry and amid the pressure of many other calls on my time. Nor in writing it have I had the advantage of consulting any expert friends on details. This must be my excuse for any incidental mistakes or slips which may be found in it. J. C. SMUTS. Irene, Transvaal, September 1925. CONTENTS. PAGE PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION vii PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION ix I.