Bergson, Matter, Evolution

Because Elan Vital is the monistic Spiritual principle of Bergson's system, he is challenged to explain the derivation and the status in the system of Matter. In many places, he characterizes Matter as degraded Spirit, a sedimentary product of the relaxation of Elan vital. But, in others, he presents it as an obstacle to Spirit, the overcoming of which by the latter produces organized Material structures. This ambivalence bears significantly on his concept of 'evolution'. If Matter is degraded Spirit, then the impetus of evolution is towards purer Spirituality. But, if Matter is complicit with Spirit in the generation of more comprehensive vital processes, manifested by more complex physical structures, then evolution is the drive towards higher combined Spirituality and Materiality. His attribution of evolutionary superiority to humans in nature, qua unique bearers of Spirit, further expresses his ambivalence regarding the status of Matter--he leaves it unclear whether or not he considers human Materiality to be essential to that superiority.