Elan Vital (Noun)
Meaning
(biology) a hypothetical force (not physical or chemical) once thought by Henri Bergson to cause the evolution and development of organisms.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural phenomena.
Examples
- Henri Bergson's concept of elan vital was a driving force behind his philosophical views on evolution and the nature of life.
- The idea of elan vital was widely debated in the scientific community during the early 20th century, with many biologists rejecting it as unproven.
- Bergson's elan vital was seen as a vital force that propelled organisms towards greater complexity and diversity.
- Although the concept of elan vital has largely been discredited, it remains an interesting footnote in the history of biological thought.
- The elan vital, as proposed by Bergson, was a mysterious energy that guided the development of living organisms in a way that could not be explained by physical or chemical laws.