Chapter II develops Henri Bergson’s view of life as a forward-moving force shaped not by mechanical causality but by inner momentum toward novelty and transformation. Progress, in this sense, is not driven by repetition or the weight of the past but by the draw of the future—what has not yet been realized but continually emerges. This movement is not random; it follows a rhythm of creative experimentation and accumulation of past experiences, always pressing toward complexity and consciousness. Such a view places life on a path that naturally inclines toward higher forms of expression, not only biologically but also morally and socially. Rather than being static or neutral, life carries with it an implicit orientation—a kind of inner tension that propels it forward in meaning and structure. Bergson’s framework is not indifferent to ethics; it suggests that creativity itself invites responsibility.

The charge that Bergson’s outlook leans too heavily on emotion or is romantically idealistic misunderstands its core structure. He does not elevate feeling above reason or intuition above intellect; instead, he shows how both are essential. Intuition is the mode by which we grasp life’s flowing continuity, while intellect organizes and clarifies that experience. These faculties are not rivals but collaborators, each unlocking a different dimension of reality. Rational analysis offers structure, but intuition gives depth and movement. Together, they form a more complete map of existence—one capable of responding to life’s unfolding nature. From this union emerges a fresh perspective on morality, where ethical principles are not fixed commands but evolving responses to a changing world. Morality, then, becomes a form of creativity—an ongoing act of invention rather than a compliance with rules.

Bergson’s conception of morality challenges rigid frameworks by suggesting that ethical action must evolve with the life it seeks to guide. What is moral in one age may become restrictive in another, not due to relativism but because life itself has moved forward. In his view, moral principles cannot be imposed from outside; they must grow organically out of a shared experience of life’s possibilities. This dynamic understanding does not lessen the importance of moral reflection—it deepens it. Each choice becomes a creative act, one that must be continually reevaluated in light of new conditions and greater awareness. Bergson invites us to think of ethics not as a constraint, but as a canvas on which life paints its unfolding values.

In a world where stagnation is impossible, morality must remain alive to remain relevant. Bergson sees life as an open-ended process, and any moral system that attempts finality risks cutting itself off from that movement. Creative evolution offers a model for how human values might adapt—not by abandoning principle, but by refining it in step with the complexity of experience. This vision of ethics asks more of us, not less. It insists on attentiveness, on responsiveness, on the courage to change. In such a framework, to live well is not simply to obey—it is to participate actively in the shaping of a more meaningful world.

To Bergson, then, creativity is not just an aesthetic or personal ideal—it is an ethical imperative. Every act of thought, feeling, and choice contributes to the direction of life’s movement. That contribution matters. Our awareness of this potential gives rise to a sense of duty—not because it is imposed, but because it is recognized from within. The universe, viewed through Bergson’s lens, is not a cold mechanism but a living, breathing flow of becoming. In such a cosmos, morality arises not in spite of change, but because of it. Life, in pushing forward, calls upon us to shape what comes next.

Ultimately, Bergson’s moral vision is one of deep engagement. It resists the rigidity of fixed dogma and the looseness of pure relativism, offering instead a path where principle and flexibility coexist. It is a vision that respects tradition but does not worship it, that learns from the past but answers to the present. In his framework, the most moral act is one that aligns with the deeper movement of life itself—creative, responsive, and awake. Such an ethic is not only possible; it is necessary for a world that is never finished, always beginning again. Through this, Bergson gives us not only a philosophy of life but a way to live with greater imagination, clarity, and care.