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THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
& conscious being, so that its employment as a term expressive of pure force cannot but lead to confusion
If we analyse the idea of necessity which attaches itself to things, we observe it falling into two categories. First comes the class in which it is only functional, as in the above instances. But the second includes all those cases of necessity where it is not functional, but a something, a check or restraint, imposed by environment and circumstances, external to the organism, or nature. It is in the second class of necessity that the idea of restraint is located, for that which is functional can hardly be called a restraint. Hence, the ego, conceived as pure flux, i.e., duration, must be regarded as free. Pure duration is, however, determined by its very nature to endure, which amounts to saying that it cannot refuse to do so. Here is the triumph of determinism again which Bergson justly dreads.
The highest conception of freedom is conceivable only in connection with God, and yet even He is predetermined to certain acts, 2.9., He must exist, because existence is His nature. Man can and may commit suicide, but this does not appear to be a prerogative of the Deity. But, since the performance of an act to which one is predetermined by nature is not the cause of pain, rather, on the contrary, is its free performance a source of ease and joy, we do not regard it as a restraint on freedom. Besides, volition always seeks pleasure as its motive, and the highest form of pleasure is compatible only with the performance of action which is most agreeable to one's nature, Freedom, then, may be said to remain unaffected by the performance of action in agreement with one's nature. In so far, then, as the ego acts, it may be said to be free, for all activity is the manifestation of will, and will is determined to activity by its very nature.
Again, inasmuch as all acts are performed by will, we may go further and say that every act is a free act on the part of will. We must, however, bear in mind the distinction between deliberation and acting. The resolve to act and the actual performance of the act, howsoever strictly in accord with the resolve, are two different things, since in the former freedom is more illusory than real. If one is free to resolve in any way, why deliberate at all? Deliberation is mainly directed towards individual advantage, and, of all the
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