Elan Vital

“Elan vital” is a French term for “vital impetus” which pertains to a hypothetical explanation of organisms’ development and evolution. This was coined by Henri Bergson, a French philosopher, in 1907 with his book, “Creative Evolution”. Bergson believed that beings have the innate impulse to live which propels them to develop characteristics which can help them adapt to a changing world, a vital force towards progress.