An individual entity is that which acts and feels as one. To feel in this context means to take account of the environment such that the individual is, at least in part, constituted by such taking account. An electron is an example of an individual entity. An electron at one end of the universe is said to be influenced by an electron at the other end of the universe. This means each is part of a network and each takes account of the other. There is no real sense any longer in which an electron can be regarded as a particle or substance that exists in itself quite independent of other entities.

Another excerpt from Charles Birch’s essay, “Why I became a Panexperientialist.”

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Art by Robert Scott Gilson

Tags:biologycharles birchpanexperientialsimprocess philosophysciencewhitehead