Chen, Shih-Chuan. “Whitehead and the Book of Changes.” [Presented at the Whitehead and China in the New Millennium Conference. Beijing, China: June 17-20, 2000]

Abstract

Alfred North Whitehead's conception of "creativity" assumes the central position of his philosophy of organism that has many similarities with the concept of "creativity" in the Book of Changes or I Ching; however, there are essential differences between the two. In the Book of Changes, 'creativity' is the fundamental function of the universe, while for Whitehead it is classified together with the notions of 'many' and 'one' to the Category of the Ultimate. Nevertheless when it comes to the idea of God, 'creativity' is virtually not the ultimate notion. In Whitehead's metaphysical system God assumes the highest position as 'the unconditioned conceptual valuation of eternal objects' and the introducer of order and novelty. God is not only the provider of the initial aims from which an actual occasion starts its self 'creation', but also the aboriginal condition of creativity. But "creativity" as "the universal of universals" eventually does not create at all. This highly abstract idea of creativity is drastically different from the notion of creativity in the Book of Changes, which indicates the most concrete features of the universe.