How did biology influence Henri Bergson’s Creative Evolution?

In Creative Evolution (1907), Henri Bergson accepted evolution as a scientifically established fact but criticized existing philosophical interpretations for failing to account for the unique nature of life and the importance of duration.1

Biology influenced his thought by providing the empirical foundation for his theory of the élan vital, or "vital impulse." Bergson argued that the evolutionary process is not mechanistic or deterministic, but rather a creative, ongoing development. He viewed this vital impulse as a force that continually generates new forms, tracing its progress along two primary lines: one through instinct, leading to insects, and the other through intelligence, resulting in humans.21

By incorporating these biological observations, Bergson sought to distinguish living organisms from inert matter, positioning his philosophy as a process-oriented alternative to the static, discrete concepts he believed dominated traditional scientific and philosophical thought.21