ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the concept “evolution” and “revolution” in their various meanings and significance for man’s understanding of himself and the world—historically, scientifically, and philosophically. It illustrates the working of the concepts in the growth of knowledge in general and scientific knowledge in particular and in the understanding of social and political phenomena. Evolution is an integration of a system which takes place in such a manner that the system passes from a relatively indefinite, incoherent homogeneity to a relatively definite, coherent heterogeneity. Further, evolution is a gradual process in which differentiation of parts and integration of whole take place hand in hand, whereas revolution is usually thought of as an abrupt and radical process, in which differentiation of parts is usually accompanied by, or results in, disintegration of the whole.
