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第105章

history of philosophy-第105章

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directed against individuals。 The state is not apprehended in its essence; but only as representing a
condition of justice and law; i。e。 as an external relation of finite to finite。 There are various
individuals; the whole constitution of the state is thus in the main characterized by the fact that the
freedom of individuals must be limited by means of the freedom of the whole。(31) The individuals
always maintain a cold attitude of negativity as regards one another; the confinement becomes
closer and the bonds more stringent as time goes on; instead of the state being regarded as
representing the realization of freedom。

This philosophy contains nothing speculative; but it demands the presence of the speculative
element。 As the philosophy of Kant seeks in unity its Idea of the Supreme Good; wherein the
opposites have to be united; so the Fichtian philosophy demands union in the ego and in the
implicitude of faith; in this self…consciousness in all its actions makes its starting…point conviction; so
that in themselves its actions may bring forth the highest end and realize the good。 In the Fichtian
philosophy nothing can be seen beyond the moment of self…consciousness; of self…conscious
Being…within…self; as in the philosophy of England we find expressed — in just as one…sided a way
— the moment of Being…for…another; or of consciousness; and that not as a moment simply; but as
the principle of the truth; in neither of the two is there the unity of both — or spirit。

Fichte's philosophy constitutes a significant epoch in Philosophy regarded in its outward form。 It is
from him and from his methods that abstract thought proceeds; deduction and construction。 Hence
with the Fichtian philosophy a revolution took place in Germany。 The public had penetrated as far
as the philosophy of Kant; and until the Kantian philosophy was reached the interest awakened by
Philosophy was general; it was accessible; and men were curious to know about it; it pertained to
the ordinary knowledge of a man of culture (supra; p。 218)。 Formerly men of business; statesmen;
occupied themselves with Philosophy; now; however; with the intricate idealism of the philosophy
of Kant; their wings droop helpless to the ground。 Hence it is with Kant that we first begin to find
a line of separation which parts us from the common modes of consciousness; but the result; that
the Absolute cannot be known; has become one generally acknowledged。 With Fichte the
common consciousness has still further separated itself from Philosophy; and it has utterly
departed from the speculative element therein present。 For Fichte's ego is not merely the ego of
the empiric consciousness; since general determinations of thought such as do not fall within the
ordinary consciousness have likewise to be known and brought to consciousness; in this way since
Fichte's time few men have occupied themselves with speculation。 Fichte; it is true; in his later
works especially; wrote with a view to meeting the popular ear as we may see in the “Attempt to
force the reader into comprehension;” but this end was not accomplished。 The public was
through the philosophy of Kant and Jacobi strengthened in its opinion — one which it accepted
utiliter … that the knowledge of God is immediate; and that we know it from the beginning and
without requiring to study; and hence that Philosophy is quite superfluous。

                  2。 Fichte's System in a Reconstituted Form。

The times called for life; for spirit。 Now since mind has thus retreated within self…consciousness;
but within self…consciousness as a barren ego; which merely gives itself a content or a realization
through finitenesses and individualities which in and for themselves are nothing; the next stage is
found in knowing this realization of self…consciousness in itself; in knowing the content in itself as a
content which; penetrated throughout by spirit; is self…conscious and spiritual; or a spirit full of
content。 In his later popular works Fichte thus set forth faith; love; hope; religion; treating them
without philosophic interest; and as for a general public: it was a philosophy calculated to suit
enlightened Jews and Jewesses; councillors and Kotzebues。 He places the matter in a popular
form: “It is not the finite ego that is; but the divine Idea is the foundation of all Philosophy;
everything that man does of himself is null and void。 All existence is living and active in itself; and
there is no other life than Being; and no other Being than God; God is thus absolute Being and
Life。 The divine essence likewise comes forth; revealing and manifesting itself…the world。” (32)
This immediate unity of the self…conscious ego and its content; or spirit; which merely has an
intuition of its self…conscious life and knows it as the truth immediately; manifested itself
subsequently in poetic and prophetic tendencies; in vehement aspirations; in excrescences which
grew out of the Fichtian philosophy。

                3。 The More Important of the Followers of Fichte。

On the one hand; in respect of the content which the ego reaches in the philosophy of Fichte; the
complete absence of spirituality; the woodenness; and; to put it plainly; the utter foolishness therein
evidenced; strike us too forcibly to allow us to remain at his standpoint; our philosophic perception
likewise tells us of the one…sidedness and deficiencies of the principle; as also of the evident
necessity that the content should prove to be what it is。 But on the other hand self…consciousness
was therein posited as reality or essence — not as a foreign; alien self…consciousness; but as ego
— a signification which all possess; and which finds an answer in the actuality of all。 The Fichtian
standpoint of subjectivity has thus retained its character of being unphilosophically worked out;
and arrived at its completion in forms pertaining to sensation which in part remained within the
Fichtian principle; while they were in part the effort — futile though it was — to got beyond the
subjectivity of the ego。

                         a。 Friedrich Von Schlegel。

In Fichte's case the limitation is continually reappearing; but because the ego feels constrained to
break through this barrier; it reacts against it; and gives itself a resting place within itself; this last
ought to be concrete; but it is a negative resting…place alone。 This first form; Irony; has Friedrich
von Schlegel as its leading exponent。 The subject here knows itself to be within itself the Absolute;
and all else to it is vain; all the conclusions which it draws for itself respecting the right and good; it
likewise knows how to destroy again。 It can make a pretence of knowing all things; but it only
demonstrates vanity; hypocrisy; and effrontery。 Irony knows itself to be the master of every
possible content; it is serious about nothing; but plays with all forms。 The other side is this; that
subjectivity has cast itself into religious subjectivity。 The utter despair in respect of thought; of
truth; and absolute objectivity; as also the incapacity to give oneself any settled basis or
spontaneity of action; induced the noble soul to abandon itself to feeling and to seek in Religion
something fixed and steadfast; this steadfast basis; this inward satisfaction; is to be found in
religious sentiments and feelings。 This instinct impelling us towards something fixed has forced
many into positive forms of religion; into Catholicism; superstition and miracle working; in order
that they may find something on which they can rest; because to inward subjectivity everything
fluctuates and wavers。 With the whole force of its mind subjectivity tries to apply itself to what is
positively given; to bend its head beneath the positive; to cast itself; so to speak; into the arms of
externality; and it finds an inward power impelling it so to do。

                            b。 Schleiermacher。

On the other hand the ego finds in the subjectivity and individuality of the personal view of things
the height of all its vanity — its Religion。 All the various individualities have God within themselves。
Dialectic is the last thing to arise and to maintain its pl

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