history of philosophy-第11章

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such　as　desire　and　impulse。　It　is　in　Thought　alone　that　all　foreign　matter　disappears　from　view；　and
that　Mind　is　absolutely　free。　All　interest　which　is　contained　in　the　Idea　and　in　Philosophy　is
expressed　in　it。　

b。　The　Notion　of　the　Concrete。

As　to　development；　it　may　be　asked；　what　does　develop　and　what　forms　the　absolute　content？
Development　is　considered　in　the　light　of　a　formal　process　in　action　and　as　destitute　of　content。
But　the　act　has　no　other　end　but　activity；　and　through　this　activity　the　general　character　of　the
content　is　already　fixed。　For　being…in…self　and　being…for…self　are　the　moments　present　in　action；　but
the　act　is　the　retention　of　these　diverse　elements　within　itself。　The　act　thus　is　really　one；　and　it　is　just
this　unity　of　differences　which　is　the　concrete。　Not　only　is　the　act　concrete；　but　also　the　implicit；
which　stands　to　action　in　the　relation　of　subject　which　begins；　and　finally　the　product　is　just　as
concrete　as　the　action　or　as　the　subject　which　begins。　Development　in　process　likewise　forms　the
content；　the　Idea　itself；　for　this　we　must　have　the　one　element　and　then　the　other：　both　combined
will　form　a　unity　as　third；　because　the　one　in　the　other　is　at　home　with；　and　not　without；　itself。　Thus
the　Idea　is　in　its　content　concrete　within　itself；　and　this　in　two　ways：　first　it　is　concrete　potentially；
and　then　it　is　its　interest　that　what　is　in　itself　should　be　there　for　it。　

It　is　a　common　prejudice　that　the　science　of　Philosophy　deals　only　with　abstractions　and　empty
generalities；　and　that　sense…perception；　our　empirical　self…consciousness；　natural　instinct；　and　the
feelings　of　everyday　life；　lie；　on　the　contrary；　in　the　region　of　the　concrete　and　the　self…determined。
As　a　matter　of　fact；　Philosophy　is　in　the　region　of　thought；　and　has　therefore　to　deal　with
universals；　its　content　is　abstract；　but　only　as　to　form　and　element。　In　itself　the　Idea　is　really
concrete；　for　it　is　the　union　of　the　different　determinations。　It　is　here　that　reasoned　knowledge
differs　from　mere　knowledge　of　the　understanding；　and　it　is　the　business　of　Philosophy；　as
opposed　to　understanding；　to　show　that　the　Truth　or　the　Idea　does　not　consist　in　empty
generalities；　but　in　a　universal；　and　that　is　within　itself　the　particular　and　the　determined。　If　the　Truth
is　abstract　it　must　be　untrue。　

Healthy　human　reason　goes　out　towards　what　is　concrete；　the　reflection　of　the　understanding
comes　first　as　abstract　and　untrue；　correct　in　theory　only；　and　amongst　other　things　unpractical。
Philosophy　is　what　is　most　antagonistic　to　abstraction；　and　it　leads　back　to　the　concrete。　

If　we　unite　the　Notion　of　the　concrete　with　that　of　development　we　have　the　motion　of　the
concrete。　Since　the　implicit　is　already　concrete　within　itself；　and　we　only　set　forth　what　is　implicitly
there；　the　new　form　which　now　looks　different　and　which　was　formerly　shut　up　in　the　original　unity；
is　merely　distinguished。　The　concrete　must　become　for　itself　or　explicit；　as　implicit　or　potential　it　is
only　differentiated　within　itself；　not　as　yet　explicitly　set　forth；　but　still　in　a　state　of　unity。　The
concrete　is　thus　simple；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　differentiated。　This；　its　inward　contradiction；
which　is　indeed　the　impelling　force　in　development；　brings　distinction　into　being。　But　thus；　too；　its
right　to　be　taken　back　and　reinstated　extends　beyond　the　difference；　for　its　truth　is　only　to　be
found　in　unity。　Life；　both　that　which　is　in　Nature　and　that　which　is　of　the　Idea；　of　Mind　within　itself；
is　thus　manifested。　Were　the　Idea　abstract；　it　would　simply　be　the　highest　conceivable　existence；
and　that　would　be　all　that　could　be　said　of　it；　but　such　a　God　is　the　product　of　the　understanding　of
modern　times。　What　is　true　is　rather　found　in　motion；　in　a　process；　however；　in　which　there　is　rest；
difference；　while　it　lasts；　is　but　a　temporary　condition；　through　which　comes　unity；　full　and
concrete。　

We　may　now　proceed　to　give　examples　of　sensuous　things；　which　will　help　us　further　to　explain
this　Notion　of　the　concrete。　Although　the　flower　has　many　qualities；　such　as　smell；　taste；　form；
colour；　&c。；　yet　it　is　one。　None　of　these　qualities　could　be　absent　in　the　particular　leaf　or　flower：
each　individual　part　of　the　leaf　shares　alike　all　the　qualities　of　the　leaf　entire。　Gold；　similarly
contains　in　every　particle　all　its　qualities　unseparated　and　entire。　It　is　frequently　allowed　with
sensuous　things　that　such　varied　elements　may　be　joined　together；　but；　in　the　spiritual；
differentiation　is　supposed　to　involve　opposition。　We　do　not　controvert　the　fact；　or　think　it
contradictory；　that　the　smell　and　taste　of　the　flower；　although　otherwise　opposed；　are　yet　clearly　in
one　subject；　nor　do　we　place　the　one　against　the　other。　But　the　understanding　and　understanding
thought　find　everything　of　a　different　kind；　placed　in　conjunction；　to　be　incompatible。　Matter；　for
example；　is　complex　and　coherent；　or　space　is　continuous　and　uninterrupted。　Likewise　we　may
take　separate　points　in　space　and　break　up　matter　dividing　it　ever　further　into　infinity。　It　then　is　said
that　matter　consists　of　atoms　and　points；　and　hence　is　not　continuous。　Therefore　we　have　here　the
two　determinations　of　continuity　and　of　definite　points；　which　understanding　regards　as　mutually
exclusive；　combined　in　one。　It　is　said　that　matter　must　be　clearly　either　continuous　or　divisible　into
points；　but　in　reality　it　has　both　these　qualities。　Or　when　we　say　of　the　mind　of　man　that　it　has
freedom；　the　understanding　at　once　brings　up　the　other　quality；　which　in　this　case　is　necessity；
saying；　that　if　Mind　is　free　it　is　not　in　subjection　to　necessity；　and；　inversely；　if　its　will　and　thought
are　determined　through　necessity；　it　is　not　free　…　the　one；　they　say；　excludes　the　other。　The
distinctions　here　are　regarded　as　exclusive；　and　not　as　forming　something　concrete。　But　that　which
is　true；　the　Mind；　is　concrete；　and　its　attributes　are　freedom　and　necessity。　Similarly　the　higher
point　of　view　is　that　Mind　is　free　in　its　necessity；　and　finds　its　freedom　in　it　alone；　since　its　necessity
rests　on　its　freedom。　But　it　is　more　difficult　for　us　to　show　the　unity　here　than　in　the　case　of　natural
objects。　Freedom　can；　however；　be　also　abstract　freedom　without　necessity；　which　false　freedom
is　self…will；　and　for　that　reason　it　is　self…opposed；　unconsciously　limited；　an　imaginary　freedom
which　is　free　in　form　alone。　

The　fruit　of　development；　which　comes　third；　is　a　result　of　motion；　but　inasmuch　as　it　is　merely　the
result　of　one　stage　in　development；　as　being　last　in　this　stage；　it　is　both　the　starting　point　and　the
first　in　order　in　another　such　stage。　Goethe　somewhere　truly　says；　〃That　which　is　formed　ever
resolves　itself　back　into　its　elements。〃　Matter　…which　as　developed　has　form…　constitutes　once
more　the　material　for　a　new　form。　Mind　again　takes　as　its　object　and　applies　its　activity　to　the
Notion　in　which　in　going　within　itself；　it　has　comprehended　itself；　which　it　is　in　form　and　being；　and
which　has　just　been　separated　from　it　anew。　The　application　of　thought　to　this；　supplies　it　with　the
form　and　determination　of　thought。　This　action　thus　further　forms　the　previously　formed；　gives　it
additional　determinations；　makes　it　more　determinate　in　itself；　further　developed　and　more
profound。　As　concrete；　this　activity　is　a　succession　of　processes　in　development　which　must　be
represented　not　as　a　straight　line　drawn　out　into　vague　infinity；　but　as　a　circle　returning　within　itself；
which；　as　periphery；　has　very　many　circles；　and　whose　whole　is　a　large　number　of　processes　in
development　turning　back　within　themselves。　

c。　Philosophy　as　the　apprehension　of　the　development　of　the　Concrete。

Having　thus　generally　explained　the　nature　of　the　Concrete；　I　now　add　as　regards　its　import；　that
the　Truth　thus　determined　within　itself　is　impelled　towards　development。　It　is　only　the　living　and
spiritual　which　internally　bestirs　and　develops　itself。　Thus　the　Idea　as　concrete　in　itself；　and
self…developing；　is　an　organic　system　and　a　totality　which　contains　a　multitude　of　stages　and　of
moments　in　development。　Philosophy　has　now　become　for　itself　the　apprehension