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第39章

history of philosophy-第39章

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schools were spun out by the understanding as though they were realities。 As it was with the
Schoolmen and with the ancients; this classification is still the mode adopted in the sciences; in
which the nature of knowledge is unknown。 In them the idea of the science is advanced
beforehand; and to this idea a principle foreign to it is added; as a basis of division; just as here is
added the distinction between memory; imagination and reason。 The true method of division is
found in the self…division of the Notion; its separating itself from itself。 In knowledge the moment of
self…consciousness is undoubtedly found; and the real self…consciousness has in it the moments of
memory; imagination and reason。 But this division is certainly not taken from the Notion of
self…consciousness; but from experience; in which self…consciousness finds itself possessed of
these capacities。

2。 The other remarkable feature in Bacon is that in his second work; his Organon; he sought at
great length to establish a new method in learning; in this regard his name is still held greatly in
honour by many。 What chiefly distinguishes his system is his polemical attitude towards scholastic
methods as they had hitherto existed; towards syllogistic forms。 He calls these methods
anticipationes natur?; in them men begin with pre…suppositions; definitions; accepted ideas; with
a scholastic abstraction; and reason further from these without regarding that which is present in
actuality。 Thus regarding God and His methods of operating in nature; regarding devils; &c。; they
make use of passages from the Bible; such as “Sun; stand thou still;” in order to deduce
therefrom certain metaphysical propositions from which they go further still。 It was against this a
priori method that Bacon directed his polemic; as against these anticipations of nature he called
attention to the explanation; the interpretation of nature。 (6) “The same action of mind;” he says;
“which discovers a thing in question; judges it; and the operation is not performed by the help of
any middle term; but directly; almost in the same manner as by the sense。 For the sense in its
primary objects at once apprehends the appearance of the object; and consents to the truth
thereof。” (7) The syllogism is altogether rejected by Bacon。 As a matter of fact; this Aristotelian
deduction is not a knowledge through itself in accordance with its content: it requires a foreign
universal as its basis; and for that reason its movement is in its form contingent。 The content is not
in unity with the form; and this form is hence in itself contingent; because it; considered on its own
account; is the movement onwards in a foreign content。 The major premise is the content existent
for itself; the minor is likewise the content not through itself; for it goes back into the infinite; i。e。; it
has not the form in itself; the form is not the content。 The opposite may always be made out
equally well through the syllogism; for it is a matter of indifference to this form what content is
made its basis。 “Dialectic does not assist in the discovery of the arts; many arts were found out by
chance。” (8)

It was not against this syllogism generally; i。e。; not against the Notion of it (for Bacon did not
possess this); but against deduction as it was put into operation; as it was to the scholastics — the
deduction which took an assumed content as its basis — that Bacon declaimed; urging that the
content of experience should be made the basis; and the method of induction pursued。 He
demanded that observations on nature and experiments should be made fundamental; and pointed
out the objects whose investigation was of special importance in the interests of human society;
and so on。 From this there then resulted the establishment of conclusions through induction and
analogy。 (9) In fact it was only to an alteration in the content that; without being aware of it; Bacon
was impelled。 For though he rejected the syllogism and only permitted conclusions to be reached
through induction; he unconsciously himself drew deductions; likewise all these champions of
empiricism; who followed after him; and who put into practice what he demanded; and thought
they could by observations; experiments and experiences; keep the matter in question pure; could
neither so do without drawing deductions; nor without introducing conceptions; and they drew
their deductions and formed their notions and conceptions all the more freely because they thought
that they had nothing to do with conceptions at all; nor did they go forth from deduction to
immanent; true knowledge。 Thus when Bacon set up induction in opposition to the syllogism; this
opposition is formal; each induction is also a deduction; which fact was known even to Aristotle。
For if a universal is deduced from a number of things; the first proposition reads; “These bodies
have these qualities;” the second; “All these bodies belong to one class;” and thus; in the third
place; this class has these qualities。 That is a perfect syllogism。 Induction always signifies that
observations are instituted; experiments made; experience regarded; and from this the universal
determination is derived。

We have already called to mind how important it is to lead on to the content as the content of
actuality; of the present; for the rational must have objective truth。 The reconciliation of spirit with
the world; the glorification of nature and of all actuality; must not be a Beyond; a Futurity; but must
be accomplished now and here。 It is this moment of the now and here which thereby comes into
self…consciousness。 But those who make experiments and observations; do not realize what they
are really doing; for the sole interest taken by them in things; is owing to the inward and
unconscious certainty which reason has of finding itself in actuality; and observations and
experiments; if entered upon in a right way; result in showing that the Notion is the only objective
existence。 The sensuous individual eludes the experiments even while it is being operated upon;
and becomes a universal; the best known example of this is to be found in positive and negative
electricity in so far as it is positive and negative。 There is another shortcoming of a formal nature;
and one of which all empiricists partake; — that is that they believe themselves to be keeping to
experience alone; it is to them an unknown fact that in receiving these perceptions they are
indulging in metaphysics。 Man does not stop short at the individual; nor can he do so。 He seeks
the universal; but thoughts; even if not Notions likewise; are what constitute the same。 The most
remarkable thought…form is that of force; we thus speak of the force of electricity; of magnetism;
of gravity。 Force; however; is a universal and not a perceptible; quite uncritically and
unconsciously the empiricists thus permit of determinations such as these。

3。 Bacon finally gives the objects with which Philosophy mainly has to deal。 These objects contrast
much with that which we derive from perception and experience。 “In the summary which Bacon
gives of what he conceives ought to be the objects of philosophical inquiry; are the following; and
we select those which he principally dwells upon in his works: ‘The prolongation of life; the
restitution of youth in some degree; the retardation of old age; and the altering of statures; the
altering of features; versions of bodies into other bodies; making of new species; impression of the
air and raising tempests; greater pleasures of the senses; &c。’” He likewise deals with objects
such as these; and he seeks to direct attention upon whether in their regard the means could not be
found to carry out their ends; in such powers we should be able to make some progress。 “He
complains that such investigations have been neglected by those whom be designates ignavi
regionum exploratores。 In his Natural History he gives formal receipts for making gold; and
performing many wonders。” (10) Bacon thus does not by any means take the intelligent
standpoint of an investigation of nature; being still involved in the grossest superstition; false magic;
&c。 This we f

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