phenomenology of mind-第12章
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not followed up by performance。
The other side no doubt at times makes an easy enough matter of having a vast expanse of
content。 They haul on to their territory a lot of material; that; namely; which is already familiar and
arranged ill order; and since they are concerned more especially about what is exceptional;
strange; and curious; they seem all the more to be in possession of the rest; which knowledge in its
own way was finished and done with; as well as to have control over what was unregulated and
disorderly。 Hence everything appears brought within the compass of the Absolute Idea; which
seems thus to be recognized in everything; and to have succeeded in becoming a system in
extenso of scientific knowledge。 But if we look more closely at this expanded system we find that
it has not been reached by one and the same principle taking shape in diverse ways; it is the
shapeless repetition of one and the same idea; which is applied in an external fashion to different
material; the wearisome reiteration of it keeping up the semblance of diversity。 The Idea; which by
itself is no doubt the truth; really never gets any farther than just where it began; as long as the
development of it consists in nothing else than such a repetition of the same formula。 If the knowing
subject carries round everywhere the one inert abstract form; taking up in external fashion
whatever material comes his way; and dipping it into this element; then this comes about as near to
fulfilling what is wanted … viz。 a self…origination of the wealth of detail; and a self…determining
distinction of shapes and forms…as any chance fancies about the content in question。 It is rather a
monochrome formalism; which only arrives at distinction in the matter it has to deal with; because
this is already prepared and well known。
This monotonousness and abstract universality are maintained to be the Absolute。 This formalism
insists that to be dissatisfied therewith argues an incapacity to grasp the standpoint of the Absolute;
and keep a firm hold on it。 If it was once the case that the bare possibility of thinking of something
in some other fashion was sufficient to refute a given idea; and the naked possibility; the bare
general thought; possessed and passed for the entire substantive value of actual knowledge;
similarly we find here all the value ascribed to the general idea in this bare form without concrete
realization; and we see here; too; the style and method of speculative contemplation identified with
dissipating and。 resolving what is determinate and distinct; or rather with hurling it down; without
more ado and without any justification; into the abyss of vacuity。 To consider any specific fact as it
is in the Absolute; consists here in nothing else than saying about it that; while it is now doubtless
spoken of as something specific; yet in the Absolute; in the abstract identity A = A; there is no
such thing at all; for everything is there all one。 To pit this single assertion; that 〃in the Absolute all
is one〃; against the organized whole of determinate and complete knowledge; or of knowledge
which at least aims at and demands complete development…to give out its Absolute as the night in
which; as we say; all cows are black…that is the very na?veté of emptiness of knowledge。
The formalism which has been deprecated and despised by recent philosophy; and which has
arisen once more in philosophy itself; will not disappear from science; even though its inadequacy
is known and felt; till the knowledge of absolute reality has become quite clear as to what its own
true nature consists in。 Having in mind that the general idea of what is to be done; if it precedes the
attempt to carry it out; facilitates the comprehension of this process; it is worth while to indicate
here some rough idea of it; with the hope at the same time that this will give us the opportunity to
set aside certain forms whose habitual presence is a hindrance in the way of speculative
knowledge。
5。 The absolute is subject —
In my view…a view which the developed exposition of the system itself can alone justify…everything
depends on grasping and expressing the ultimate truth not as Substance but as Subject as well。 At
the same time we must note that concrete substantiality implicates and involves the universal or the
immediacy of knowledge itself; as well as that immediacy which is being; or immediacy qua object
for knowledge。 If the generation which heard God spoken of as the One Substance was shocked
and revolted by such a characterization of his nature; the reason lay partly in the instinctive feeling
that in such a conception self…consciousness was simply submerged; and not preserved。 But
partly; again; the opposite position; which maintains thinking to be merely subjective thinking;
abstract universality as such; is exactly the same bare uniformity; is undifferentiated; unmoved
substantiality。 And even if; in the third place; thought combines with itself the being of substance;
and conceives immediacy or intuition (Anschauung) as thinking; it is still a question whether this
intellectual intuition does not fall back into that inert; abstract simplicity; and exhibit and expound
reality itself in an unreal manner。
6。 — and what this is
The living substance; further; is that being which is truly subject; or; what is the same thing; is truly
realized and actual (wirklich) solely in the process of positing itself; or in mediating with its own
self its transitions from one state or position to the opposite。 As subject it is pure and simple
negativity; and just on that account a process of splitting up what is simple and undifferentiated; a
process of duplicating and setting factors in opposition; which 'process' in turn is the negation of
this indifferent diversity and of the opposition of factors it entails。 True reality is merely this process
of reinstating self…identity; of reflecting into its own self in and from its other; and is not an original
and primal unity as such; not an immediate unity as such。 It is the process of its own becoming; the
circle which presupposes its end as its purpose; and has its end for its beginning; it becomes
concrete and actual only by being carried out; and by the end it involves。
The life of God and divine intelligence; then; can; if we like; be spoken of as love disporting with
itself; but this idea falls into edification; and even sinks into insipidity; if it lacks the seriousness; the
suffering; the patience; and the labour of the negative。 Per se the divine life is no doubt undisturbed
identity and oneness with itself; which finds no serious obstacle in otherness and estrangement; and
none in the surmounting of this estrangement。 But this 〃per se〃 is abstract generality; where we
abstract from its real nature; which consists in its being objective。 to itself; conscious of itself on its
own account (für sich zu sein); and where consequently we neglect altogether the self…movement
which is the formal character of its activity。 If the form is declared to correspond to the essence; it
is just for that reason a misunderstanding to suppose that knowledge can be content with the 〃per
se〃; the essence; but can do without the form; that the absolute principle; or absolute intuition;
makes the carrying out of the former; or the development of the latter; needless。 Precisely because
the form is as necessary to the essence as the essence to itself; absolute reality must not be
conceived of and expressed as essence alone; i。e。 as immediate substance; or as pure self…intuition
of the Divine; but as form also; and with the entire wealth of the developed form。 Only then is it
grasped and expressed as really actual。
The truth is the whole。 The whole; however; is merely the essential nature reaching its
completeness through the process of its own development。 Of the Absolute it must be said that it
is essentially a result; that only at the end is it what it is in very truth; and just in that consists its
nature; which is to be actual; subject; or self…becoming; self…development。 Should it appear
contradictory to say th