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第39章

phenomenology of mind-第39章

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just not the world of sense…knowledge and perception as positively being; but this world as
superseded or established in truth as an inner world。 It is often said that the supersensible is not
appearance; but by appearance is thereby meant not appearance; but rather the sensible world
taken as itself real actuality。

Understanding; which is our object here; finds itself in this position; that; for it; the inner world has
come about to begin with; only as the implicit inherent being; universal and still without a filling。 The
play of forces has simply and solely this negative significance of not being something per se; and its
only positive significance is that of being the mediating agency; but outside understanding。 The
relation of understanding to the inner world through mediation is; however; its own process; by
which the inner world will be found to receive fullness of content。

                      (3) Law as the True nature of Appearance 

The play of forces is what understanding has directly to do with; but the real truth for it is the inner
world bare and simple。 The movement of force is consequently the truth only by being in like
manner something simple。 Regarding this play of forces; however; we saw that its peculiarity lay in
this; that the force which is awakened into activity by another force is just on that account the
inciting agency for this other force; which thereby itself only then becomes an inciting force。 We
have here in this way merely direct and immediate interchange or complete exchange of the
characteristic which constitutes the sole content of what comes before us; viz。 the fact of being
either universal medium or negative unity。 It ceases immediately on its entrance in determinate form
to be what it was on entering: it awakens or incites; by its appearance in determinate shape; the
other side; which thereby gives itself expression; i。e。 the latter is now directly what the first was to
be。 Each of these two sides; the relation of inciting and the relation of the opposed determinate
content; is on its own account an absolute process of permutation and transposition。 But these two
relations are again themselves one and the same; and the formal distinction of being incited and of
inciting to activity is the same as the distinction of content; i。e。 the distinction between the incited
factor as such; viz。 the passive medium; on the one side; and the inciting factor; viz。 the active
medium; the negative unity; or the 〃one〃 on the other side。 In this way there disappears all
distinction of contrasted and opposed particular forces; which were meant to be present in this
process; for they rested solely on the above distinctions。 And; along with both those distinctions;
the distinction between the forces collapses likewise into merely one。 There is thus neither force
nor inciting and being incited to action; nor the characteristic of being a stable medium and a unity
reflected into self; there is neither a particular which is something on its own account; nor are there
diverse opposites。 What is found in this flux of thoroughgoing change is merely difference as
universal difference; or difference into which the various opposites have been resolved。 This
difference as universal; consequently is what constitutes the ultimate simple element in that play of
forces; and is the resultant truth of that process。 It is the Law of Force。 (3)

The absolute flux of the world of appearance passes into bare and simple difference through its
relation to the simplicity of the inner being; the simplicity apprehended by understanding。 The inner
being is in the first instance merely the implicit universal。 This implicit simple universal; however; is
essentially absolute universal difference as well; for it is the outcome of the change itself; or change
is its very nature。 But change; when planted in the inner reality as it 'change' truly is; forthwith is
taken up into that reality as equally absolute universal difference at peace with itself; and remaining
at one with itself。 In other words; negation is an essential moment of the universal; and negation or
mediation in what is universal is universal difference。 This difference is expressed in the law; which
is the stable presentment or picture of unstable appearance。 The supersensible world is in this way
a quiescent 〃kingdom of laws〃; no doubt beyond the world of perception…for this exhibits the law
only through incessant change — but likewise present in it; and its direct immovable copy or image。

                       (b) Law as Distinction and Sameness

This kingdom of laws is indeed the truth for understanding; and that truth finds its content in the
distinction which lies in the law。 At the same time; however; this kingdom of laws is only the
preliminary truth and does not give all the fullness of the world of appearance。 The law is present
therein; but is not all the appearance present; under ever…varying circumstances the law has an
ever…varying actual existence。 Thereby appearance continues to keep one aspect which is not in
the inner world; i。e。 appearance is not yet in very truth established as appearance; as that whose
independent being has been done away with。 This defect in the law has to be brought out in the
law itself。 What seems defective in it is that while it no doubt has difference within it; it contains this
in a merely universal indeterminate way。 So far; however; as it is not law in general; but a law; it
has determinateness within it; and as a result there are found an indeterminate plurality of laws。 But
this plurality is rather itself a defect; it contradicts the principle of understanding; for which; since it
is consciousness of the simple inner being; truth is the inherently universal unity。 It must; therefore;
let the many laws coalesce into a single law; just as; e。g。; the law by which a stone falls; and that
by which the heavenly bodies move have been conceived as one law。 When the laws thus
coincide; however; they lose their specific character。 The law becomes more and more abstract
and superficial; and in consequence we find as a fact; not the unity of these various determinate
laws; but a law which leaves out their specific character; just as the one law; which combines in
itself the laws of falling terrestrial bodies; and of the movements of celestial bodies; does not; in
point of fact; express both kinds of laws。 The unification of all laws in universal attraction
expresses no further content than just the bare concept of the law itself; a concept which is therein
set down as existing。 Universal attraction says merely that everything has a constant distinction for
anything else。 Understanding pretends by that to have found a universal law which gives
expression to universal reality as such; but; in point of fact; it has merely found the conception of
law itself; although in such a way that it at the same time thereby declares all reality to be in its very
nature conformed to law。 The idea of universal attraction has; therefore; to this extent great
importance; that it is directed against that unthinking way of representing reality; to which
everything appears in the shape of accident and chance; and for which determinateness;
specificity; takes the form of sensuous independence。

                         (1) Specific Law and General Law

In contrast; then; with determinate laws stands universal attraction; or the bare conception of law。
In so far as this pure conception is looked on as the essentially real; or as the true inner being; the
determinateness characterizing the specific law itself belongs still to the sphere of appearance; or
rather to sensible existence。 But the pure conception of law transcends not merely the law; which;
being itself a determinate law; stands contrasted with other determinate laws; but also transcends
law as such。 The determinateness; of which we spoke; is itself strictly a mere vanishing moment
which can no longer come forward here as an essential entity (Wesenheit); for it is only the law
which is the truth here: but the conception of law is turned against the law itself。 That is to say; in
the law distinction itself is im

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