phenomenology of mind-第85章

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executes　even…handed　justice　upon　the　individual　lives　of　others；　and　establishes　his　own　individual
existence；　which　in　its　turn　vanishes　at　the　hands　of　others。　We　have　here　the　Course　of　the
World；　the　mere　semblance　of　a　constant　regular　trend；　which　is　only　a　pretence　of　universality；
and　whose　content　is　rather　the　meaningless　insubstantial　sport　of　setting　up　individual　beings　as
fixed　and　stable；　and　then　dissipating　them。

If　we　put　both　sides　of　the　universal　ordinance　over　against　one　another　and　consider　them；　we
see　that　this　later　universality　has　for　its　content　restless　individuality；　which　regards　opinion　or
mere　individualism　as　law；　the　real　as　unreal；　and　the　unreal　as　real。　That　universality　is；　however；
at　the　same　time　the　side　of　realization　of　the　ordinance；　for　to　it　belongs　the　independent
self…existence　（Fürsichseyn）　of　individuality。　The　other　side　is　the　universal　in　the　sense　of　stable
passive　essence；　but；　for　that　very　reason；　the　universal　is　only　something　inner；　which　is　not
indeed　absolutely　non…existent；　but　still　not　an　actual　reality　and　can　itself　only　become　actual　by
cancelling　the　individuality；　that　has　presumed　to　claim　actuality。　This　type　of　consciousness；　which
becomes　aware　of　itself　in　the　law；　which　finds　itself　in　what　is　inherently　true　and　good　not　as
mere　individual；　but　only　as　essentially　real；　and　which　knows　individuality　to　be　what　is　perverted
and　perverting；　and　hence　feels　bound　to　surrender　and　sacrifice　individualism　of
consciousness…this　type　of　consciousness　is　Virtue。　




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　　　　　　　　Virtue　&　the　Course　of　the　World

＇＇Translator's　comments：　The　mood　of　moral　sentimentalism　is　reduced　to　confusion　and
contradiction：　but　the　subjective　individualism　in　which　it　is　rooted　is　not　yet　eradicated。
Individualism　now　takes　refuge　in　another　attitude　which　claims　to　do　greater　justice　to　the　inherent
universality　of　rational　self…realization；　but　yet　clings　to　its　particular　individuality　as　an　inalienable
possession。　It　now　tries　to　make　the　realization　of　universal　purposes　in　the　shape　of　the　Good
depend　solely　on　its　own　activity；　the　objective　sphere　in　which　the　good　is　to　be　carried　out　being
regarded　as　at　once　external　to　its　ends；　opposing　its　activity；　and　yet　requiring　these　ends　to　be
carried　out　in　order　to　have　any　moral　significance。　Individualism　looks　on　the　good　as　its　private
perquisite；　and　makes　a　personal　merit　and　glory　out　of　its　action　in　carrying　out　the　good。　This
external　realm　is　the　〃Course　of　the　World〃　which　in　itself　is　thought　to　contain　no　goodness；　and
which　only　gets　a　value　if　the　good　is　realized　in　it。　The　world's　course　is　thus　to　owe　its　goodness
to　the　efforts　of　the　individual。　A　struggle　ensues；　for　the　situation　is　contradictory；　and　the　issue　of
the　struggle　goes　to　prove　that　the　individual　is　not　the　fons　etorigo　boni；　that　goodness　does　not
await　his　efforts；　and　that　in　fact　the　course　of　the　world　is　at　heart　good；　the　soul　of　the　world　is
righteous。

The　attitude　analysed　here　is　that　of　abstract　moral　idealism；　the　mood　of　moral　strenuousness；　the
mood　that　constantly　seeks　the　improvement　and　perfectibility　of　mankind。　It　is　found　in　many
forms；　but　particularly　wherever　there　is　any　strong　enmity　between　the　〃ideal〃　life　and　the　〃life　of
the　world〃。＇＇

VIRTUE　AND　THE　COURSE　OF　THE　WORLD

IN　the　first　mode　of　active　reason；　self…consciousness　felt　it　was　pure　individuality；　and　over
against　this　stood　empty　universality。　In　the　second　the　two　factors　in　the　antithesis　had　each　both
the　moments　within　them；　both　law　and　individuality；　but　the　one　factor；　the　〃heart〃'；　was　their
immediate　unity；　the　other　their　opposition。　Here；　in　the　relation　of　virtue　and　the　course　of　the
world；　both　members　are　each　severally　unity　and　antithesis　of　the　moments；　are　each　a　process；
but　in　an　opposite　direction；　of　law　and　individuality　inter　se。　For　the　virtuous　consciousness　law　is
the　essential　element；　and　individuality　the　one　to　be　superseded　and　cancelled　both　in　the　case　of
its　own　conscious　life；　as　well　as　in　that　of　the　course　of　the　world。　In　the　former　case　the　private
individuality　claimed　by　any　one　has　to　be　brought　under　the　discipline　and　control　of　the　universal；
the　inherently　good　and　true。　（1）　It　remains　there；　however；　still　a　personal　consciousness。　True
cultivation　and　discipline　consist　solely　（2）　in　the　surrender　of　the　entire　personality；　as　a　way　of
making　sure　that　in　point　of　fact　individual　peculiarities　are　no　longer　asserted　and　insisted　on。　In
this　individual　surrender；　individuality；　as　it　is　found　in　the　world's　process；　is　at　the　same　time
annihilated；　for　individuality　is　also　a　simple　moment　common　to　both。

In　the　course　of　the　world　individuality　adopts　a　position　the　reverse　of　what　it　is　in　the　case　of　the
virtuous　consciousness；　viz。　that　of　making　itself　the　essential　factor；　and　subordinating　to　itself　the
inherently　good　and　true。　Further；　the　course　of　the　world；　too；　does　not　mean　for　virtue　merely　a
universal　thus　overturned　and　perverted　through　individuality；　absolute　law　and　order　form　likewise
a　common　moment：　a　moment；　however；　not　present　in　the　world's　course　in　the　sense　of　an
existing　actual　fact　for　consciousness；　but　as　the　inmost　essence　of　the　process。　That　regulative
order；　therefore；　has　not；　properly　speaking；　to　be　first　produced　by　virtue；　for　production　means；
qua　action；　a　consciousness　of　individuality；　and　individuality　has；　on　the　contrary；　to　be
superseded。　By　thus　cancelling　individuality；　however；　the　inherent　nature　of　the　world's　process
merely　gets　room；　as　it　were；　to　enter　real　existence　independently　on　its　own　account　（an　und
für　sich　selbst）。

The　general　content　of　the　actual　course　of　the　world　has　already　made　itself　known。　Looked　at
more　closely；　it　is　again　nothing　else　than　the　two　proceeding　movements　of　self…consciousness。
From　them　have　come　virtue's　shape　and　mould；　for　since　they　originate　it；　virtue　has　them　before
it；　its　aim；　however；　is　to　supersede　its　source　and　origin；　and　realize　itself；　or　be　〃for　itself〃；
become　objectively　explicit。　The　way　of　the　world　is　thus；　from　one　point　of　view；　particular
individuality　seeking　its　pleasure　and　enjoyment；　finding　itself　overthrown　in　doing　so；　and　as　a
result　satisfying　the　demands　of　the　universal。　But　this　satisfaction；　like　the　rest　of　the　moments　of
this　relationship；　is　a　perverted　state　and　process　of　the　universal。　The　real　fact　is　merely　the
particular　pleasure　and　enjoyment；　while　the　universal　is　opposed　to　it　—　a　necessity　which　is　only
the　empty　shape　of　universality；　a　merely　negative　reaction；　the　form　of　an　act　without　any　content。

The　other　moment　of　the　world's　course　is　individuality；　which　wants　to　be　a　law　independently
and　on　its　own　account；　and　under　the　influence　of　this　conceit　upsets　the　established　regular
order。　The　universal　law　no　doubt　manages　to　hold　its　own　against　this　sort　of　conceit；　and　no
longer　appears　in　the　form　of　an　empty　opposite　over　against　consciousness；　does　not　play　the
role　of　a　lifeless　necessity；　but　is　a　necessity　operating　within　the　conscious　life　itself。　But　in　the
sense　in　which　it　is　a　reality　existing　in　a　conscious　state　of　absolute　contradiction；　it　is　madness；
while　in　the　sense　in　which　it　is　an　objective　reality　it　is　simply　utter　perversion。　The　universal；　then；
in　both　aspects　proves　to　be　the　might　that　moves　them；　but　the　way　this　might　exists　in　fact　is
merely　in　the　form　of　universal　perversion。

It　is　from　virtue　that　the　universal　is　now　to　receive　its　true　reality；　by　cancelling　individuality；　the
principle　of　perversion。　Virtue's　purpose　is　by　this　means　to　transmute　again　the　perverted　world's
process；　and　bring　out　its　true　inner　nature。　This　true　being　is　in　the　world…process　merely　in　the
form　of　its　implicit　inherent　nature；　it　is　not　yet　actual；　and　hence　virtue　merely　believes　it。　Virtue
proceeds　to　raise　this　faith　to　sight；　without；　however；　enjoying　the　fruit　of　its　labour　and　sacrifice。
For　so　far　as　it　is　individuality；　it　is　the　active　carrying…on　of　the　contest　which　it　wages　with　the
world's　process