phenomenology of mind-第86章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


For　so　far　as　it　is　individuality；　it　is　the　active　carrying…on　of　the　contest　which　it　wages　with　the
world's　process。　Its　purpose　and　true　nature；　however；　lie　in　conquering　the　reality　of　the　world's
process；　and　the　existence　of　the　good　thereby　effectuated　carries　with　it　the　cessation　of　its
action；　i。e。　of　the　consciousness　of　individuality。

How　this　struggle　itself　will　come　off；　what　virtue　finds　out　in　the　course　of　it；　whether；　by　the
sacrifice　which　virtue　takes　upon　itself　to　undergo；　the　world's　process　succumbs　while　virtue
triumphs　—　all　this　must　be　decided　from　the　nature　of　the　living　weapons　the　combatants　carry。
For　the　weapons　are　nothing　else　than　the　essential　being　of　the　combatants　themselves；　a　being
which　only　makes　its　appearance　for　them　both　reciprocally。　What　their　weapons　are　is　in　this　way
already　evident　from　what　is　inherently　implied　in　this　struggle。

The　universal　is　an　authentic　element　for　the　virtuous　consciousness　as　a　matter　of　belief　；　it　is
〃implicitly〃　or　〃inherently〃　true；　not　yet　an　actual；　but　an　abstract　universality。　It　plays　the　r？le　of
purpose　in　the　case　of　this　consciousness　itself；　and　of　inner　principle　in　that　of　the　course　of　the
world。　It　is　also　precisely　in　this　character　of　inner　principle　that　the　universal　manifests　itself　in　the
case　of　virtue；　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　world　process；　for　virtue　as　yet　only　〃wills〃　to　carry
out　the　good；　and　does　not　in　the　first　instance　claim　reality　for　it。　This　characteristic　can　also　be
looked　at　in　this　way：　the　good；　in　that　it　comes　on　the　scene　in　the　struggle　with　the　world
process；　thereby　manifests　itself　in　the　form　of　what　is　for　another；　as　something　which　is　not
self…contained　（an　und　für　sich　selbst）；　for　otherwise　it　would　not　want　to　win　its　own　truth　by
vanquishing　its　opposits。　By　having　its　being　only　when　it　is　for　another；　is　meant　the　same　as　was
shown　in　the　opposite　way　of　looking　at　it；　viz。　that　it　is　to　begin　with　an　abstraction　which　only
attains　reality　in　a　relation；　and　has　no　reality　of　itself　as　it　stands。

The　good　or　universal　as　it　appears　here；　is；　then；　what　is　called　Gifts；　Capacities；　Powers。　It　is　a
mode　or　form　of　spiritual　life；　where　the　spiritual　life　is　presented　as　a　universal；　which　requires　the
principle　of　individuality　to　give　it　life　and　movement；　and　in　individuality　finds　its　realization。　This
universal　is　applied　well　by　the　principle　of　individuality　so　far　as　this　principle　dwells　in　the
consciousness　of　virtue；　and　misused　by　it　as　far　as　it　is　in　the　world's　process　—　a　passive
instrument；　which　is　regulated　and　directed　by　the　hand　of　free　individuality　and　is　quite　indifferent
to　the　use　it　is　put　to；　and　can　be　misused　for　the　production　of　a　reality　which　means　its　ruin：　a
lifeless　material　deprived　of　any　independence　of　its　own　—　a　material　that　can　be　formed　in　this
way　or　that；　or　even　to　its　own　destruction。

Since　this　universal　is　at　the　beck　and　call　equally　of　the　virtuous　consciousness　as　well　as　of　the
course　of　the　world；　it　is　not　apparent　whether　with　this　equipment　virtue　will　get　the　better　of　vice。
The　weapons　are　the　same　—　these　capacities　and　powers。　Virtue　has；　it　is　true；　carefully
ensconced　its　belief　in　the　original　unity　of　its　purpose　and　the　essential　nature　of　the　world
process；　and　the　reserve　thus　placed　in　ambush　is　intended　to　fall　on　the　rear　of　the　enemy　during
the　fight；　and　bring　that　purpose　essentially　（an　sich）　to　fulfilment：　so　that　thereby　the　knight　of
virtue　finds　as　a　matter　of　fact　that　his　part　in　waging　this　warfare　is；　properly　speaking；　a　mere
sham…fight；　which　he　cannot　take　seriously　because　he　puts　all　his　strength　and　confidence　in　the
good　being　self…sufficient　and　real　per　se；　i。e。　in　the　good　bringing　about　its　own　fulfilment　—　a
sham…fight　which　he　dare　not　even　allow　to　become　serious。　For　what　he　turns　against　the　enemy；
and　finds　turned　against　himself；　and　what；　both　in　his　own　case　and　as　regards　his　enemy　as　well；
he　runs　the　risk　of　getting　wasted　and　damaged　in　the　struggle；　is　not　the　good　itself；　he　fights　to
keep　and　carry　that　out：　what　is　exposed　to　the　hazard　of　the　contest　is　merely　gifts　and　capacities
that　are　indifferent　to　the　issue。　But　these；　in　point　of　fact；　are　nothing　else　than　just　that　universal
from　which　individuality　has　been　eliminated；　and　which　is　to　be　conserved　and　actualized　by　the
struggle。

This　universal；　however；　is　at　the　same　time　directly　realized　and　ipso　facto　made　actual　by　the
very　notion　of　the　contest；　it　is　the　inherent　essential　nature；　the　〃universal〃；　and　its　actualization
means　merely　that　it　is　at　the　same　time　for　an　other。　The　two　aspects　mentioned　above；　in　each　of
which　it　became　an　abstraction；　are　no　longer　separated；　it　is　in　and　through　the　struggle　that　the
good　is　simultaneously　established　in　both　forms。

The　virtuous　consciousness；　however；　enters　into　conflict　with　the　way　of　the　world　as　if　this　were
a　factor　opposed　to　the　good。　What　the　conflict　brings　to　light　is　the　universal；　not　merely　as　an
abstract　universal；　but　as　one　animated　by　individuality；　and　existing　for　an　other；　in　other　words
the　universal　in　the　sense　of　the　actually　real　good。　Wherever　virtue　comes　to　grips　with　the
world's　process；　it　always　hits　upon　places　where　goodness　is　found　to　exist；　the　good；　as　the
inherent　nature　of　the　world's　process；　is　inseparably　interwoven　with　all　the　manifestations　of　it；
with　all　the　ways　in　which　the　world's　process　makes　its　appearance；　and　where　it　is　real　the　good
has　its　own　existence　too。　Virtue　thus　finds　the　world's　process　invulnerable。　All　the　moments
which　virtue　was　to　jeopardize　in　itself　when　dealing　with　the　world's　process；　all　the　moments
which　it　was　to　sacrifice　—　these　are　just　so　many　ways　in　which　goodness　exists；　and
consequently　are　inviolable　relations。　The　conflict　can；　therefore；　only　be　an　oscillation　between
conserving　and　sacrificing；　or　rather　there　can　be　no　place　for　either　sacrificing　one's　own　or　doing
harm　to　what　comes　from　elsewhere。　Virtue　is　not　merely　like　the　combatant　whose　sole　concern
in　the　fight　is　to　keep　his　sword　polished；　but　it　has　even　started　the　fight　simply　to　preserve　its
weapons。　And　not　merely　is　it　unable　to　use　its　own　weapons；　but　it　must　also　preserve　intact
those　of　its　enemy；　and　protect　them　against　its　own　attack；　seeing　they　are　all　noble　parts　of　the
good；　on　behalf　of　which　it　entered　the　field　of　battle。

This　enemy；　on　the　other　hand；　has　as　its　essential　element　not　the　inherent　universal；　but
individuality。　Its　force　is　thus　the　negative　principle　before　which　nothing　stands；　nothing　is
absolutely　sacred；　but　which　can　risk　and　endure　the　loss　of　everything　and　anything。　In　so　doing　it
feels　victory　to　be　assured；　as　much　from　its　very　nature　as　by　the　contradiction　in　which　its
opponent　gets　entangled。　What　is　to　virtue　implicit　and　inherent　is　taken　merely　as　an　explicit
objective　fact　in　the　case　of　the　world's　process。　The　latter　is　detached　from　every　moment　which
virtue　finds　fixed　and　to　which　it　is　fast　secured。　The　world　process　has　such　a　moment　under　its
power　and　has　consequently　in　its　control　the　tethered　knight　of　virtue　bound　thereto；　by　the　fact
that　this　moment　is　held　to　be　merely　one　which　the　world's　process　can　as　readily　cancel　as　let
be。　This　knight　of　valour　cannot　work　himself　loose　from　it　as　he　might　from　a　cloak　thrown　round
him；　and　get　free　by　leaving　it　behind；　for　it　is　to　him　the　essential　element　which　he　cannot　give　up。

Finally；　as　to　the　ambush　out　of　which　the　inherent　good　is　cunningly　and　craftily　to　fall　on　the　rear
of　the　world　process；　this　hope　is　vain　and　foolish　from　its　very　nature。　The　world　process　is　the
mind　sure　of　itself　and　ever　on　the　alert；　that　can　never　be　got　at　from　behind；　but　fronts
breast…forward　every　quarter；　for　it　consists　in　this　that　everything　is　an　objective　element　for　it；
everything　stands　before　it。　But　when　the　inherent　goodness　is　for　its　enemy；　then　it　finds　itself　in
the　struggle　we　have　seen；　so　far；　however；　as　it　is　not　for　its　enemy；　but　subsists　in　itself；　it　is　the
passive　instr