phenomenology of mind-第102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！


self。　Conscience　has　not　given　up　pure　duty；　the　abstract　implicit　essence：　pure　duty　is　the　essential
moment　of　relating　itself；　qua　universality；　to　others。　Conscience　is　the　common　element　of　distinct
self…consciousnesses；　and　this　is　the　substance　in　which　the　act　secures　subsistence　and　reality；　the
moment　of　being　recognized　by　others。　The　moral　self…consciousness　does　not　possess　this
moment　of　recognition；　of　pure　consciousness　which　has　definite　existence；　and　on　that　account
really　does　not　〃act〃　at　all；　does　not　effectually　actualize　anything。　Its　inherent　nature　is　for　it　either
the　abstract　unreal　essence；　or　else　existence　in　the　form　of　a　reality　which　has　no　spiritual
character。　The　actual　reality　of　conscience；　however；　is　one　which　is　a　self；　i。e。　an　existence
conscious　of　itself；　the　spiritual　element　of　being　recognized。　Doing　something　is；　therefore；　merely
the　translation　of　its　individual　content　into　that　objective　element　where　it　is　universal　and　is
recognized；　and　this　very　fact；　that　the　content　is　recognized；　makes　the　deed　an　actuality。　The
action　is　recognized　and　thereby　real；　because　the　actual　reality　is　immediately　bound　up　with
conviction　or　knowledge；　or；　in　other　words；　knowledge　of　one's　purpose　is　immediately　and　at
once　the　element　of　existence；　is　universal　recognition。　For　the　essence　of　the　act；　duty；　consists　in
the　conviction　conscience　has　about　it。　This　conviction　is　just　the　inherent　principle　itself；　it　is
inherently　universal　self…consciousness　—　in　other　words；　is　recognition　and　hence　reality。　The
result　achieved　under　conviction　of　duty　is　therefore　directly　one　which　has　substantial　solid
existence。　Thus；　we　hear　nothing　more　there　about　good　intention　not　coming　to　anything　definite；
or　about　the　good　man　faring　badly。　What　is　known　as　duty　is　carried　out　completely　and
becomes　an　actual　fact；　just　because　what　is　dutiful　is　the　universal　for　all　self　…consciousnesses；
that　which　is　recognized；　acknowledged；　and　thus　objectively　is。　Taken　separately　and　alone；
however；　without　the　content　of　self；　this　duty　is　existence…for…another；　the　transparent　element；
which　has　merely　the　significance　of　an　unsubstantial　essential　factor　in　general。

If　we　look　back　on　the　sphere　where　spiritual　reality　first　made　its　appearance；　we　find　that　the
principle　involved　was　that　the　utterance　of　individuality　is　the　absolutely　real；　the　ultimately
substantial。　But　the　shape　which；　in　the　first　instance；　gave　expression　to　this　principle；　was　the
〃honest　consciousness〃（2）　which　was　occupied　and　concerned　with　abstract　〃fact　itself〃。　This　〃fact
itself〃　was　there　a　predicate。　In　conscience；　however；　it　is　for　the　first　time　a　Subject；　which　has
affirmed　within　it　all　aspects　of　consciousness；　and　for　which　all　these　moments；　substantiality　in
general；　external　existence；　and　essence　of　thought；　are　contained　in　this　certainty　of　itself。　The
〃fact　itself〃　has　substantiality　in　general　in　the　ethical　order　（Sittlichkeit）；　external　existence　in
culture；　self　…knowing　essence　of　thought　in　morality；　and　in　conscience　it　is　the　Subject；　which
knows　these　moments　within　itself。　While　the　〃honest　consciousness〃　is　for　ever　grasping　merely
the　bare　and　empty　〃fact　itself〃；　conscience；　on　the　other　hand；　secures　the〃fact　itself　〃　in　its
fullness；　a　fullness　which　conscience　of　itself　supplies。　Conscience　has　this　power　through　its
knowing　the　moments　of　consciousness　as　moments；　and　controlling　them　because　it　is　their
negative　essential　principle。

When　conscience　is　considered　in　relation　to　the　single　features　of　the　opposition　which　appears　in
action；　and　when　we　consider　its　consciousness　regarding　the　nature　of　those　features；　its　attitude
towards　the　reality　of　the　situation　where　action　has　to　take　place　is；　in　the　first　instance；　that　of
knowledge。　So　far　as　the　aspect　of　universality　is　present　in　such　knowledge；　it　is　the　business　of
conscientious　action　qua　knowledge；　to　compass　the　reality　before　it　in　an　unrestricted　exhaustive
manner；　and　thus　to　know　exactly　the　circumstances　of　the　case；　and　give　them　due　consideration。
This　knowledge；　however；　since　it　is　aware　of　universality　as　a　moment；　is　in　consequence　a　kind
of　knowledge　of　these　circumstances　which　is　conscious　all　the　while　of　not　embracing　them；　is
conscious　of　not　being　conscientious　in　its　procedure。　The　genuinely　universal　and　pure　relation　of
knowledge　would　be　one　towards　something　not　opposed；　a　relation　to　itself。　But　action　through
the　opposition　essentially　implied　in　action　is　related　to　what　negates　consciousness；　to　a　reality
existing　per　se。　This　reality　—　being；　as　contrasted　with　the　simple　nature　of　pure　consciousness；
the　absolute　other；　multiplicity　per　se　—　is　a　sheer　plurality　of　circumstances　which　breaks　up
indefinitely　and　spreads　in　all　directions　—　backwards　into　their　conditions；　sidewards　in　their
associations；　forwards　in　》　


Transfer　interrupted！

scientious　mind　is　aware　of　this　nature；　of　〃the　fact〃　and　of　its　relation　thereto；　and　knows　it　is　not
acquainted　to　the　full　and　complete　extent　require　with　the　situation　in　which　its　action　takes　place；
and　knows　that　its　pretence　of　conscientiously　weighing　and　considering　all　the　circumstances　is
futile。　This　acquaintance　with　and　consideration　of　all　the　circumstances；　however；　are　not　entirely
absent：　but　they　are　merely　present　as　a　moment；　as　something　which　is　only　for　others：　and　the
conscientious　mind　holds　its　incomplete　knowledge　to　be　sufficient　and　complete；　because　it　is　its
own　knowledge。

In　a　similar　way　the　process　is　constituted　in　connexion　with　the　universality　of　the　essential
principle；　that　is；　with　the　characterization　of　the　content　as　determined　through　pure
consciousness。　Conscience；　when　it　goes　on　to　act；　takes　up　a　relation　to　the　various　sides　of　the
case。　The　case　breaks　up　into　separate　elements；　and　the　relation　of　pure　consciousness　towards　it
does　the　same：　whereby　the　multiplicity　characteristic　of　the　case　becomes　a　multiplicity　of　duties。
Conscience　knows　that　it　has　to　select　and　decide　amongst　them；　for　none　of　them　specifically；　in
its　content；　is　an　absolute　duty；　only　pure　duty　is　so。　But　this　abstract　entity　has；　in　its　realization；
come　to　denote　self…conscious　ego。　Spirit　certain　of　itself　is　at　rest　within　itself　in　the　form　of
conscience；　and　its　real　universality；　its　duty；　lies　in　its　pure　conviction　concerning　duty。　This　pure
conviction　as　such　is　as　empty　as　pure　duty；　pure　in　the　sense　that　nothing　within　it；　no　definite
content；　is　duty。　Action；　however；　has　to　take　place；　the　individual　must　determine　to　do　something
or　other；　and　spirit　which　is　certain　of　itself；　in　which　the　inherent　principle　has　attained　the
significance　of　self…conscious　ego；　knows　it　has　this　determination；　this　specific　content；　in　the
immediate　certainty　of　its　own　self。　This　certainty；　being　a　determination　and　a　content；　is　〃natural〃
consciousness；　i。e。　the　various　impulses　and　inclinations。

　　　　　（1）　Conscience　as　the　freedom　of　the　self　within　itself；　The　Reality　of　Duty：
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　conviction

Conscience　admits　no　content　as　absolute　for　it；　because　it　is　absolute　negativity　of　all　that　is
definite。　It　determines　from　itself　alone。　The　circle　of　the　self；　however；　within　which
determinateness　as　such　falls；　is　so…called　〃sensibility〃：　in　order　to　get　a　content　out　of　the
immediate　certainty　of　self　；　there　is　no　other　element　to　be　found　except　sensibility。

Everything　that　in　previous　modes　of　experience　was　presented　as　good　or　bad；　law　and　right；　is
something　other　than　immediate　certainty　of　self；　it　is　a　universal；　which　is　now　a　relative　entity；　an
existence…for…another。　Or；　looked　at　otherwise；　it　is　an　object　which；　while　connecting　and　relating
consciousness　with　itself；　comes　between　consciousness　and　its　own　propel　truth；　and　instead　of
that　object　being　the　immediacy　of　consciousness；　it　rather　cuts　consciousness　off　from　itself。

For　conscience；　however；　certainty　of　self　is　the　pure；　direct；　and　immediate　truth：　and　this　truth　is
thus　its　immediate　certainty　of　self　presented　as　content；　i。e。　its　truth　is　altogether　the　caprice　of　the
individual；　and　the　accidental　content　of　his　unconscious　natural　existence　＇his　sensibility＇。

This　content　at　the　same　time　passes　for　essential　moral　reality；　for　duty。　For　pure　duty；　as　was
found　when　testing　and　examining　laws；（3）　is　utterly　indifferent　to　every　content；　and　gets　along
with　any。　Here　it　has　at　the　same　time　the　essential　form　of　self…existence；　of　existing　on　its　own
account：　and　this　form　of　individual　conviction　is　nothing　else　than　the　sense　of　the　emptiness　Of
pure　duty；　and　the　consciousness　that　this　is　merely　a　moment；　that　its　substantiality　is　a　predicate
which　finds　its　subject　in　the　individual；　whose　caprice　gives　pure　duty　content；　can　connect　every
content　with　this　form；　and　attach　its　feeling　of　conscientiousness　to　any　content。

An　individual　increases　his　property　in　a　certain　way。　It　is　a　duty　that　each　should　see　to　the
maintenance　of　himself　and　family；　and　no　less　ensure　the　possibility　of　his　being　serviceable　to　his
neighbours　and　of　doing　good　to　those　standing　in　need。　The　individual　is　aware　that　this　is　a　duty；
for　this　content　is　directly　contained　in　the　certainty　he　has　of　himself。　He　perceives；　further；　that　he
fulfils　this　particular　duty　in　this　particular　case。　Other　people　possibly　consider　the　specific　way　he
adopts　as　fraud：　they　hold　by　other　sides　of　the　concrete　case　presented；　while　he　holds　firmly　to
this　particular　side　of　it　by　the　fact　of　his　being　conscious　that　the　increase　of　property　is　a　pure
and　absolute　duty。

In　the　same　way　there　is　fulfilled　by　the　individual；　as　a　duty；　what　other　people　call　violence　and
wrong…doing　—　the　duty　of　asserting　one's　independence　against　others：　and；　again；　the　duty　of
preserving　one's　life；　and　the　possibility　of　being　useful　to　one's　neighbours。　Others　call　this
cowardice；　but　what　they　call　courage　really　violates　both　these　duties。　But　cowardice　must　not　be
so　stupid　and　clumsy　as　not　to　know　that　the　maintenance　of　life　and　the　possibility　of　being　useful
to　others　are　duties　—　so　inept　as　not　to　be　convinced　of　the　dutifulness　of　its　action；　and　not　to
know　that　dutifulness　consists　in　knowledge。　Otherwise　it　would　commit　the　stupidity　of　being
immoral。　Since　morality　lies　in　the　consciousness　of　having　fulfilled　one's　duty；　this　will　not　be
lacking　when　the　action　is　what　is　called　cowardice　any　more　than　when　it　is　what　is　called
courage。　As　the　abstraction　called　〃duty〃　is　capable　of　every　content；　it　is　quite　equal　to　that　of
cowardice。　The　agent　knows　what　he　does　to　be　duty；　and　since　he　knows　this；　and　conviction　as
to　duty　is　just　dutifulness；　he　is　thus　recognized　and　acknowledged　by　others。　The　act　thereby
becomes　accepted　as　valid　and　has　actual　existence。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（1）　The　Universality　of　Conscience

It　is　of　no　avail　to　object　to　this　freedom　—　which　puts　any　and　every　kind　of　content　into　this
universal　inert　receptacle　of　pure　duty　and　pure　knowledge　—　by　asserting　that　another　conten