phenomenology of mind-第112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！


element　in　the　case　of　a　work　of　art；　that　it　is　produced　in　consciousness　and　is　made　by　the　hand
of　man；　is　the　moment　of　the　notion　existing　qua　notion；　and　standing　in　contrast　to　the　work
produced。　And　if　this　notion；　qua　the　artist　or　spectator；　is　unselfish　enough　to　declare　the　work　of
art　to　be　per　se　absolutely　animated；　and　to　forget　himself　qua　agent　or　onlooker；　then；　as　against
this；　the　notion　of　spirit　has　to　be　insisted　on；　spirit　cannot　dispense　with　the　moment　of　being
conscious　of　itself。　This　moment；　however；　stands　in　contrast　to　the　work；　because　spirit；　in　this　its
primary　disruption；　gives　the　two　sides　their　abstract　and　specifically　contrasted　characteristics　of
〃doing〃　something　and　of　being　a　〃thing〃；　and　their　return　to　the　unity　they　started　from　has　not　yet
come　about。

The　artist　finds　out；　then；　in　his　work；　that　he　did　not　produce　a　reality　like　himself。　No　doubt　there
comes　back　to　him　from　his　work　a　consciousness　in　the　sense　that　an　admiring　multitude　honours
it　as　the　spirit；　which　is　their　own　true　nature。　But　this　way　of　animating　his　work；　since　it　renders
him　his　self…consciousness　merely　in　the　way　of　admiration；　is　rather　a　confession　to　the　artist　that
the　animated　work　is　not　on　the　same　level　as　himself。　Since　his　self　comes　back　to　him　in　the　form
of　gladness　in　general；　he　does　not　find　therein　the　pain　of　his　self…discipline　and　the　pain　of
production；　nor　the　exertion　and　strain　of　his　own　toil。　People　may；　moreover；　judge　the　work；　or
bring　it　offerings　and　gifts；　or　endue　it　with　their　consciousness　in　whatever　way　they　like　—　if　they
with　their　knowledge　set　themselves　over　it；　he　knows　how　much　more　his　act　is　than　what　they
understand　and　say；　if　they　put　themselves　beneath　it；　and　recognize　in　it　their　own　dominating
essential　reality；　he　knows　himself　as　the　master　of　this。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（2）　THE　HYMN

The　work　of　art　hence　requires　another　element　for　its　existence；　God　requires　another　way　of
going　forth　than　this；　in　which；　out　of　the　depths　of　his　creative　night；　he　drops　into　the　opposite；
into　externality；　to　the　character　of　a　〃thing〃　with　no　self…consciousness。　This　higher　element　is　that
of　Language…a　way　of　existing　which　is　directly　self…conscious　existence。　When　individual
self…consciousness　exists　in　that　way；　it　is　at　the　same　time　directly　a　form　of　universal　contagion；
complete　isolation　of　independent　self…existent　selves　is　at　once　fluent　continuity　and　universally
communicated　unity　of　the　many　selves；　it　is　the　soul　existing　as　soul。　The　god；　then；　which　takes
language　as　its　medium　of　embodiment；　is　the　work　of　art　inherently　animated；　endowed　with　a
soul；　a　work　which　directly　in　its　existence　contains　the　pure　activity　which　was　apart　from　and　in
contrast　to　the　god　when　existing　as　a　〃thing〃　In　other　words；　self　…consciousness；　when　its
essential　being　becomes　objective；　remains　in　direct　unison　with　itself。　It　is；　when　thus　at　home　with
itself　in　its　essential　nature；　pure　thought　or　devotion；　whose　inwardness　gets　at　the　same　time
express　existence　in　the　Hymn。　The　hymn　keeps　within　it　the　individuality　of　self…consciousness；
and　this　individual　character　is　at　the　same　time　perceived　to　be　there　universal。　Devotion；　kindled
in　every　one；　is　a　spiritual　stream　which　in　all　the　manifold　self…conscious　units　is　conscious　of　itself
as　one　and　the　same　function　in　all　alike　and　a　simple　state　of　being。　Spirit；　being　this　universal
self…consciousness　of　every　one；　holds　in　a　single　unity　its　pure　inwardness　as　well　as　its　objective
existence　for　others　and　the　independent　self…existence　of　the　individual　units。

This　kind　of　language　is　distinct　from　another　way　God　speaks；　which　is　not　that　of　universal
self…consciousness。　The　Oracle；　both　in　the　case　of　the　god　of　the　religions　of　art　as　well　as　of　the
preceding　religions；　is　the　necessary　and　the　first　form　of　divine　utterance。　For　God's　very　principle
implies　that　God　is　at　once　the　essence　of　nature　and　of　spirit；　and　hence　has　not　merely　natural
but　spiritual　existence　as　well。　In　so　far　as　this　moment　is　merely　implied　as　yet　in　God's　principle
and　is　not　realized　in　religion；　the　language　used　is；　for　the　religious　self…consciousness；　the　speech
of　an　alien　and　external　self…consciousness。　The　self…consciousness　which　remains　alien　and　foreign
to　its　religious　communion；　is　not　yet　there　in　the　way　its　essential　principle　requires　it　should　be。
The　self　is　simple　self…existence；　and　thereby　is　altogether　universal　self…existence；　that　self；
however；　which　is　cut　off　from　the　self…consciousness　of　the　communion；　is　primarily　a　mere
individual　self。

The　content　of　this　its　own　peculiar　and　individual　form　of　speech　results　from　the　general
determinate　character　which　the　Absolute　Spirit　is　affirmed　to　have　in　its　religion　as　such。　Thus　the
universal　spirit　of　the　Sunrise；　which　has　not　yet　particularized　its　existence；　utters　about　the
Absolute　equally　simple　and　universal　statements；　whose　substantial　content　is　sublime　in　the
simplicity　of　its　truth；　but　at　the　same　time　appears；　because　of　this　universality；　trivial　to　the
self…consciousness　developing　further。

The　further　developed　self；　which　advances　to　being　distinctively　for　itself；　rises　above　the　pure
〃pathos〃　of　＇unconscious＇　substance；　gets　the　mastery　over　the　objectivity　of　the　Light　of　the　rising
Sun；　and　knows　that　simplicity　of　truth　to　be　the　inherent　reality　（das　Ansichseyende）　which　does
not　possess　the　form　of　contingent　existence　through　an　utterance　of　an　alien　self；　but　is　the　sure
and　unwritten　law　of　the　gods；　a　law　that　〃lives　for　ever；　and　no　man　knows　what　time　it　came〃。

As　the　universal　truth；　revealed　by　the　〃Light〃　of　the　world；　has　here　returned　into　what　is　within　or
what　is　beneath；　and　has　thus　got　rid　of　the　form　of　contingent　appearance；　so　too；　on　the　other
hand；　in　the　religion　of　art；　because　God's　shape　has　taken　on　consciousness　and　hence
individuality　in　general；　the　peculiar　utterance　of　God；　who　is　the　spirit　of　an　ethically　constituted
nation；　is　the　Oracle；　which　knows　its　special　circumstances　and　situation；　and　announces　what　is
serviceable　to　its　interests。　Reflective　thought；　however；　claims　for　itself　the　universal　truths
enunciated；　because　these　are　known　as　the　essential　inherent　reality　of　the　nation's　life；　and　the
utterance　of　them　is　thus　for　such　reflexion　no　longer　a　strange　and　alien　speech；　but　is　its　very
own。　Just　as　that　wise　man　of　old（4）　searched　in　his　own　thought　for　what　was　worthy　and　good；
but　left　it　to　his　〃Daimon〃　to　find　out　and　decide　the　petty　contingent　content　of　what　he　wanted　to
know　—　whether　it　was　good　for　him　to　keep　company　with　this　or　that　person；　or　good　for　one
of　his　friends　to　go　on　a　journey；　and　such　like　unimportant　things；　in　the　same　way　the　universal
consciousness　draws　the　knowledge　about　the　contingent　from　birds；　or　trees；　or　fermenting　earth；
the　steam　from　which　deprives　the　self…conscious　mind　of　its　sanity　of　judgment。　For　what　is
accidental　is　not　the　object　of　sober　reflexion；　and　is　extraneous；　and　hence　the　ethical
consciousness　lets　itself；　as　if　by　a　throw　of　the　dice；　settle　the　matter　in　a　manner　that　is　similarly
unreflective　and　extraneous。　If　the　individual；　by　his　understanding；　determines　on　a　certain　course；
and　selects；　after　consideration；　what　is　useful　for　him；　it　is　the　specific　nature　of　his　particular
character　which　is　the　ground　of　this　self…determination。　This　basis　is　just　what　is　contingent；　and
that；　knowledge　which　his　understanding　supplies　as　to　what　is　useful　for　the　individual；　is　hence
just　such　a　knowledge　as　that　of　〃oracles〃　or　of　the　〃lot〃；　only　that　he　who　questions　the　oracle　or
lot；　thereby　shows　the　ethical　sentiment　of　indifference　to　what　is　accidental；　while　the　former；　on
the　contrary；　treats　the　inherently　contingent　as　an　essential　concern　of　his　thought　and　knowledge。
Higher　than　both；　however；　is　to　make　careful　reflexion　the　oracle　for　contingent　action；　but　yet　to
recognize　that　this　very　act　reflected　on　is　something　contingent；　because　it　refers　to　what　is
opportune　and　has　a　relation　to　what　is　particular。

The　true　self…conscious　existence；　which　spirit　receives　in　the　form　of　speech；　which　is　not　the
utterance　of　an　alien　and　so　accidental；　i。e。　not　universal；　self…consciousness；　is　the　work　of　art
which　we　met　with　before。　It　stands　in　contrast　to　the　statue；　which　has　the　character　of　a　〃thing〃。
As　the　statue　is　existence　in　a　state　of　rest；　the　other　is　existence　in　a　state　of　transience。　In　the
case　of　the　former；　objectivity　is　set　free　and　is　without　the　immediate　presence　of　a　self　of　its　own；
in　the　latter；　on　the　other　hand；　objectivity　is　too　much　confined　within　the　self；　attains　insufficiently
to　definite　embodiment；　and　is；　like　time；　no　longer…　there　just　as　soon　as　it　is　there。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（3）。　THE　CULT

The　religious　Cult　constitutes　the　process　of　the　two　sides　—　a　process　in　which　the　divine
embodiment　in　motion　within　the　pure　feeling…element　of　self…consciousness；　and　its　embodiment　at
rest　in　the　element　of　thinghood；　reciprocally　abandon　the　different　character　each　possesses；　and
the　unity；　which　is　the　underlying　principle　of　their　being；　becomes　an　existing　fact。　Here　in　the
Cult；　the　self　gives　itself　a　consciousness　of　the　Divine　Being　descending　from　its　remoteness　into
it；　and　this　Divine　Being；　which　was　formerly　the　unreal　and　merely　objective；　thereby　receives　the
proper　actuality　of　self…consciousness。

This　principle　of　the　Cult　is　essentially　contained　and　present　already　in　the　flow　of　the　melody　of
the　Hymn。　These　hymns　of　devotion　are　the　way　the　self　obtains　immediate　pure　satisfaction
through　and　within　itself。　It　is　the　soul　purified；　which；　in　the　purity　it　thus　attains；　is　immediately　and
only　absolute　Being；　and　is　one　with　absolute　Being。　The　soul；　because　of　its　abstract　character；　is
not　consciousness　distinguishing　its　object　from　itself；　and　is　thus　merely　the　night　of　the　object's
existence　and　the　place　prepared　for　its　shape。　The　abstract　Cult；　therefore；　raises　the　self　into
being　this　pure　divine　element。　The　soul　fulfils　the　attainment　of　this　purity　in　a　conscious　way。

Still　the　soul　is　not　yet　the　self；　which　has　descended　to　the　depths　of　its　being；　and　knows　itself　as
evil。　It　is　something　that　merely　is；　a　soul；　which　cleanses　its　exterior　with　the　washing　of　water；
and　robes　it　in　white；　while　its　innermost　traverses　the　imaginatively　presented　path　of　labour；
punishment；　and　reward；　the　way　of　spiritual　discipline　in　general；　of　relinquishing　its　particularity
—　the　road　by　which　it　reaches　the　mansions　and　the　fellowship　of　the　blest。

This　ceremonial　cult　is；　in　its　first　form；　merely　in　secret；　i。e。　is　a　fulfilment　accomplished　merely　in
idea；　and　unreal　in　fact。　It　has　to　become　a　real　act；　for　an　unreal　act　is　a　contradiction　in　terms。
Consciousness　proper　thereby　raises　itself　to　the　level　of　its　pure　self…consciousness。　The　essential
Being　has　in　it　the　significance　of　a　free　object；　through　the　actual　cult　this　object　turns　back　into
the　self；　and　in　so　far　a