phenomenology of mind-第12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！


and　form　a　continuous　whole　than　to　bring　sensuous　existence　into　this　state。　The　reason　lies　in
what　was　said　before。　Thought　determinations　get　their　substance　and　the　element　of　their
existence　from　the　ego；　the　power　of　the　negative；　or　pure　reality；　while　determinations　of　sense
find　this　in　impotent　abstract　immediacy；　in　mere　being　as　such。　Thoughts　become　fluent　and
interfuse；　when　thinking　pure　and　simple；　this　inner　immediacy；　knows　itself　as　a　moment；　when
pure　certainty　of　self　abstracts　from　itself。　It　does　not　〃abstract〃　in　the　sense　of　getting　away　from
itself　and　setting　itself　on　one　side；　but　of　surrendering　the　fixed　quality　of　its　self…affirmation；　and
giving　up　both　the　fixity　of　the　purely　concrete…which　is　the　ego　as　contrasted　with　the　variety　of　its
content…and　the　fixity　of　all　those　distinctions　＇the　various　thought…functions；　principles；　etc。＇　which
are　present　in　the　element　of　pure　thought　and　share　that　absoluteness　of　the　ego。　In　virtue　of　this
process　pure　thoughts　become　notions；　concepts；　and　are　then　what　they　are　in　truth；　self…moving
functions；　circles；　are　what　their　substance　consists　in；　are　spiritual　entities。

This　movement　of　the　spiritual　entities　constitutes　the　nature　of　scientific　procedure　in　general。
Looked　at　as　the　concatenation　of　their　content；　this　movement　is　the　necessitated　development
and　expansion　of　that　content　into　an　organic　systematic　whole。　By　this　movement；　too；　the　road；
which　leads　to　the　notion　of　knowledge；　becomes　itself　likewise　a　necessary　and　complete
evolving　process　（Werden）。　This　preparatory　stage　thus　ceases　to　consist　of　casual　philosophical
reflections；　referring　to　objects　here　and　there；　to　processes　and　thoughts　of　the　undeveloped　mind
as　chance　may　direct；　and　it　does　not　try　to　establish　the　truth　by　miscellaneous　ratiocinations；
inferences；　and　consequences　drawn　from　circumscribed　thoughts。　The　road　to　science；　by　the
very　movement　of　the　notion　itself；　will　compass　the　entire　objective　world　of　conscious　life　in　its
rational　necessity。

Further；　a　systematic　exposition　like　this　constitutes　the　first　part　of　science；　because　the　positive
existence　of　mind；　qua　primary　and　ultimate；　is　nothing　but　the　immediate　aspect　of　mind；　the
beginning；　the　beginning；　but　not　yet　its　return　to　itself。　The　characteristic　feature　distinguishing　this
part　of　science　＇Phenomenology＇　from　the　others　is　the　element　of　positive　immediate　existence。
The　mention　of　this　distinction　leads　us　to　discuss　certain　established　ideas　that　usually　come　to
notice　in　this　connexion。　

The　mind's　immediate　existence；　conscious　life；　has　two　aspects　—　cognition　and　objectivity　which
is　opposed　to　or　negative　of　the　subjective　function　of　knowing。　Since　it　is　in　the　medium　of
consciousness　that　mind　is　developed　and　brings　out　its　various　moments；　this　opposition　between
the　factors　of　conscious　life　is　found　at　each　stage　in　the　evolution　of　mind；　and　all　the　various
moments　appear　as　modes　or　forms　（Gestalten）　of　consciousness。　The　scientific　statement　of　the
course　of　this　development　is　a　science　of　the　experience　through　which　consciousness　passes；　the
substance　and　its　process　are　considered　as　the　object　of　consciousness。　Consciousness　knows
and　comprehends　nothing　but　what　falls　within　its　experience；　for　what　is　found　in　experience　is
merely　spiritual　substance；　and；　moreover；　object　of　its　self。　Mind；　however；　becomes　object；　for
it　consists　in　the　process　of　becoming　an　other　to　itself；　i。e。　an　object　for　its　own　self；　and　in
transcending　this　otherness。　And　experience　is　called　this　very　process　by　which　the　element　that　is
immediate；　unexperienced；　i。e。　abstract…whether　it　be　in　the　form　of　sense　or　of　a　bare　thought　—
externalizes　itself；　and　then　comes　back　to　itself　from　this　state　of　estrangement；　and　by　so　doing　is
at　length　set　forth　in　its　concrete　nature　and　real　truth；　and　becomes　too　a　possession　of
consciousness。

The　dissimilarity　which　obtains　in　consciousness　between　the　ego　and　the　substance　constituting　its
object；　is　their　inner　distinction；　the　factor　of　negativity　in　general。　We　may　regard　it　as　the　defect
of　both　opposites；　but　it　is　their　very　soul；　their　moving　spirit。　It　was　on　this　account　that　certain
thinkers　long　ago　took　the　void　to　be　the　principle　of　movement；　when　they　conceived　the　moving
principle　to　be　the　negative　element；　though　they　had　not　as　yet　thought　of　it　as　self。　While　this
negative　factor　appears　in　the　first　instance　as　a　dissimilarity；　as　an　inequality；　between　ego　and
object；　it　is　just　as　much　the　inequality　of　the　substance　with　itself。　What　seems　to　take　place
outside　it；　to　be　an　activity　directed　against　it；　is　its　own　doing；　its　own　activity；　and　substance
shows　that　it　is　in　reality　subject。　When　it　has　brought　out　this　completely；　mind　has　made　its
existence　adequate　to　and　one　with　its　essential　nature。　Mind　is　object　to　itself　just　as　it　is；　and　the
abstract　element　of　immediacy；　of　the　separation　between　knowing　and　the　truth；　is　overcome。
Being　is　entirely　mediated；　it　is　a　substantial　content；　that　is　likewise　directly　in　the　possession　of
the　ego；　has　the　character　of　self；　is　notion。　With　the　attainment　of　this　the　Phenomenology　of　Mind
concludes。　What　mind　prepares　for　itself　in　the　course　of　its　phenomenology　is　the　element　of　true
knowledge。　In　this　element　the　moments　of　mind　are　now　set　out　in　the　form　of　thought　pure　and
simple；　which　knows　its　object　to　be　itself。　They　no　longer　involve　the　opposition　between　being
and　knowing；　they　remain　within　the　undivided　simplicity　of　the　knowing　function；　they　are　the　truth
in　the　form　of　truth；　and　their　diversity　is　merely　diversity　of　the　content　of　truth。　The　process　by
which　they　are　developed　into　an　organically　connected　whole　is　Logic　or　Speculative　Philosophy。

　　11。　　　In　what　way　the　Phenomenology　of　the　Spirit　is　negative　or　contains　what　is
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　false

Now；　because　the　systematic　statement　of　the　mind's　experience　embraces　merely　its　ways　of
appearing；　it　may　well　seem　that　the　advance　from　that　to　the　science　of　ultimate　truth　in　the　form
of　truth　is　merely　negative；　and　we　might　readily　be　content　to　dispense　with　the　negative　process
as　something　altogether　false；　and　might　ask　to　be　taken　straight　to　the　truth　at　once：　why　meddle
with　what　is　false　at　all？　The　point　formerly　raised；　that　we　should　have　begun　with　science　at
once；　may　be　answered　here　by　considering　the　character　of　negativity　in　general　regarded　as
something　false。　The　usual　ideas　on　this　subject　particularly　obstruct　the　approach　to　the　truth。　The
consideration　of　this　point　will　give　us　an　opportunity　to　speak　about　mathematical　knowledge；
which　non…philosophical　knowledge　looks　upon　as　the　ideal　which　philosophy　ought　to　try　to
attain；　but　has　so　far　striven　in　vain　to　reach。　

Truth　and　falsehood　as　commonly　understood　belong　to　those　sharply　defined　ideas　which　claim　a
completely　fixed　nature　of　their　own；　one　standing　in　solid　isolation　on　this　side；　the　other　on　that；
without　any　community　between　them。　Against　that　view　it　must　be　pointed　out；　that　truth　is　not
like　stamped　coin　that　is　issued　ready　from　the　mint　and　so　can　be　taken　up　and　used。　Nor；　again；
is　there　something　false；　any　more　than　there　is　something　evil。　Evil　and　falsehood　are　indeed　not
so　bad　as　the　devil；　for　in　the　form　of　the　devil　they　get　the　length　of　being　particular　subjects；　qua
false　and　evil　they　are　merely　universals；　though　they　have　a　nature　of　their　own　with　reference　to
one　another。　Falsity　（that　is　what　we　are　dealing　with　here）　would　be　otherness；　the　negative
aspect　of　the　substance；　which　＇substance＇；　qua　content　of　knowledge；　is　truth。　But　the　substance
is　itself　essentially　the　negative　element；　partly　as　involving　distinction　and　determination　of　content；
partly　as　being　a　process　of　distinguishing　pure　and　simple；　i。e。　as　being　self　and　knowledge　in
general。　Doubtless　we　can　know　in　a　way　that　is　false。　To　know　something　falsely　means　that
knowledge　is　not　adequate　to；　is　not　on　equal　terms　with；　its　substance。　Yet　this　very　dissimilarity
is　the　process　of　distinction　in　general；　the　essential　moment　in　knowing。　It　is；　in　fact；　out　of　this
active　distinction　that　its　harmonious　unity　arises；　and　this　identity；　when　arrived　at；　is　truth。　But　it　is
not　truth　in　a　sense　which　would　involve　the　rejection　of　the　discordance；　the　diversity；　like　dross
from　pure　metal；　nor；　again；　does　truth　remain　detached　from　diversity；　like　a　finished　article　from
the　instrument　that　shapes　it。　Difference　itself　continues　to　be　an　immediate　element　within　truth　as
such；　in　the　form　of　the　principle　of　negation；　in　the　form　of　the　activity　of　Self。　All　the　same；　we
cannot　for　that　reason　say　that　falsehood　is　a　moment　or　forms　even　a　constituent　part　of　truth。
That　〃in　every　case　of　falsity　there　is　something　true〃　is　an　expression　in　which　they　are　taken　to　be
like　oil　and　water；　which　do　not　mix　and　are　merely　united　externally。　Just　in　the　interest　of　their
real　meaning；　precisely　because　we　want　to　designate　the　aspect　or　moment　of　complete
otherness；　the　terms　true　and　false　must　no　longer　be　used　where　their　otherness　has　been
cancelled　and　superseded。　Just　as　the　expressions　〃unity　of　subject　and　object〃；　of　〃finite　and
infinite〃；　of　〃being　and　thought〃；　etc。；　are　clumsy　when　subject　and　object；　etc。；　are　taken　to　mean
what　they　are　outside　their　unity；　and　are　thus　in　that　unity　not　meant　to　be　what　its　very
expression　conveys；　in　the　same　way　falsehood　is　not；　qua　false；　any　longer　a　moment　of　truth。　

Dogmatism　as　a　way　of　thinking；　whether　in　ordinary　knowledge　or　in　the　study　of　philosophy；　is
nothing　else　but　the　view　that　truth　consists　in　a　proposition；　which　is　a　fixed　and　final　result；　or
again　which　is　directly　known。　To　questions　like；　〃When　was　Caesar　born？〃。　〃How　many　feet
make　a　furlongs〃；　etc。；　a　straight　answer　ought　to　be　given；　just　as　it　is　absolutely　true　that　the
square　of　the　hypotenuse　is　equal　to　the　sum　of　the　squares　of　the　other　two　sides　of　a　right…angled
triangle。　But　the　nature　of　a　so…called　truth　of　that　sort　is　different　from　the　nature　of　philosophical
truth。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　12。　　Historical　and　mathematical　truth

As　regards　truth　in　matters　of　historical　fact…to　deal　briefly　with　this　subject　—　so　far　as　we
consider　the　purely　historical　element；　it　will　be　readily　granted　that　they　have　to　do　with　the　sphere
of　particular　existence；　with　a　content　in　its　contingent　and　arbitrary　aspects；　features　that　have　no
necessity。　But　even　bare　truths　of　the　kind；　say；　like　those　mentioned；　are　impossible　without　the
activity　of　self　…consciousness。　In　order　to　know　any　one　of　them；　there　has　to　be　a　good　deal　of
comparison；　books　must　be　consulted；　or　in　some　way　or　other　inquiry　has　to　be　made。　Even　in　a
case　of　direct　perception；　only　when　we　know　it　along　with　the　reasons　behind　it；　is　it　held　to　be
something　of　real　value；　although　it　is　merely　the　naked　fact　itself　that　we　are；　properly　speaking；
supposed　to　be　concerned　about。

As　to　mathematical　truths；　we　should　be　still　less　inclined　to　consider　anyone