phenomenology of mind-第16章

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an　essential　condition　of　attending　to　and　getting　at　the　real　nature　of　the　notion。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　16。　　　Argumentative　thinking　in　its　negative　attitude　—　

There　are　two　aspects　in　the　case　of　that　ratiocinative　procedure　which　mark　its　contrast　from
conceptual　thinking　and　call　for　further　notice。　Raisonnement；　in　the　first　place；　adopts　a　negative
attitude　towards　the　content　apprehended；　knows　how　to　refute　it　and　reduce　it　to　nothingness。　To
see　what　the　content　is　not　is　merely　a　negative　process；　it　is　a　dead　halt；　which　does　not　of　itself
go　beyond　itself；　and　proceed　to　a　new　content；　it　has　to　get　hold　of　something　else　from
somewhere　or　other　in　order　to　have　once　more　a　content。　It　is　reflection　upon　and　into　the　empty
ego；　the　vanity　of　its　own　knowledge。　Conceit　of　this　kind　brings　out　not　only　that　this　content　is
vain　and　empty；　but　also　that　to　see　this　is　itself　fatuity　too：　for　it　is　negation　with　no　perception　of
the　positive　element　within　it。　In　that　this　reflection　does　not　even　have　its　own　negativity　as　its
content；　it　is　not　inside　actual　fact　at　all；　but　for　ever　away　outside　it。　On　that　account　it　imagines
that　by　asserting　mere　emptiness　it　is　going　much　farther　than　insight　that　embraces　and　reveals　a
wealth　of　content。　On　the　other　hand；　in　the　case　of　conceptual　thinking；　as　was　above　indicated；
the　negative　aspect　falls　within　the　content　itself；　and　is　the　positive　substance　of　that　content；　as
well　as　being　its　inherent　character　and　moving　principle　as　by　being　the　entirety　of　what　these　are。
Looked　at　as　a　result；　it　is　determinate　specific　negation；　the　negative　which　is　the　outcome　of　this
process；　and　consequently　is　a　positive　content　as　well。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　17。　　—　in　its　positive　attitude；　its　subject

In　view　of　the　fact　that　ratiocinative　thinking　has　a　content；　whether　of　images　or　thoughts　or　a
mixture　of　both；　there　is　another　side　to　its　process　which　makes　conceptual　comprehension
difficult　for　it。　The　peculiar　nature　of　this　aspect　is　closely　connected　with　the　essential　meaning　of
the　idea　above　described；　in　fact；　expresses　the　idea　in　the　way　this　appears　as　the　process　of
thinking　apprehension。　For　just　as　ratiocinative　thinking　in　its　negative　reference；　which　we　have
been　describing；　is　nothing　but　the　self　into　which　the　content　returns；　in　the　same　way；　on　the
other　hand；　in　its　positive　cognitive　process　the　self　is　an　ideally　presented　subject　to　which　the
content　is　related　as　an　accident　and　predicate。　This　subject　constitutes　the　basis　to　which　the
content　is　attached　and　on　which　the　process　moves　to　and　fro。　Conceptual　thinking　goes　on　in
quite　a　different　way。　Since　the　concept　or　notion　is　the　very　self　of　the　object；　manifesting　itself　as
the　development　of　the　object；　it　is　not　a　quiescent　subject；　passively　supporting　accidents：　it　is　a
self…determining　active　concept　which　takes　up　its　determinations　and　makes　them　its　own。　In　the
course　of　this　process　that　inert　passive　subject　really　disappears；　it　enters　into　the　different
constituents　and　pervades　the　content；　instead　of　remaining　in　inert　antithesis　to　determinateness　of
content；　it　constitutes；　in　fact；　that　very　specificity；　i。e。　the　content　as　differentiated　along　with　the
process　of　bringing　this　about。　Thus　the　solid　basis；　which　ratiocination　found　in　an　inert　subject；　is
shaken　to　its　foundations；　and　the　only　object　is　this　very　movement　of　the　subject。　The　subject
supplying　the　concrete　filling　to　its　own　content　ceases　to　be　something　transcending。　this　content；
and　cannot　have　further　predicates　or　accidents。　Conversely；　again；　the　scattered　diversity　of　the
content　is　brought　under　the　control　of　the　self；　and　so　bound　together；　the　content　is　not　a
universal　that　can　be　detached　from　the　subject；　and　adapted　to　several　indifferently。　Consequently
the　content　is　in　truth　no　longer　predicate　of　the　subject；　it　is　the　very　substance；　is　the　inmost
reality；　and　the　very　principle　of　what　is　being　considered。　Ideational　thinking　（vorstellen）；　since　its
nature　consists　in　dealing　with　accidents　or　predicates；　and　in　exercising　the　right　to　transcend　them
because　they　are　nothing　more　than　predicates　and　accidents　—　this　way　of　thinking　is　checked　in
its　course；　since　that　which　has　in　the　proposition　the　form　of　a　predicate　is　itself　the　substance　of
the　statement。　It　is　met　by　a　counter…thrust；　as　we　may　say。　Starting　from　the　subject；　as　if　this
were　a　permanent　base　on　which　to　proceed；　it　discovers；　by　the　predicate　being　in　reality　the
substance；　that　the　subject　has　passed　into　the　predicate；　and　has　thereby　ceased　to　be　subject：
and　since　in　this　way　what　seems　to　be　predicate　has　become　the　entire　mass　of　the　content；
whole　and　complete；　thinking　cannot　wander　and　ramble　about　at　will；　but　is　restrained　and
controlled　by　this　weight　of　content。　

Usually　the　subject　is　first　set　down　as　the　fixed　and　objective　self；　from　this　fixed　position　the
necessary　process　passes　on　to　the　multiplicity　of　determinations　or　predicates。　Here　the　knowing
ego　takes　the　place　of　that　subject　and　is　the　function　of　knitting　or　combining　the　predicates　one
with　another；　and　is　the　subject　holding　them　fast。　But　since　the　former　subject　enters　into　the
determinate　constituents　themselves；　and　is　their　very　life；　the　subject　in　the　second　case　—　viz。　the
knowing　subject…finds　that　the　former；　which　it　is　supposed　to　be　done　with　and　which　it　wants　to
transcend；　in　order　to　return　into　itself；　—　is　still　there　in　the　predicate：　and　instead　of　being　able　to
be　the　determining　agency　in　the　process　of　resolving　the　predicate…reflectively　deciding　whether
this　or　that　predicate　should　be　attached　to　the　former　subject　—　it　has　really　to　deal　with　the　self
of　the　content；　is　not　allowed　to　be　something　on　its　own　account　（für　sich）；　but　has　to　exist　along
with　this　content。　

What　has　been　said　can　be　expressed　in　a　formal　manner　by　saying　that　the　nature　of　judgment　or
the　proposition　in　general；　which　involves　the　distinction　of　subject　and　predicate；　is　subverted　and
destroyed　by　the　speculative　judgment；　and　the　identical　proposition；　which　the　former　becomes
＇by　uniting　subject　and　predicate＇；　implies　the　rejection　and　repudiation　of　the　above　relation
between　subject　and　predicate。　This　conflict　between　the　form　of　a　proposition　in　general　and　the
unity　of　the　notion　which　destroys　that　form；　is　similar　to　what　we　find　between　metre　and　accent
in　the　case　of　rhythm。　Rhythm　is　the　result　of　what　hovers　between　and　unites　both。　So　in　the　case
of　the　speculative　or　philosophical　judgment；　the　identity　of　subject　and　predicate　is　not　intended
to　destroy　their　distinction；　as　expressed　in　propositional　form；　their　unity　is　to　arise　as　a　harmony
of　the　elements。　The　form　of　the　judgment　is　the　way　the　specific　sense　appears；　or　is　made
manifest；　the　accent　which　differentiates　the　meaning　it　contains：　that　the　predicate　expresses　the
substance；　and　the　subject　itself　falls　within　the　universal；　is　however　the　unity　wherein　that　accent
dies　away。　

To　explain　what　has　been　said　by　examples　let　us　take　the　proposition　God　is　Being。　The
predicate　is　〃being〃：　it　has　substantive　significance；　and　thus　absorbs　the　meaning　of　the　subject
within　it。　Being　is　meant　to　be　here　not　predicate　but　the　essential　nature。　Thereby；　God　seems　to
cease　to　be　what　he　was　when　the　proposition　was　put　forward；　viz。　a　fixed　subject。　Thinking　＇i。e。
ordinary　reflection＇；　instead　of　getting　any　farther　with　the　transition　from　subject　to　predicate；　in
reality　finds　its　activity　checked　through　the　loss　of　the　subject；　and　it　is　thrown　back　on　the
thought　of　the　subject　because　it　misses　this　subject。　Or　again；　since　the　predicate　has　itself　been
pronounced　to　be　a　subject；　to　be　the　being；　to　be　the　essential　reality；　which　exhausts　the　nature
of　the　subject；　thinking　finds　the　subject　directly　present　in　the　predicate　too：　and　now；　instead　of
having；　in　the　predicate；　gone　into　itself；　and　preserved　the　freedom　characteristic　of　ratiocination；
it　is　absorbed　in　the　content　all　the　while；　or；　at　any　rate　is　required　to　be　so。

Similarly　when　it　is　said：　〃the　real　is　the　universal〃；　the　real；　qua　subject；　passes　away　in　its
predicate。　The　universal　is　not　only　meant　to　have　the　significance　of　a　predicate；　as　if　the
proposition　stated　that　the　real　is　universal：　the　universal　is　meant　to　express　the　essential　nature　of
the　real。　Thinking　therefore　loses　that　fixed　objective　basis　which　it　had　in　the　subject；　just　as　much
as　in　the　predicate　it　is　thrown　back　on　the　subject；　and　therein　returns　not　into　itself　but　into　the
subject　underlying　the　content。

This　unaccustomed　restraint　imposed　upon　thought　is　for　the　most　part　the　cause　of　the　complaints
concerning　the　unintelligibility　of　philosophical　writings；　when　otherwise　the　individual　has　in　him　the
requisite　mental　cultivation　for　understanding　them。　In　what　has　been　said　we　see　the　reason　for
the　specific　charge　often　made　against　them；　that　a　good　deal　has　to　be　read　repeatedly　before　it
can　be　understood　—　an　accusation　which　is　meant　to　convey　something　improper　in　the　extreme；
and　one　which　if　granted　to　be　sound　admits　of　no　further　reply。　It　is　obvious　from　the　above　what
is　the　state　of　the　case　here。　The　philosophical　proposition；　being　a　proposition；　calls　up　the
accepted　view　of　the　usual　relation　of　subject　and　predicate；　and　suggests　the　idea　of　the
customary　procedure　which　takes　place　in　knowledge。　Its　philosophical　content　destroys　this　way
of　proceeding　and　the　ordinary　view　taken　of　this　process。　The　common　view　discovers　that　the
statement　is　intended　in　another　sense　than　it　is　thinking　of；　and　this　correction　of　its　opinion
compels　knowledge　to　recur　to　the　proposition　and　take　it　now　in　some　other　sense。　

There　is　a　difficulty　which　might　well　be　avoided。　It　consists　in　mixing　up　the　methods　of　procedure
followed　by　speculation　and　ratiocination；　when　what　is　said　of　the　subject　has　at　one　time　the
significance　of　its　conceptual　principle；　and　at　another　time　the　meaning　of　its　predicate　or
accidental　quality。　The　one　mode　of　thinking　invalidates　the　other；　and　only　that　philosophical
exposition　can　manage　to　become　plastic　in　character　which　resolutely　sets　aside　and　has　nothing
to　do　with　the　ordinary　way　of　relating　the　parts　of　a　proposition。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　non…speculative　thinking　has　its　rights　too；　which　are　justifiable；　but　are
disregarded　in　the　speculative　way　of　stating　a　proposition。　Abolishing　the　form　of　the　proposition
must　not　take　place　only　in　an　immediate　manner；　through　the　mere　content　of　the　proposition。　On
the　contrary；　we　must　give　explicit　expression　to　this　cancelling　process；　it　must　be　not　only　that
internal　restraining　and　confining　of　thought　within　its　own　substance；　this　turning　of　the　conception
back　into　itself　has　to　be　expressly　brought　out　and　stated。　This　process；　which　constitutes　what
formerly　had　to　be　accomplished　by　proof；　is　the　internal　dialectical　movement　of　the　proposition
itself。　This　alone　is　the　concrete　speculative　element；　and　only　the　explicit　expression　of　this　is　a
speculati