phenomenology of mind-第63章

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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　instrument　of　gifts　and　capacities；　material　without　reality。　If　represented　as　object；　it
would　be　a　dormant　consciousness；　remaining　in　the　background；　no　one　knows　where。

Virtue　is　thus　overpowered　by　the　world　process；　because　the　abstract　unreal　essence　is　in　fact
virtue's　own　purpose；　and　because　its　action　as　regards　reality　rests　on　distinctions　that　are　solely　a
matter　of　words。　Virtue　wanted　to　consist　in　the　fact　of　bringing　about　the　realization　of　goodness
through　sacrificing　individilality；　but　the　aspect　of　reality　is　itself　nothing　else　than　the　aspect　of
individuality。　The　good　was　meant　to　be　what　is　implicit　and　inherent；　and　opposed　to　what　is；　but
the　implicit　and　inherent；　taken　in　its　real　truth；　is　simply　being　itself。　The　implicitly　inherent　element
is　primarily　the　abstraction　of　essence　as　against　actual　reality：　but　the　abstraction　is　just　what　is　not
true；　but　a　distinction　merely　for　consciousness；　this　means；　however；　it　is　itself　what　is　called
actual；　for　the　actual　is　what　essentially　is　for　an　other　—　or　it　is　being。　But　the　consciousness　of
virtue　rests　on　this　distinction　of　implicitness　and　explicit　being；　a　distinction　without　any　true
validity。

The　world　process　was　supposed　to　be　the　perversion　of　the　good；　because　it　took　individuality
for　its　principle。　But　this　latter　is　the　principle　of　actual　reality；　for　it　is　just　that　mode　of
consciousness　by　which　what　is　implicit　and　inherent　is　for　an　other　as　well。　The　world　process
transmutes　and　perverts　the　unchangeable；　but　does　so　in　fact　by　transforming　it　out　of　the
nothingness　of　abstraction　into　the　being　of　reality。

The　course　of　the　world　is；　then；　victorious　over　what；　in　opposition　to　it；　constitutes　virtue；　it　is
victorious　over　that　which　took　an　unreal　abstraction　to　be　the　essential　reality。　But　it　is　not
victorious　over　something　real；　but　over　the　production　of　distinctions　that　are　no　distinctions；　over
this　pompous　talk　about　the　best　for　mankind　and　the　oppression　of　humanity；　about　sacrifice　for
goodness'　sake　and　the　misuse　of　gifts。　Imaginary　idealities　and　purposes　of　that　sort　fall　on　the　ear
as　idle　phrases；　which　exalt　the　heart　and　leave　the　reason　a　blank；　which　edify　but　build　up
nothing　that　endures：　declamations　whose　only　definite　announcement　is　that　the　individual　who
professes　to　act　for　such　noble　ends　and　indulges　in　such　fine　phrases　holds　himself　for　a　fine
creature：　a　swollen　enlargement　which　gives　itself　and　others　a　mighty　size　of　a　head；　but　big　from
inflation　with　emptiness。

Virtue　in　the　olden　time　had　its　secure　and　determinate　significance；　for　it　found　the　fullness　of　its
content　and　its　solid　basis　in　the　substantial　life　of　the　nation；　and　had　for　its　purpose　and　end　a
concrete　good　that　existed　and　lay　at　its　hand：　it　was　also　for　that　reason　not　directed　against
actual　reality　as　a　general　perversity；　and　not　turned　against　a　world　process。　The　virtue　above
considered；　however；　is　removed　from　that　substantial　life；　and　is　outside　it；　a　virtue　with　no
essential　being；　a　virtue　merely　in　idea　and　in　words；　and　one　that　is　deprived　of　all　that　content。

The　vacuousness　of　this　rhetorical　eloquence　in　conflict　with　the　world's　process　would　be　at　once
discovered　if　it　were　to　be　stated　what　all　its　eloquent　phrases　amount　to。　They　are　therefore
assumed　to　be　familiar　and　well…understood。　The　request　to　say　what；　then；　this　〃well…known〃　is
would　be　either　met　by　a　new　swell　of　phrases；　or　in　reply　there　would　be　an　appeal　to　the　〃heart〃
which　〃inwardly〃　tells　what　they　mean　—　which　is　tantamount　to　an　admission　of　inability　to　say
what　the　meaning　is。

The　fatuousness　of　that　style　of　eloquence　seems；　too；　in　a　quasi…unconscious　manner　to　have　got
the　length　of　being　an　acknowledged　certainty　for　the　cultivated　minds　of　our　time；　since　all　interest
in　the　whole　mass　of　those　rhetorical　spread…eagle　phrases　has　disappeared　—　a　loss　of　interest
which　is　betrayed　in　the　sheer　wearisomeness　they　produce。

The　result；　then；　arising　from　this　opposition；　consists　in　the　fact　that　consciousness　lets　the　idea　of
an　inherent　good；　which　yet　has　no　actual　reality；　slip　from　it　like　a　mere　cloak。　Consciousness　has
learned　in　the　course　of　its　struggle　that　the　world's　process　is　not　so　bad　as　it　looked；　for　the
reality　of　the　world's　process　is　that　of　the　universal。　With　the　discovery　of　this　it　is　seen　that　there
is　no　way　of　producing　the　good　through　the　sacrifice　of　individuality；　the　means　for　doing　so　have
gone；　for　individuality　is　precisely　the　explicit　actualization　of　what　is　implicitly　and　inherently　real
（i。e。　the　universal）；　and　the　perversion　ceases　to　be　looked　at　as　a　perversion　of　goodness；　for　it　is
just　the　transmuting　of　the　good；　qua　bare　purpose；　into　actual　reality。　The　movement　of
individuality　is　the　reality　of　the　universal。

In　point　of　fact；　however；　what　as　world　process　stood　opposed　to　the　consciousness　of　the
inherently　and　implicitly　real；　has　likewise　been　vanquished　and　has　disappeared