phenomenology of mind-第7章

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　　　　　　　　　　The　general　principle　is　not　worked　out　in　detail；　with　the　same　obviousness；　in　the　case　of
　　　　　　　　　　the　other　two　primary　types　of　Religion　—　Art　and　Revealed　Religion。　But　the　same　general
　　　　　　　　　　method　of　development　is　pursued　in　these　cases。

　　　　　　　　　　The　historical　material　before　the　mind　of　the　writer　is；　as　might　be　expected；　the　various
　　　　　　　　　　religions　which　have　historically　appeared　amongst　mankind。　These　religions　are　treated；
　　　　　　　　　　however；　as　illustrations　of　principles　dominating　the　religious　consciousness　m　general；
　　　　　　　　　　rather　than　as　merely　historical　phenomena。

　　　　　　　　　　With　the　succeeding　argument　should　be　read　Hegel's　Philosophy　of　Religion；　Part　II；
　　　　　　　　　　Sections　I　and　II；　and　Part　III。

　　　　　　　　　　B。　Religion　in　the　form　of　Art
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　a。　The　abstract　work　of　art
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　b。　The　living　work　of　art
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　c。　The　spiritual　work　of　art

　　　　　　　　　　C。　Revealed　Religion

（DD）。　Absolute　Knowledge　

VIII。　Absolute　Knowledge




PREFACE
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　On　scientific　knowledge

In　the　case　of　a　philosophical　work　it　seems　not　only　superfluous；　but；　in　view　of　the　nature　of
philosophy；　even　inappropriate　and　misleading　to　begin；　as　writers　usually　do　in　a　preface；　by
explaining　the　end　the　author　had　in　mind；　the　circumstances　which　gave　rise　to　the　work；　and　the
relation　in　which　the　writer　takes　it　to　stand　to　other　treatises　on　the　same　subject；　written　by　his
predecessors　or　his　contemporaries。　For　whatever　it　might　be　suitable　to　state　about　philosophy　in
a　preface　—　say；　an　historical　sketch　of　the　main　drift　and　point　of　view；　the　general　content　and
results；　a　string　of　desultory　assertions　and　assurances　about　the　truth　—　this　cannot　be　accepted
as　the　form　and　manner　in　which　to　expound　philosophical　truth。

Moreover；　because　philosophy　has　its　being　essentially　in　the　element　of　that　universality　which
encloses　the　particular　within　it；　the　end　or　final　result　seems；　in　the　case　of　philosophy　more　than
in　that　of　other　sciences；　to　have　absolutely　expressed　the　complete　fact　itself　in　its　very　nature；
contrasted　with　that　the　mere　process　of　bringing　it　to　light　would　seem；　properly　speaking；　to
have　no　essential　significance。　On　the　other　hand；　in　the　general　idea　of　e。g。　anatomy…the
knowledge　of　the　parts　of　the　body　regarded　as　lifeless　—　we　are　quite　sure　we　do　not　possess　the
objective　concrete　fact；　the　actual　content　of　the　science；　but　must；　over　and　above；　be　concerned
with　particulars。　Further；　in　the　case　of　such　a　collection　of　items　of　knowledge；　which　has　no　real
right　to　the　name　of　science；　any　talk　about　purpose　and　suchlike　generalities　is　not　commonly　very
different　from　the　descriptive　and　superficial　way　in　which　the　contents　of　the　science　these　nerves
and　muscles；　etc。…are　themselves　spoken　of。　In　philosophy；　on　the　other　hand；　it　would　at　once　be
felt　incongruous　were　such　a　method　made　use　of　and　yet　shown　by　philosophy　itself　to　be
incapable　of　grasping　the　truth。　

In　the　same　way　too；　by　determining　the　relation　which　a　philosophical　work　professes　to　have　to
other　treatises　on　the　same　subject；　an　extraneous　interest　is　introduced；　and　obscurity　is　thrown
over　the　point　at　issue　in　the　knowledge　of　the　truth。　The　more　the　ordinary　mind　takes　the
opposition　between　true　and　false　to　be　fixed；　the　more　is　it　accustomed　to　expect　either
agreement　or　contradiction　with　a　given　philosophical　system；　and　only　to　see　reason　for　the　one
or　the　other　in　any　explanatory　statement　concerning　such　a　system。　It　does　not　conceive　the
diversity　of　philosophical　systems　as　the　progressive　evolution　of　truth；　rather；　it　sees　only
contradiction　in　that　varietv。　The　bud　disappears　when　the　blossom　breaks　through；　and　we　might
say　that　the　former　is　refuted　by　the　latter；　in　the　same　way　when　the　fruit　comes；　the　blossom　may
be　explained　to　be　a　false　form　of　the　plant's　existence；　for　the　fruit　appears　as　its　true　nature　in
place　of　the　blossom。　These　stages　are　not　merely　differentiated；　they　supplant　one　another　as
being　incompatible　with　one　another。　But　the　ceaseless　activity　of　their　own　inherent　nature　makes
them　at　the　same　time　moments　of　an　organic　unity；　where　they　not　merely　do　not　contradict　one
another；　but　where　one　is　as　necessary　as　the　other；　and　this　equal　necessity　of　all　moments
constitutes　alone　and　thereby　the　life　of　the　whole。　But　contradiction　as　between　philosophical
systems　is　not　wont　to　be　conceived　in　this　way；　on　the　other　hand；　the　mind　perceiving　the
contradiction　does　not　commonly　know　how　to　relieve　it　or　keep　it　free　from　its　onesidedness；　and
to　recognize　in　what　seems　conflicting　and　inherently　antagonistic　the　presence　of　mutually
necessary　moments。

The　demand　for　such　explanations；　as　also　the　attempts　to　satisfy　this　demand；　very　easily；　pass
for　the　essential　business　philosophy　has　to　undertake。　Where　could　the　inmost　truth　of　a
philosophical　work　be　found　better　expressed　than　in　its　purposes　and　results？　and　in　what　way
could　these　be　more　definitely　known　than　through　their　distinction　from　what　is　produced　during
the　same　period　by　others　working　in　the　same　field？　If；　however；　such　procedure　is　to　pass　for
more　than　the　beginning　of　knowledge；　if　it　is　to　pass　for　actually　knowing；　then　we　must；　in　point
of　fact；　look　on　it　as　a　device　for　avoiding　the　real　business　at　issue；　an　attempt　to　combine　the
appearance　of　being　in　earnest　and　taking　trouble　about　the　subject　with　an　actual　neglect　of　the
subject　altogether。　For　the　real　subject…matter　is　not　exhausted　in　its　purpose；　but　in　working　the
matter　out；　nor　is　the　mere　result　attained　the　concrete　whole　itself；　but　the　result　along　with　the
process　of　arriving　at　it。　The　purpose　of　itself　is　a　lifeless　universal；　just　as　the　general　drift　is　a
mere　activity　in　a　certain　direction；　which　is　still　without　its　concrete　realization；　and　the　naked
result　is　the　corpse　of　the　system　which　has　left　its　guiding　tendency　behind　it。　Similarly；　the
distinctive　difference　of　anything　is　rather　the　boundary；　the　limit；　of　the　subject；　it　is　found　at　that
point　where　the　subject…matter　stops；　or　it　is　what　this　subject…matter　is　not。　To　trouble　oneself　in
this　fashion　with　the　purpose　and　results；　and　again　with　the　differences；　the　positions　taken　up　and
judgments　passed　by　one　thinker　and　another；　is　therefore　an　easier　task　than　perhaps　it　seems。
For　instead　of　laying　hold　of　the　matter　in　hand；　a　procedure　of　that　kind　is　all　the　while　away　from
the　subject　altogether。　Instead　of　dwelling　within　it　and　becoming　absorbed　by　it；　knowledge　of
that　sort　is　always　grasping　at　something　else；　such　knowledge；　instead　keeping　to　the
subject…matter　and　giving　itself　up　to　it；　never　gets　away　from　itself。　The　easiest　thing　of　all　is　to
pass　judgments　on　what　has　a　solid　substantial　content；　it　is　more　difficult　to　grasp　it；　and　most　of
all　difficult　to　do　both　together　and　produce　the　systematic　exposition　of　it。　

The　beginning　of　culture　and　of　the　struggle　to　pass　out　of　the　unbroken　immediacy　of　naive
Psychical　life　has　always　to　be　made　by　acquiring　knowledge　of　universal　principles　and　points　of
view；　by　striving；　in　the　first　instance；　to　work　up　simply　to　the　thought　of　the　subject…matter　in
general；　not　forgetting　at　the　same　time　to　give　reasons　for　supporting　it　or　refuting　it；　to　apprehend
the　concrete　riches　and　fullness　contained　in　its　various　determinate　qualities；　and　to　know　how　to
furnish　a　coherent；　orderly　account　of　it　and　a　responsible　judgment　upon　it。　This　beginning　of
mental　cultivation　will；　however；　very　soon　make　way　for　the　earnestness　of　actual　life　in　all　its
fullness；　which　leads　to　a　living　experience　of　the　subject…matter　itself；　and　when；　in　addition；
conceptual　thought　strenuously　penetrates　to　the　very　depths　of　its　meaning；　such　knowledge　and
style　of　judgment　will　keep　their　clue　place　in　everyday　thought　and　conversation。

　　　　2。　　　　The　element　of　truth　is　the　Concept/Notion　（Begriff）；　and　its　true　form　the
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　scientific　system

The　systematic　development　of　truth　in　scientific　form　can　alone　be　the　true　shape　in　which　truth
exists。　To　help　to　bring　philosophy　nearer　to　the　form　of　science…that　goal　where　it　can　lay　aside
the　name　of　love　of　knowledge　and　be　actual　knowledge…that　is　what　I　have　set　before　me。　The
inner　necessity　that　knowledge　should　be　science　lies　in　its　very　nature；　and　the　adequate　and
sufficient　explanation　for　this　lies　simply　and　solely　in　the　systematic　exposition　Of　philosophy　itself。
The　external　necessity；　however；　so　far　as　this　is　apprehended　in　a　universal　way；　and　apart　from
the　accident　of　the　personal　element　and　the　particular　occasioning　influences　affecting　the
individual；　is　the　same　as　the　internal：　it　lies　in　the　form　and　shape　in　which　the　process　of　time
presents　the　existence　of　its　moments。　To　show　that　the　time　process　does　raise　philosophy　to　the
level　of　scientific　system　would；　therefore；　be　the　only　true　justification　of　the　attempts　which　aim　at
proving　that　philosophy　must　assume　this　character；　because　the　temporal　process　would　thus
bring　out　and　lay　bare　the　necessity　of　it；　nay；　more；　would　at　the　same　time　be　carrying　out　that
very　aim　itself。　

When　we　state　the　true　form　of　truth　to　be　its　scientific　character…or；　what　is　the　same　thing；　when
it　is　maintained　that　truth　finds　the　medium　of　its　existence　in　notions　or　conceptions　alone…I　know
that　this　seems　to　contradict　an　idea　with　all　its　consequences　which　makes　great　pretensions　and
has　gained　widespread　acceptance　and　conviction　at　the　present　time。　A　word　of　explanation
concerning　this　contradiction　seems；　therefore；　not　out　of　place；　even　though　at　this　stage　it　can
amount　to　no　more　than　a　dogmatic　assurance　exactly　like　the　view　we　are　opposing。　If；　that　is　to
say；　truth　exists　merely　in　what；　or　rather　exists　merely　as　what；　is　called　at　one　time　intuition；　at
another　immediate　knowledge　of　the　Absolute；　Religion；　Being…not　being　in　the　centre　of　divine
love；　but　the　very　Being　of　this　centre；　of　the　Absolute　itself…from　that　point　of　view　it　is　rather　the
opposite　of　the　notional　or　conceptual　form　which　would　be　required　for　systematic　philosophical
exposition。　The　Absolute　on　this　view　is　not　to　be　grasped　in　conceptual　form；　but　felt；　intuited；　it
is　not　its　conception；　but　the　feeling　of　it　and　intuition　of　it　that　are　to　have　the　say　and　find
expression。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3。　　　Present　position　of　the　spirit

If　we　consider　the　appearance　of　a　claim　like　this　in　its　more　general　setting；　and　look　at　the　level
which　the　self…conscious　mind　at　present　occupies；　we　shall　find　that　self…consciousness　has　got
beyond　the　substantial　fullness　of　life；　which　it　used　to　carry　on　in　the　element　of　thought…beyond
the　state　of　immediacy　of　belief；　beyond　the　satisfaction　and　security　arising　from　the　assurance
which　consciousness　possessed　of　being　reconciled　with　ultimate　reality　and　with　its　all。　pervading
presence；　within　as　well　as　without。　Self…conscious　mind　has　not　merely　passed　beyond　that　to　the
opposite　extreme　of　insubst