phenomenology of mind-第72章

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being　reflected　in　the　minds　of　the　component　individuals；　and　which　is　in　itself　or　substance；　since
it　preserves　them　within　itself。　Qua　actual　substance；　that　spirit　is　a　Nation　（Volk）；　qua　concrete
consciousness；　it　is　the　Citizens　of　the　nation。　This　consciousness　has　its　essential　being　in　simple
spirit；　and　is　certain　of　itself　in　the　actual　realization　of　this　spirit；　in　the　entire　nation；　it　has　its　truth
there　directly；　not　therefore　in　something　unreal；　but　in　a　spirit　which　exists　and　makes　itself　felt。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（a）　Human　Law

This　spirit　can　be　named　Human　Law；　because　it　has　its　being　essentially　in　the　form　of
self…conscious　actuality。　In　the　form　of　universality；　that　spirit　is　the　law　known　to　everybody；
familiar　and　recognized；　and　is　the　everyday　Customary　Convention　（Sitte）；　in　the　form　of
particularity　it　is　the　concrete　certainty　of　itself　in　any　and　every　individual；　and　the　certainty　of　itself
as　a　single　individuality　is　that　spirit　in　the　form　of　Government。　Its　true　and　complete　nature　is　seen
in　its　authoritative　validity　openly　and　unmistakably　manifested；　an　existence　which　takes　the　form
of　unconstrained　independent　objective　fact；　and　is　immediately　apprehended　with　conscious
certainty　in　this　form。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（b）　Divine　Law

Over　against　this　power　and　publicity　of　the　ethical　secular　human　order　there　appears；　however；
another　power；　the　Divine　Law。　For　the　ethical　power　of　the　state；　being　the　movement　of
self…conscious　action；　finds　its　opposition　in　the　simple　immediate　essential　being　of　the　ethical
order；　qua　actual　concrete　universality；　it　is　a　force　exerted　against　the　independence　of　the
individual；　and；　qua　actuality　in　general；　it　finds　inherent　in　that　essential　being　something　other　than
the　power　of　the　state。

We　mentioned　before　that　each　of　the　opposite　ways　in　which　the　ethical　substance　exists　contains
that　substance　in　its　entirety；　and　contains　all　moments　of　its　contents。　If；　then；　the　community　is
that　substance　in　the　form　of　self…consciously　realized　action；　the　other　side　has　the　form　of
immediate　or　directly　existent　substance。　The　latter　is　thus；　on　the　one　band；　the　inner　principle
（Begriff）　or　universal　possibility　of　the　ethical　order　in　general；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　contains
within　it　also　the　moment　of　self…consciousness。　This　moment　which　expresses　the　ethical　order　in
this　element　ofimmediacy　or　mere　being；　which；　in　other　words；　is　an　immediate　consciousness　of
self　（both　as　regards　its　essence　and　its　particular　thisness）　in　an　other〃and　hence；　isa　natural
ethical　communitythis　is　the　Family。　The　family；　as　the　inner　indwelling　principle　of　sociality
operating　in　an　unconscious　way；　stands　opposed　to　its　own　actuality　when　explicitly　conscious；　as
the　basis　of　the　actuality　of　a　nation；　it　stands　in　contrast　to　the　nation　itself；　as　the　immediate
ethical　existence；　it　stands　over　against　the　ethical　order　which　shapes　and　preserves　itself　by　work
for　universal　ends；　the　Penates　of　the　family　stand　in　contrast　to　the　universal　spirit。

Although　the　ethical　existence　of　the　family　has　the　character　of　immediacy；　it　is　within　itself　an
ethical　entity；　but　not　so　far　as　it　is　the　natural　relation　of　its　component　members；　or　so　far　as
their　connexion　is　one　immediately　holding　between　individual　concrete　beings。　For　the　ethical
element　is　intrinsically　universal　and　this　relation　established　by　nature　is　essentially　just　as　much　a
spiritual　fact；　and　is　only　ethical　by　being　spiritual。　Let　us　see　wherein　its　peculiar　ethical　character
consists。

In　the　first　place；　because　the　ethical　element　is　the　intrinsically　universal　element；　the　ethical
relation　between　the　members　of　the　family　is　not　that　of　sentiment　or　the　relationship　of　love。　The
ethical　element　in　this　case　seems　bound　to　be　placed　in　the　relation　of　the　individual　member　of
the　family　to　the　entire　family　as　the　real　substance；　so　that　the　purpose　of　his　action　and　the
content　of　his　actuality　are　taken　from　this　substance；　are　derived　solely　from　the　family　life。　But
the　conscious　purpose　which　dominates　the　action　of　this　whole；　so　far　as　that　purpose　concerns
that　whole；　is　itself　the　individual　member。　The　procuring　and　maintaining　of　power　and　wealth
turn；　in　part；　merely　on　needs　and　wants；　and　are　a　matter　that　has　to　do　with　desire；　in　part；　they
become　in　their　higher　object　something　which　is　merely　of　mediate　significance。　This　object　does
not　fall　within　the　family　itself；　but　concerns　what　is　truly　universal；　the　community；　it　acts　rather　in　a
negative　way　on　the　family；　and　consists　in　setting　the　individual　outside　the　family；　in　subduing　his
merely　natural　existence　and　his　mere　particularity　and　so　drawing　him　on　towards　virtue；　towards
living　in　and　for　the　universal。　The　positive　purpose　peculiar　to　the　family　is　the　individual　as　such。
Now　in　order　that　this　relationship　may　be　ethical；　neither　the　individual　who　does　an　act；　nor　he　to
whom　the　act　refers　must　show　any　trace　of　contingency　such　as　obtains　in　rendering　some
particular　help　or　service。　The　content　of　the　ethical　act　must　be　substantial　in　character；　or　must
be　entire　and　universal；　hence　it　can　only　stand　in　relation　to　the　entire　individual；　to　the　individual
qua　universal。　And　this；　again；　must　not　be　taken　as　if　it　were　merely　in　idea　that　an　act　of　service
furthered　his　entire　happiness；　whereas　the　service；　taken　as　an　immediate　or　concrete　act；　only
does　something　particular　in　regard　to　him。　Nor　must　we　think　that　the　ethical　act；　like　a　process　of
education；　really　takes　him　as　its　object；　and；　dealing　with　him　as　a　whole；　in　a　series　of　efforts；
produces　him　as　a　kind　of　work；　for　there；　apart　from　the　purpose；　which　operates　in　a　negative
way　on　the　family；　the　real　act　has　merely　a　limited　content。　Finally；　just　as　little　should　we　take　it
that　the　service　rendered　is　a　help　in　time　of　need；　by　which　in　truth　the　entire　individual　is　saved；
for　such　help　is　itself　an　entirely　casual　act；　the　occasion　of　which　is　an　ordinary　actuality　which　can
as　well　be　as　not　be。　The　act；　then；　which　embraces　the　entire　existence　of　the　blood　relation　does
not　concern　the　citizen；　for　he　does　not　belong　to　the　family；　nor　does　it　deal　with　one　who　is　going
to　be　a　citizen　and　so　will　cease　to　have　the　significance　of　a　mere　particular　individual：　it　has　as　its
object　and　content　this　specific　individual　belonging　to　the　family；　takes　him　as　a　universal　being；
divested　of　his　sensuous；　or　particular　reality。　The　act　no　longer　concerns　the　living　but　the　dead；
one　who　has　passed　through　the　long　sequence　of　his　broken　and　diversified　existence　and
gathered　up　his　being　into　its　one　completed　embodiment；　who　has　lifted　himself　out　of　the　unrest
of　a　life　of　chance　and　change　into　the　peace　of　simple　universality。　Because　it　is　only　as　citizen　that
he　is　real　and　substantial；　the　individual；　when　not　a　citizen；　and　belonging　to　the　family；　is　merely
unreal　insubstantial　shadow。

This　condition　of　universality；　which　the　individual　as　such　reaches；　is　mere　being；　death；　it　is　the
immediate　issue　of　the　process　of　nature；　and　is　not　the　action　of　a　conscious　mind。　The　duty　of　the
member　of　a　family　is　on　that　account　to　attach　this　aspect　too；　in　order　that　this　last　phase　of
being　also　（this　universal　being）；　may　not　belong　to　nature　alone；　and　remain　something　irrational；
but　may　be　something　actually　done；　and　the　right　of　consciousness　be　asserted　in　it。　Or　rather　the
significance　of　the　act　is　that；　because　in　truth　the　peace　and　universality　of　a　self…conscious　being
does　not　belong　to　nature；　the　apparent　claim　which　nature　has　made　to　act　in　this　way　may　be
given　up　and　the　truth　reinstated。

What　nature　did　in　the　individual's　case　concerns　the　aspect　in　which　his　process　of　becoming
universal　is　manifested　as　the　movement　of　an　existent。　It　takes　effect　no　doubt　within　the　ethical
community；　and　has　this　in　view　as　its　purpose：　death　is　the　fulfilment　and　highest　task　which　the
individual　as　such　undertakes　on　its　behalf。　But　so　far　as　he　is　essentially　a　particular　individual；　it　is
an　accident　that　his　death　was　connected　directly　with　his　labour　for　the　universal　whole；　and　was
the　outcome　of　his　toil；　partly　because；　if　it　was　so；　it　is　the　natural　course　of　the　negativity　of　the
individual　qua　existent；　in　which　consciousness　does　not　return　into　itself　and　become
self…conscious；　or；　again；　because；　since　the　process　of　the　existent　consists　in　becoming　cancelled
and　transcended　and　attaining　the　stage　of　independent　self…existence；　death　is　the　aspect　of
diremption；　where　the　self…existence；　which　is　obtained；　is　something　other　than　that　being　which
entered　on　the　process。

Because　the　ethical　order　is　spirit　in　its　immediate　truth；　those　aspects　into　which　its　conscious　life
breaks　up　fall　also　into　this　form　of　immediacy；　and　the　individual's　particularity　passes　over　into
this　abstract　negativity；　which；　being　in　itself　without　consolation　or　reconcilement；　must　receive
them　essentially　through　a　concrete　and　external　act。

Blood…relationship　therefore　supplements　the　abstract　natural　process　by　adding　to　it　the　process
of　consciousness；　by　interrupting　the　work　of　nature；　and　rescuing　the　blood…relation　from
destruction；　or　better；　because　destruction；　the　passing　into　mere　being；　is　necessary；　it　takes　upon
itself　the　act　of　destruction。

Through　this　it　comes　about　that　the　universal　being；　the　sphere　of　death；　is　also　something　which
has　returned　into　itself；　something　self…existent；　the　powerless　bare　particular　unity　is　raised　to
universal　individuality。　The　dead　individual；　by　his　having　detached　and　liberated　his　being　from　his
action　or　his　negative　unity；　is　an　empty　particular；　merely　existing　passively　for　some　other；　at　the
mercy　of　every　lower　irrational　organic　agency；　and　the　＇chemical；　physical＇　forces　of　abstract
material　elements；　both　of　which　are　now　stronger　than　himself；　the　former　on　account　of　the　life
which　they　have；　the　latter　on　account　of　their　negative　nature。（1）　he　family　keeps　away　from　the
dead　this　dishonouring　of　him　by　the　desires　of　unconscious　organic　agencies　and　by　abstract
elements；　puts　its　own　action　in　place　of　theirs；　and　weds　the　relative　to　the　bosom　of　the　earth；　the
elemental　individuality　that　passes　not　away。　Thereby　the　family　makes　the　dead　a　member　of　a
community（2）　which　prevails　over　and　holds　under　control　the　powers　of　the　particular　material
elements　and　the　lower　living　creatures；　which　sought　to　have　their　way　with　the　dead　and　destroy
him。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（c）　The　Claims　of　the　Individual

This　last　duty　thus　accomplishes　the　complete　Divine　Law；　or　constitutes　the　positive　ethical　act
towards　the　given　individual。　Every　other　relation　towards　him　which　does　not　remain　at　the　level
of　love；　but　is　ethical；　belongs　to　human　law；　and　has　the　negative　significance　of　lifting　the
individual　above　the　confinement　within　the　natural　community　to　which　he　belongs　as　a　concrete
individual。　But；　now；　though　human　right　has　for　its　content　and　power　the　actual　ethical　substance
co