science of logic-第2章

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another　context；　can　be　regarded　as　essentially　the　same　phenomenon　as　that　previously
mentioned。　So　that　having　got　rid　of　the　dark　utterances　of　metaphysics；　of　the　colourless
communion　of　the　spirit　with　itself；　outer　existence　seemed　to　be　transformed　into　the　bright　world
of　flowers…and　there　are　no　black　flowers；　as　we　know。

Logic　did　not　fare　quite　so　badly　as　metaphysics。　？？this　prejudice　has　long　since　vanished；　and
the　spirit　of　practicality　certainly　did　not　intend　for　logic　a　better　fate　than　was　suffered　by　the　sister
science。

Nevertheless；　probably　for　the　sake　of　a　certain　formal　utility；　it　was　still　left　a　place　among　the
sciences；　and　indeed　was　even　retained　as　a　subject　of　public　instruction。　However；　this　better　lot
concerns　only　the　outer　fate　of　logic；　for　its　structure　and　contents　have　remained　the　same
throughout　a　long　inherited　tradition；　although　in　the　course　of　being　passed　on　the　contents　have
become　ever　more　diluted　and　attenuated；　logic　shows　no　traces　so　far　of　the　new　spirit　which　has
arisen　in　the　sciences　no　less　than　in　the　world　of　actuality。　However；　once　the　substantial　form　of
the　spirit　has　inwardly　reconstituted　itself；　all　attempts　to　preserve　the　forms　of　an　earlier　culture
are　utterly　in　vain；　like　withered　leaves　they　are　pushed　off　by　the　new　buds　already　growing　at
their　roots。

Even　in　the　philosophical　sphere　this　ignoring　of　the　general　change　is　beginning　gradually　to　come
to　an　end。　Imperceptibly；　even　those　who　are　opposed　to　the　new　ideas　have　become　familiar
with　them　and　have　appropriated　them；　and　if　they　continue　to　speak　slightingly　of　the　source　and
principles　of　those　ideas　and　to　dispute　them；　still　they　have　accepted　their　consequences　and　have
been　unable　to　defend　themselves　from　their

influence；　the　only　way　in　which　they　can　give　a　positive　significance　and　a　content　to　their　negative
attitude　which　is　becoming　less　and　less　important；　is　to　fall　in　with　the　new　ways　of　thinking。　On
the　other　hand；　it　seems　that　the　period　of　fermentation　with　which　a　new　creative　idea　begins　is
past。　In　its　first　manifestation；　such　an　idea　usually　displays　a　fanatical　hostility　toward　the
entrenched　systematisation　of　the　older　principle；　usually　too；　it　is　fearful　of　losing　itself　in　the
ramifications　of　the　particular　and　again　it　shuns　the　labour　required　for　a　scientific　elaboration　of
the　new　principle　and　in　its　need　for　such；　it　grasps　to　begin　with　at　an　empty　formalism。　The
challenge　to　elaborate　and　systematise　the　material　now　becomes　all　the　more　pressing。　There　is　a
period　in　the　culture　of　an　epoch　as　in　the　culture　of　the　individual；　when　the　primary　concern　is　the
acquisition　and　assertion　of　the　principle　in　its　undeveloped　intensity。　But　the　higher　demand　is　that
it　should　become　systematised　knowledge。

Now　whatever　may　have　been　accomplished　for　the　form　and　content　of　philosophy　in　other
directions；　the　science　of　logic　which　constitutes　metaphysics　proper　or　purely　speculative
philosophy；　has　hitherto　still　been　much　neglected。　What　it　is　exactly　that　I　understand　by　this
science　and　its　standpoint；　I　have　stated　provisionally　in　the　Introduction。

The　fact　that　it　has　been　necessary　to　make　a　completely　fresh　start　with　this　science；　the　very
nature　of　the　subject　matter　and　the　absence　of　any　previous　works　which　might　have　been　utilised
for　the　projected　reconstruction　of　logic；　may　be　taken　into　account　by　fair…minded　critics；　even
though　a　labour　covering　many　years　has　been　unable　to　give　this　effort　a　greater　perfection。　The
essential　point　of　view　is　that　what　is　involved　is　an　altogether　new　concept　of　scientific　procedure。

Philosophy；　if　it　would　be　a　science；　cannot；　as　I　have　remarked　elsewhere；　borrow　its　method
from　a　subordinate　science　like　mathematics；　any　more　than　it　can　remain　satisfied　with　categorical
assurances　of　inner　intuition；　or　employ　arguments　based　on　grounds　adduced　by　external
reflection。　On　the　contrary；　it　can　be　only　the　nature　of　the　content　itself　which　spontaneously
develops　itself　in　a　scientific　method　of　knowing；　since　it　is　at　the　same　time　the　reflection　of　the
content　itself　which　first　posits　and　generates　its　determinate　character。　？

The　understanding　determines；　and　holds　the　determinations　fixed；　reason　is　negative　and
dialectical；　because　it　resolves　the　determinations　of　the　understanding　into　nothing；　it　is　positive
because　it　generates　the　universal　and　comprehends　the　particular　therein。

Just　as　the　understanding　is　usually　taken　to　be　something　separate　from　reason　as　such；　so　too
dialectical　reason　is　usually　taken　to　be　something　distinct　from　positive　reason。　But　reason　in　its
truth　is　spirit　which　is　higher　than　either　merely　positive　reason；　or　merely　intuitive　understanding。　

It　is　the　negative；　that　which　constitutes　the　quality　alike　of　dialectical　reason　and　of　understanding；
it　negates　what　is　simple；　thus　positing　the　specific　difference　of　the　understanding；　it　equally
resolves　it　and　is　thus　dialectical。

But　it　does　not　stay　in　the　nothing　of　this　result　but　in　the　result　is　no　less　positive；　and　in　this　way　it
has　restored　what　was　at　first　simple；　but　as　a　universal　which　is　within　itself　concrete；　a　given
particular　is　not　subsumed　under　this　universal　but　in　this　determining；　this　positing　of　a　difference；
and　the　resolving　of　it；　the　particular　has　at　the　same　time　already　determined　itself。　This　spiritual
movement　which；　in　its　simple　undifferentiatedness；　gives　itself　its　own　determinateness　and　in　its
determinateness　its　equality　with　itself；　which　therefore　is　the　immanent　development　of　the　Notion；
this　movement　is　the　absolute　method　of　knowing　and　at　the　same　time　is　the　immanent。　soul　of　the
content　itself。　

I　maintain　that　it　is　this　self…construing　method　alone　which　enables　philosophy　to　be　an　objective；
demonstrated　science。？

It　is　in　this　way　that　I　have　tried　to　expound　consciousness　in　the　Phenomenology　of　Spirit。
Consciousness　is　spirit　as　a　concrete　knowing；　a　knowing　too；　in　which　externality　is　involved；　but
the　development　of　this　object；　？like　the　development　of　all　natural　and　spiritual　life；　rests　solely
on　the　nature　of　the　pure　essentialities　which　constitute　the　content　of　logic。

Consciousness；　as　spirit　in　its　manifestation　which　in　its　progress　frees　itself　from　its　immediacy　and
external　concretion；　attains　to　the　pure　knowing　which　takes　as　its　object　those　same　pure
essentialities　as　they　are　in　and　for　themselves。　They　are　pure　thoughts；　spirit　thinking　its　own
essential　nature。　Their　self…movement　is　their　spiritual　life　and　is　that　through　which　philosophy
constitutes　itself　and　of　which　it　is　the　exposition。　

In　the　foregoing　there　is　indicated　the　relation　of　the　science　which　I　call　the　Phenomenology　of
Spirit；　to　logic。　As　regards　the　external　relation；　it　was　intended　that　the　first　part　of　the　System　of
Science　which　contains　the　Phenomenology　should　be　followed　by　a　second　part　containing　logic
and　the　two　concrete　＇realen＇　sciences；　the　Philosophy　of　Nature　and　the　Philosophy　of　Spirit；
which　would　complete　the　System　of　Philosophy。　But　the　necessary　expansion　which　logic　itself
has　demanded　has　induced　me　to　have　this　part　published　separately；　it　thus　forms　the　first　sequel
to　the　Phenomenology　of　Spirit　in　an　expanded　arrangement　of　the　system。　It　will　later　be
followed　by　an　exposition　of　the　two　concrete　philosophical　sciences　mentioned。　This　first　volume
of　the　Logic　contains　as　Book　One　the　Doctrine　of　Being；　Book　Two；　the　Doctrine　of　Essence；
which　forms　the　second　part　of　the　first　volume；　is　already　in　the　press；　the　second　volume　will
contain　Subjective　Logic　or　the　Doctrine　of　the　Notion。

Nuremberg；　March　22；　1812。　



　


　　　　　　　　Preface　to　the　Second　Edition

When　I　undertook　this　fresh　elaboration　of　the　Science　of　Logic　of　which　this　is　the　first　volume；　I
was　fully　conscious…not　only　of　the　inherent　difficulty　of　the　subject　matter　and　of　its　exposition；　but
also　of　the　imperfection　of　its　treatment　in　the　first　edition；　earnestly　as　I　have　tried　after　many
years　of　further　occupation　with　this　science　to　remedy　this　imperfection；　I　feel　I　still　have　reason
enough　to　claim　the　indulgence　of　the　reader。　One　title　to　such　claim　in　the　first　instance　may　well
be　based　on　the　fact　that　in　the　main　there　was　available　for　the　contents　of　the　science　only
external　material　in　the　older　metaphysics　and　logic。　Though　these　two　sciences　have　been
universally　and　abundantly　cultivated；　the　latter　even　up　to　our　own　day；　the　interest　taken　in　the
speculative　side　has　been　only　slight；　in　fact；　on　the　whole；　the　same　material　has　been　just
repeated　over　and　over　again；　sometimes　being　thinned　out　to　the　point　of　being　trivial　and
superficial　and　sometimes　more　of　the　old　ballast　has　been　hauled　out　afresh　and　trailed　along　with
logic。　From　such　efforts；　often　purely　mechanical；　the　philosophical　import　of　the　science　could
gain　nothing。

To　exhibit　the　realm　of　thought　philosophically；　that　is；　in　its　own　immanent　activity　or　what　is　the
same；　in　its　necessary　development；？　had　therefore　to　be　a　fresh　undertaking；　one　that　had　to　be
started　right　from　the　beginning；　but　this　traditional　material；　the　familiar　forms　of　thought；　must　be
regarded　as　an　extremely　important　source；　indeed　as　a　necessary　condition　and　as　a
presupposition　to　be　gratefully　acknowledged　even　though　what　it　offers　is　only　here　and　there　a
meagre　shred　or　a　disordered　heap　of　dead　bones　？。　

The　forms　of　thought　are；　in　the　first　instance；　displayed　and　stored　as　human　language。
Nowadays　we　cannot　be　too　often　reminded　that　it　is　thinking　which　distinguishes　man　from　the
beasts。　Into　all　that　becomes　something　inward　for　men；　an　image　or　conception　as　such；　into　all
that　he　makes　his　own；　language　has　penetrated；　and　everything　that　he　has　transformed　into
language　and　expresses　in　it　contains　a　category…concealed；　mixed　with　other　forms　or　clearly
determined　as　such；　so　much　is　Logic　his　natural　element；　indeed　his　own　peculiar　nature。　If
nature　as　such；　as　the　physical　world；　is　contrasted　with　the　spiritual　sphere；　then　logic　must
certainly　be　said　to　be　the　supernatural　element　which　permeates　every　relationship　of　man　to
nature；　his　sensation；　intuition；　desire；　need；　instinct；　and　simply　by　so　doing　transforms　it　into
something　human；　even　though　only　formally　human；　into　ideas　and　purposes。　It　is　an　advantage
when　a　language　possesses　an　abundance　of　logical　expressions；　that　is；　specific　and　separate
expressions　for　the　thought　determinations　themselves；　many　prepositions　and　articles　denote
relationships　based　on　thought；　the　Chinese　language　is　supposed　not　to　have　developed　to　this
stage　or　only　to　an　inadequate　extent。　These　particles；　however；　play　quite　a　subordinate　part
having　only　a　slightly　more　independent　form　than　the　prefixes　and　suffixes；　inflections　and　the　like。
It　is　much　more　important　that　in　a　language　the　categories　should　appear　in　the　form　of
substantives　and　verbs　and　thus　be　stamped　with　the　form　of　objectivity。　In　this　respect　German
has　many　advantages　over　other　modern　languages；　som