science of logic-第49章

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This　constitutes　the　finitude　of　this　cognition；　because　this　real　side　of　the　Idea　in　it　still　possesses
identity　as　an　inner　identity；　its　determinations　are　to　themselves　still　external；　because　the　identity
is　not　in　the　form　of　subjectivity；　the　Notion's　own　pervasion　of　the　object　still　lacks　individuality；
what　corresponds　to　the　Notion　in　the　object　is　indeed　no　longer　the　abstract　but　the　determinate
form　and　therefore　the　particularity　of　the　Notion；　but　the　individual　element　in　the　object　is　still
a　given　content。　Consequently；　although　this　cognition　transforms　the　objective　world　into
Notions；　it　gives　it　Notion…determinations　only　in　respect　of　form；　and　must　find　the　object　in
respect　of　its　individuality；　its　specific　determinateness；　such　cognition　is　not　yet　self…determining。
Similarly；　it　finds　propositions　and　laws；　and　proves　their　necessity；　but　not　as　a　necessity　of　the
subject　matter　in　and　for　itself；　that　is；　not　from　the　Notion；　but　as　a　necessity　of　the　cognition　that
works　on　given　determinations；　on　the　differences　of　the　phenomenal　aspect　of　the　subject　matter；
and　cognises　for　itself　the　proposition　as　a　unity　and　relationship；　or　cognises　the　ground　of
phenomena　from　the　phenomena　themselves。

We　have　now　to　consider　the　detailed　moments　of　synthetic　cognition。

1。　Definition

First；　the　still　given　objectivity　is　transformed　into　the　simple　and　first　form；　hence　into　the　form　of
the　Notion。　Accordingly　the　moments　of　this　apprehension　are　none　other　than　the　moments　of　the
Notion；　universality；　particularity　and　individuality。　The　individual　is　the　object　itself　as　an
immediate　representation；　that　which　is　to　be　defined。　The　universality　of　the　object　of　definition
we　have　found　in　the　determination　of　the　objective　judgement　or　judgement　of　necessity　to　be　the
genus；　and　indeed　the　proximate　genus；　that　is　to　say；　the　universal　with　this　determinateness　that
is　at　the　same　time　a　principle　for　the　differentiation　of　the　particular。　This　difference　the　object
possesses　in　the　specific　difference；　which　makes　it　the　determinate　species　it　is　and　is　the　basis
of　its　disjunction　from　the　remaining　species。

Definition；　in　thus　reducing　the　subject　matter　to　its　Notion；　strips　it　of　its　externalities　which　are
requisite　for　its　concrete　existence；　it　abstracts　from　what　accrues　to　the　Notion　in　its　realisation；
whereby　it　emerges　first　into　Idea；　and　secondly　into　external　existence。　Description　is　for
representation；　and　takes　in　this　further　content　that　belongs　to　reality。　But　definition　reduces　this
wealth　of　the　manifold　determinations　of　intuited　existence　to　the　simplest　moments；　the　form　of
these　simple　elements；　and　how　they　are　determined　relatively　to　one　another；　is　contained　in　the
Notion。　The　subject　matter　is　thus；　as　we　have　stated；　grasped　as　a　universal　that　is　at　the　same
time　essentially　determinate。　The　subject　matter　itself　is　the　third　factor；　the　individual；　in　which　the
genus　and　the　particularisation　are　posited　in　one；　it　is　an　immediate　that　is　posited　outside　the
Notion；　since　the　latter　is　not　yet　self…determining。

In　the　said　moments；　which　are　the　form…difference　of　definition；　the　Notion　finds　itself　and　has　in
them　the　reality　correspondent　to　it。　But　the　reflection　of　the　Notion…moments　into　themselves；
which　is　individuality；　is　not　yet　contained　in　this　reality；　and　therefore　the　object；　in　so　far　as　it　is　in
cognition；　is　not　yet　determined　as　subjective。　Whereas；　cognition　on　the　contrary　is　subjective　and
has　an　external　starting　point；　or　it　is　subjective　by　reason　of　its　external　starting　point　in　the
individual。　The　content　of　the　Notion　is　therefore　a　datum　and　contingent。　Consequently；　the
concrete　Notion　itself　is　contingent　in　a　twofold　aspect：　first　it　is　contingent　in　respect　of　its　content
as　such；　secondly　it　is　contingent　which　determinations　of　the　content　from　among　the　manifold
qualities　that　the　object　possesses　in　external　existence　are　to　be　selected　for　the　Notion　and　are
to　constitute　its　moments。

The　latter　point　requires　closer　consideration。　For　since　individuality；　which　is　determined　in　and
for　itself；　lies　outside　the　Notion…determination　peculiar　to　synthetic　cognition　there　is　no　principle
available　for　determining　which　sides　of　the　subject　matter　are　to　be　regarded　as　belonging　to　its
Notion…determination　and　which　merely　to　the　external　reality。　This　constitutes　a　difficulty　in　the
case　of　definitions；　a　difficulty　that　for　synthetic　cognition　cannot　be　overcome。　Yet　here　a
distinction　must　be　made。　In　the　first　place；　the　definition　of　products　of　self…conscious
purposiveness　is　easily　discovered；　for　the　end　that　they　are　to　serve　is　a　determination　created　out
of　the　subjective　resolve　and　constituting　the　essential　particularisation；　the　form　of　the　concrete
existent　thing；　which　is　here　the　sole　concern。　Apart　from　this；　the　nature　of　its　material　and　its
other　external　properties；　in　so　far　as　they　correspond　to　the　end；　are　contained　in　its
determination；　the　rest　are　unessential　for　it。

Secondly；　geometrical　objects　are　abstract　determinations　of　space；　the　underlying　abstraction；
so…called　absolute　space；　has　lost　all　further　concrete　determinations　and　now　too　possesses　only
such　shapes　and　configurations　as　are　posited　in　it。　These　objects　therefore　are　only　what　they　are
meant　to　be；　their　Notion　determination　in　general；　and　more　precisely　the　specific　difference；
possesses　in　them　its　simple　unhindered　reality。　To　this　extent；　they　resemble　the　products　of
external　purposiveness；　and　they　also　agree　with　the　subject　matter　of　arithmetic　in　which　likewise
the　underlying　determination　is　only　that　which　has　been　posited　in　it。　True；　space　has　still　further
determinations：　its　three…dimensionality；　its　continuity　and　divisibility；　which　are　not　first　posited　in
it　by　external　determination。　But　these　belong　to　the　accepted　material　and　are　immediate
presuppositions；　it　is　only　the　combination　and　entanglement　of　the　former　subjective
determinations　with　this　peculiar　nature　of　the　domain　into　which　they　have　been　imported　that
produces　synthetic　relationships　and　laws。　In　the　case　of　numerical　determinations；　since　they　are
based　on　the　simple　principle　of　the　One；　their　combination　and　any　further　determination　is　simply
and　solely　a　positedness；　on　the　other　hand；　determinations　in　space；　which　is　explicitly　a
continuous　mutual　externality；　run　a　further　course　of　their　own　and　possess　a　reality　distinct
from　their　Notion；　but　this　no　longer　belongs　to　the　immediate　definition。

But；　thirdly；　in　the　case　of　definitions　of　concrete　objects　of　Nature　as　well　as　of　spirit；　the　position
is　quite　different。　In　general　such　objects　are；　for　representation；　things　of　many　properties。
Here；　what　we　have　to　do　in　the　first　instance　is　to　apprehend　what　is　their　proximate　genus；　and
then；　what　is　their　specific　difference。　We　have　therefore　to　determine　which　of　the　many
properties　belong　to　the　object　as　genus；　and　which　as　species；　and　further　which　among　these
properties　is　the　essential　one；　this　last　point　involves　the　necessity　of　ascertaining　their
interrelationship；　whether　one　is　already　posited　with　the　other。　But　for　this　purpose　there　is　so　far
no　other　criterion　to　hand　than　existence　itself。　The　essentiality　of　the　property　for　the　purpose　of
the　definition；　in　which　it　is　to　be　posited　as　a　simple；　undeveloped　determinateness；　is　its
universality。　But　in　existence　universality　is　merely　empirical。　It　may　be　universality　in　time…whether
the　property　in　question　is　lasting；　while　the　others　show　themselves　transitory　in　the　subsistence　of
the　whole；　or　it　may　be　a　universality　resulting　from　comparison　with　other　concrete　wholes　and　in
that　case　it　goes　no　further　than　community。　Now　if　comparison　indicates　as　the　common　basis　the
total　habitue　as　empirically　presented；　reflection　has　to　bring　this　together　into　a　simple　thought
determination　and　to　grasp　the　simple　character　of　such　a　totality。　But　the　only　possible　attestation
that　a　thought　determination；　or　a　single　one　of　the　immediate　properties；　constitutes　the　simple　and
specific　essence　of　the　object；　is　the　derivation　of　such　a　determination　from　the　concrete
properties　of　the　subject　matter。　But　this　would　demand　an　analysis　transforming　the　immediate
properties　into　thoughts　and　reducing　what　is　concrete　to　something　simple。　Such　an　analysis；
however；　would　be　higher　than　the　one　already　considered；　for　it　could　not　be　abstractive；　but
would　have　to　preserve　in　the　universal　what　is　specific　in　the　concrete；　unify　it　and　show　it　to　be
dependent　on　the　simple　thought　determination。

The　relations　of　the　manifold　determinations　of　immediate　existence　to　the　simple　Notion　would
however　be　theorems　requiring　proof。　But　definition　is　the　first；　still　undeveloped　Notion；
therefore；　when　it　has　to　apprehend　the　simple　determinateness　of　the　subject　matter；　which
apprehension　has　to　be　something　immediate；　it　can　only　employ　for　the　purpose　one　of　its
immediate　so…called　properties…a　determination　of　sensuous　existence　or　representation。　The
isolation；　then；　of　this　property　by　abstraction；　constitutes　simplicity；　and　for　universality　and
essentiality　the　Notion　has　to　fall　back　onto　empirical　universality；　the　persistence　in　altered
circumstances；　and　the　reflection　that　seeks　the　Notion…determination　in　external　existence　and　in
picture　thinking；　that　is；　seeks　it　where　it　is　not　to　be　found。　Definition；　therefore；　automatically
renounces　the　Notion…determinations　proper；　which　would　be　essentially　principles　of　the　subject
matter；　and　contents　itself　with　marks；　that　is；　determinations　in　which　essentiality　for　the　object
itself　is　a　matter　of　indifference；　and　which　are　intended　merely　to　be　distinguishing　marks　for　an
external　reflection。　A　single；　external　determinateness　of　this　kind　is　too　inadequate　to　the　concrete
totality　and　to　the　nature　of　its　Notion；　to　justify　its　selection　for　its　own　sake；　nor　could　it　be　taken
for　the　true　expression　and　determination　of　a　concrete　whole。　According　to　Blumenbach's'
observation；　for　example；　the　lobe　of　the　ear　is　absent　in　all　other　animals；　and　therefore　in　the
usual　phraseology　of　common　and　distinguishing　marks　it　could　quite　properly　be　used　as　the
distinctive　characteristic　in　the　definition　of　physical　man。　But　how　inadequate　such　a　completely
external　determination　at　once　appears　when　compared　with　the　conception　of　the　total　habitue　of
physical　man；　and　with　the　demand　that　the　Notion　determination　shall　be　something　essential！　It　is
quite　contingent　whether　the；　marks　adopted　in　the　definition　are　pure　makeshifts　like　this；　or　on
the　other　hand　approximate　more　to　the　nature　of　a　principle。　It　is　also　to　be　observed　that；　on
account　of　their　externality；　they　have　not　been　the　starting　point　in　the　cognition　of　the　Notion　of
the　object；　on　the　contrary；　an　obscure　feeling；　an　indefinite　but　deeper　sense；　an　inkling　of　what　is
essential；　has　preceded　the　discovery　of　the　genera　in　nature　and　in　spirit；　and　only　afterwards　has
a　specific　externality　been　sought　to　satisfy　the　understand