science of logic-第52章

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It　is　the　sole　subject　matter　and　content　of　philosophy。　Since　it　contains　all　determinations　within　it；
and　its　essential　nature　is　to　return　to　itself　through　its　self…determination　or　particularisation；　it　has
various　shapes；　and　the　business　of　philosophy　is　to　cognise　it　in　these。　Nature　and　spirit　are　in
general　different　modes　of　presenting　its　existence；　art　and　religion　its　different　modes　of
apprehending　itself　and　giving　itself　an　adequate　existence。　Philosophy　has　the　same　content　and
the　same　end　as　art　and　religion；　but　it　is　the　highest　mode　of　apprehending　the　absolute　idea；
because　its　mode　is　the　highest　mode；　the　Notion。　

Hence　it　embraces　those　shapes　of　real　and　ideal　finitude　as　well　as　of　infinitude　and　cognition　of
these　particular　modes　is　now　the　further　business　of　the　particular　philosophical　sciences。　

The　logical　aspect　of　the　absolute　Idea　may　also　be　called　a　mode　of　it；　but　whereas　mode
signifies　a　particular　kind；　a　determinateness　of　form；　the　logical　aspect；　on　the　contrary；　is　the
universal　mode　in　which　all　particular　modes　are　sublated　and　enfolded。　The　logical　Idea　os　the
Idea　itself　in　its　pure　essence；　the　Idea　enclosed　in　simple　identity　within　its　Notion　prior　to　its
immediate　reflection　in　a　form…determinateness。　

Hence　logic　exhibits　the　self…movement　of　the　absolute　Idea　only　as　original　word；　which　is　an
outwardising　or　utterance；　but　an　utterance　that　in　being　has　immediately　vanished　again　as
something　outer；　the　Idea　is；　therefore；　only　in　this　self…determination　of　apprehending　itself；　it　is
in　pure　thought；　in　which　difference　is　not　yet　otherness；　but　is　and　remains　perfectly　transparent
to　itself。　Thus　the　logical　Idea　has　itself　as　the　infinite　form　for　its　content　…　form　which　constitutes
the　opposite　to　content　to　this　extent　that　the　content　is　the　form…determination　withdrawn　into
itself　and　sublated　in　the　identity　in　such　a　manner　that　this　concrete　identity　stands　opposed　to　the
identity　explicated　as　form；　the　content　has　the　shape　of　an　other　and　a　datum　as　against　the　form
which　as　such　stands　simply　in　relation；　and　its　determinateness　is　at　the　same　time　posited　as　an
illusory　being。　More　exactly；　the　determination　is　its　own　completed　totality；　the　pure　Notion。　Now
the　determinateness　of　the　Idea　and　the　entire　course　followed　by　this　determinateness　has
constituted　the　subject　matter　of　the　science　of　logic；　from　which　course　the　absolute　Idea　itself
has　issued　into　an　existence　of　its　own；　but　the　nature　of　this　existence　has　shown　itself　to　be　this；
that　determinateness　does　not　have　the　shape　of　content；　but　exists　wholly　as　form；　and　that
accordingly　the　Idea　is　the　absolutely　universal　Idea。　Therefore　what　remains　to　be　considered
here　is　not　a　content　as　such；　but　the　universal　aspect　of　its　form　…　that　is；　the　method。　

Method　may　appear　at　first　as　the　mere　manner　peculiar　to　the　process　of　cognition；　and　as　a
matter　of　fact　it　has　the　nature　of　such。　But　the　peculiar　manner；　as　method；　is　not　merely　a
modality　of　being　determined　in　and　for　itself；　it　is　a　modality　of　cognition；　and　as　such　is
posited　as　determined　by　the　Notion　and　as　form；　in　so　far　as　the　form　is　the　soul　of　all　objectivity
and　all　otherwise　determined　content　has　its　truth　in　the　form　alone。　

If　the　content　again　is　assumed　as　given　to　the　method　and　of　a　peculiar　nature　of　its　own；　then　in
such　a　determination　method；　as　with　the　logical　element　in　general；　is　a　merely　external　form。
Against　this　however　we　can　appeal　not　only　to　the　fundamental　Notion　of　the　science　of　logic；　its
entire　course；　in　which　all　possible　shapes　of　a　given　content　and　of　objects　came　up　for
consideration；　has　demonstrated　their　transition　and　untruth；　also　that　not　merely　was　it　impossible
for　a　given　object　to　be　the　foundation　to　which　the　absolute　form　stood　in　a　merely　external　and
contingent　relationship　but　that；　on　the　contrary；　the　absolute　form　has　proved　itself　to　be　the
absolute　foundation　and　ultimate　truth。　From　this　course　the　method　has　emerged　as　the
self…knowing　Notion　that　has　itself；　as　the　absolute；　both　subjective　and　objective；　for　its
subject　matter；　consequently　as　the　pure　correspondence　of　the　Notion　and　its　reality；　as　a
concrete　that　is　the　Notion　itself。　

Accordingly；　what　is　to　be　considered　here　as　method　is　only　the　movement　of　the　Notion　itself；
the　nature　of　which　movement　has　already　been　cognised；　but　first；　there　is　now　the　added
significance　that　the　Notion　is　everything；　and　its　movement　is　the　universal　absolute　activity；
the　self…determining　and　self…realising　movement。　The　method　is　therefore　to　be　recognised　as　the
unrestrictedly　universal；　internal　and　external　mode；　and　as　the　absolutely　infinite　force；　to　which　no
object；　presenting　itself　as　something　external；　remote　from　and　independent　of　reason；　could　offer
resistance　or　be　of　a　particular　nature　in　opposition　to　it；　or　could　not　be　penetrated　by　it。　It　is
therefore　soul　and　substance；　and　anything　whatever　is　comprehended　and　known　in　its　truth　only
when　it　is　completely　subjugated　to　the　method；　it　is　the　method　proper　to　every　subject　matter
because　its　activity　is　the　Notion。　This　is　also　the　truer　meaning　if　its　universality；　according　to　the
universality　of　reflection　it　is　regarded　merely　as　the　method　for　everything；　but　according　to　the
universality　of　the　Idea；　it　is　both　the　manner　peculiar　to　cognition；　to　the　subjectively　selfknowing
Notion；　and　also　the　objective　manner；　or　rather　the　substantiality；　of　things　…　that　is　of　Notions；
in　so　far　as　they　appear　primarily　to　representation　and　reflection　as　others。　It　is　therefore　not
only　the　highest　force；　or　rather　the　sole　and　absolute　force　of　reason；　but　also　its　supreme　and
sole　urge　to　find　and　cognise　itself　by　means　of　itself　in　everything。　Here；　secondly；　is　indicated
the　difference　of　the　method　from　the　Notion　as　such；　the　particular　aspect　of　the　method。　The
Notion；　when　it　was　considered　by　itself；　appeared　in　its　immediacy；　the　reflection；　or　the　Notion
that　considered　it；　fell　within　our　knowing。　

The　method　is　this　knowing　itself；　for　which　the　Notion　is　not　merely　the　subject　matter；　but
knowing's　own　subjective　act；　the　instrument　and　means　of　the　cognising　activity；　distinguished
from　that　activity；　but　only　as　the　activity's　own　essentiality。　In　the　cognition　of　enquiry；　the　method
likewise　occupies　the　position　of　an　instrument；　of　a　means　standing　on　the　subjective　side　by
which　this　side　relates　itself　to　the　object。　In　this　syllogism　the　subject　is　one　extreme　and　the
object　the　other；　and　the　former　by　means　of　its　method　unites　with　the　latter；　but　in　doing　so　it
does　not　unite　with　itself。　The　extremes　remain　diverse　because　subject；　method；　and　object　are
not　posited　as　the　one　identical　Notion；　the　syllogism　is　therefore　still　the　formal　syllogism；　the
premises　in　which　the　subject　posits　the　form　on　its　side　as　its　method　is　an　immediate
determination；　and　therefore　contains　the　determinations　of　form；　as　we　have　seen；　of　definition；
division；　and　so　forth；　as　facts　found　existing　in　the　subject。　
In　true　cognition　on　the　contrary；　the　method　is　not　merely　an　aggregate　of　certain　determinations；
but　the　Notion　that　is　determined　in　and　for　itself；　and　the　Notion　is　the　middle　term　only　because　it
has　equally　the　significance　of　the　objective；　and　consequently　in　the　conclusion　the　objective　does
not　merely　attain　an　external　determinateness　by　means　of　the　method；　but　is　posited　in　its　identity
with　the　subjective　Notion。　

I。　Thus　what　constitute　the　method　are　the　determinations　of　the　Notion　itself　and　their　relations；
which　we　have　now　to　consider　in　their　significance　as　determinations　of　the　method。　In　doing　so
we　must　first　begin　with　the　beginning。　Of　the　beginning　we　have　already　spoken　at　the　beginning
of　the　Logic　itself；　and　also　above；　when　dealing　with　subjective　cognition；　and　we　have　shown
that；　if　it　is　not　made　arbitrarily　and　with　a　categorical　unconsciousness；　it　may　indeed　seem　to
involve　a　number　of　difficulties　but　nevertheless　is　of　an　extremely　simple　nature。　Because　it　is　the
beginning；　its　content　is　an　immediate；　but　an　immediate　that　has　the　significance　and　form　of
abstract　universality。　Be　it　otherwise　a　content　of　being；　or　of　essence；　or　of　the　Notion；　it　is　as
an　immediate　something　assumed；　found　already　in　existence；　assertorical。　But　first　of　all　it　is
not　an　immediate　of　sensuous　intuition　or　of　representation；　but　of　thinking；　which　on　account
of　its　immediacy　may　also　be　called　a　supersensuous　inner　intuition。　

The　immediate　of　sensuous　intuition　is　a　manifold　and　an　individual。　But　cognition　is　thinking　by
means　of　notions；　and　therefore　its　beginning　also　is　only　in　the　element　of　thought　…　it　is　a
simple　and　a　universal。　This　form　has　already　been　discussed　under　definition。　At　the　beginning　of
finite　cognition　universality　is　likewise　recognised　as　an　essential　determination；　but　it　is　taken　as　a
determination　of　thought　and　of　Notion　only　in　opposition　to　being。　In　point　of　fact　this　first
universality　is　an　immediate　one；　and　for　that　reason　has　equally　the　significance　of　being；　for
being　is　precisely　this　abstract　relation…to…self。　Being　requires　no　further　derivation；　as　though　it
belonged　to　the　abstract　product　of　definition　only　because　it　is　taken　from　sensuous　intuition　or
elsewhere；　and　in　so　far　as　it　is　pointed　out　to　us。　This　pointing　out　and　derivation　is　a　matter　of
mediation；　which　is　more　than　a　mere　beginning；　and　is　a　mediation　of　a　kind　that　does　not　belong
to　a　comprehension　by　means　of　thinking；　but　is　the　elevation　of　ordinary　thinking；　of　the　empirical
and　ratiocinative　consciousness；　to　the　standpoint　of　thought。　According　to　the　current　opposition
of　thought　or　concept　and　being　it　is　regarded　as　an　important　truth　that　no　being　belongs　as　yet　to
the　former；　taken　on　its　own；　and　that　the　latter　has　a　ground　of　its　own　that　is　independent　of
thought。　But　the　simple　determination　of　being　is　in　itself　so　meagre　that；　if　only　for　that　reason；
there　is　no　need　to　make　much　fuss　about　it；　the　universal　is　immediately　itself　this　immediate；　since
as　abstract　it　also　is　merely　the　abstract　relation…to…self；　which　is　being。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the
demand　that　being　should　be　exhibited　for　us　to　see　has　a　further；　inner　meaning　involving　more
than　this　abstract　determination；　what　is　meant　by　it　is　in　general　the　demand　for　the　realisation　of
the　Notion；　which　realisation　does　not　lie　in　the　beginning　itself；　but　is　rather　the　goal　and　the　task
of　the　entire　further　development　of　cognition。　Further；　since　the　content　of　the　beginning　is
supposed　to　be　justified　and　authenticated　as　something　true　or　correct　by　its　being　pointed　out　in
inner　or　outer　perception；　it　is　no　longer　the　form　of　universality　as　such　that　is　meant；　but　its
determinateness；　of　which　we　shall　need　to　speak　presently。　The　authentication　of　the
determinate　content　with　which　the　beginning　is　made　seems　to　lie　behind　it；　but　in　fact　it　is　to　be
considered　as　an　advance；　that　is；　if　it　belongs　to　philosophical　cognition。　

Hence　the　beginning　has　for　the　method