history of philosophy-第83章

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absolute　activity　and　positive　cause　of　reality　in　opposition　to　the　existence　which　passes　into　form；
and　which　appears　only　as　ground。　The　passing　of　absolute　form　into　existence　is　what　we　think　of
as　God；　and　the　images　or　copies　of　this　transformation　are　in　the　ideal　world；　which　is　therefore　in
its　implicitude　the　other　unity。”　（24）　Each　of　these　two　transformations；　then；　is　the　whole　totality；
not；　however；　posited　and　not　appearing　as　totality；　but　with　the　one　or　the　other　factor
preponderating；　each　of　the　two　spheres　has；　therefore；　in　itself　again　these　differences；　and　thus　in
each　of　them　the　three　potencies　are　to　be　found。

The　ground　or　basis；　Nature　as　basis　merely；　is　matter；　gravity；　as　the　first　potency；　this　passing　of
form　into　existence　is　in　the　actual　world　universal　mechanism；　necessity。　But　the　second　potency
is　“the　light　which　shineth　in　darkness；　form　which　has　passed　into　existence。　The　absolute
unification　of　the　two　unities　in　actuality；　so　that　matter　is　altogether　form；　and　form　is　altogether
matter；　is　organism；　the　highest　expression　of　Nature　as　it　is　in　God；　and　of　God　as　He　is　in
Nature；　in　the　finite。”　On　the　ideal　side　“Knowledge　is　the　essence　of　the　Absolute　brought　into
the　daylight　of　form；　action　is　a　transformation　of　form；　as　the　particular；　into　the　essence　of　the
Absolute。　As　in　the　real　world　form　that　is　identified　with　essence　appears　as　light；　so　in　the　ideal
world　God　Himself　appears　in　particular　manifestation　as　the　living　form　which　has　emerged　in　the
passing　of　form　into　essence；　so　that　in　every　respect　the　ideal　and　real　world　are　again　related　as
likeness　and　symbol。　The　absolute　unification　of　the　two　unities　in　the　ideal；　so　that　material　is
wholly　form　and　form　wholly　material；　is　the　work　of　art；　and　that　secret　hidden　in　the　Absolute
which　is　the　root　of　all　reality　comes　here　into　view；　in　the　reflected　world　itself；　in　the　highest
potency　and　biggest　union　of　God　and　Nature　as　the　power　of　imagination。”　On　account　of　that
permeation　art　and　poetry　therefore　hold　the　highest　rank　in　Schelling's　estimation。　But　art　is　the
Absolute　in　sensuous　form　alone。　Where　and　what　could　the　work　of　art　be；　which　should
correspond　to　the　Idea　of　the　spirit？　“The　universe　is　formed　in　the　Absolute　as　the　most　perfect
organic　existence　and　the　most　perfect　work　of　art：　for　Reason；　which　recognizes　the　Absolute　in
it；　it　possesses　absolute　truth；　for　the　imagination；　which　represents　the　Absolute　in　it；　it　possesses
absolute　Beauty。　Each　of　these　expresses　the　very　same　unity；”　regarded　“from　different　sides；
and　both　arrive　at　the　absolute　in　difference　point　in　the　recognition　of　which　lies　both　the　beginning
and　the　aim　of　real　knowledge。”　（25）　This　highest　Idea；　these　differences；　are　grasped　as　a　whole
in　a　very　formal　manner　only。

3。　The　relation　of　Nature　to　Spirit；　and　to　God；　the　Absolute；　has　been　stated　by　Schelling
elsewhere；　i。e。　in　his　later　expositions；　as　follows：　he　defines　the　existence　of　God　as　Nature　—　in
so　far　as　God　constitutes　Himself　its　ground　or　basis；　as　infinite　perception　—　and　Nature　is　thus
the　negative　moment　in　God；　since　intelligence　and　thought　exist　only　by　means　of　the　opposition
of　one　Being。　For　in　one　of　his　writings；　directed　on　some　particular　occasion　against　Jacobi；
Schelling　explains　himself　further　with　regard　to　the　nature　of　God　and　His　relation　to　Nature。　He
says：　“God；　or　more　properly　the　existence　which　is　God；　is　ground：　He　is　ground　of　Himself　as　a
moral　Being。　But”　then　“it　is　ground　that　He　makes　Himself　〃　—　not　cause。　Something　must
precede　intelligence；　and　that　something　is　Being　—　〃since　thought　is　the　exact　opposite　of　Being。
That　which　is　the　beginning　of　an　intelligence　cannot　be　in　its　turn　intelligent；　since　there　would
otherwise　be　no　distinction；　but　it　cannot　be　absolutely　unintelligent；　for　the　very　reason　that　it　is
the　potentiality　of　an　intelligence。　It　will　accordingly　be　something　between　these；　i。e。　it　will　operate
with　wisdom；　but　as　it　were　with　an　innate；　instinctive；　blind；　and　yet；　unconscious　wisdom；　just　as
we　often　bear　those　who　are　under　a　spell　uttering　words　fall　of　understanding；　but　not　uttering
them　with　comprehension　of　their　meaning；　but　as　it　were　owing　to　an　inspiration。”　God；
therefore；　as　this　ground　of　Himself；　is　Nature　—　Nature　as　it　is　in　God；　this　is　the　view　taken　of
Nature　in　Natural　Philosophy。（26）　But　the　work　of　the　Absolute　is　to　abrogate　this　ground；　and　to
constitute　itself　Intelligence。　On　this　account　Schelling's　philosophy　has　later　been　termed　a
Philosophy　of　Nature；　and　that　in　the　sense　of　a　universal　philosophy；　while　at　first　Natural
Philosophy　was　held　to　be　only　a　part　of　the　whole。

It　is　not　incumbent　on　us　here　to　give　a　more　detailed　account　of　Schelling's　philosophy；　or　to
show　points　in　the　expositions　hitherto　given　by　him　which　are　far　from　satisfactory。　The　system　is
the　latest　form　of　Philosophy　which　we　had　to　consider；　and　it　is　a　form　both　interesting　and　true。
In　the　first　place　special　emphasis；　in　dealing　with　Schelling；　must　be　laid　on　the　idea　that　he　has
grasped　the　true　as　the　concrete；　as　the　unity　of　subjective　and　objective。　The　main　point　in
Schelling's　philosophy　thus　is　that　its　interest　centres　round　that　deep；　speculative　content；　which；
as　content；　is　the　content　with　which　Philosophy　in　the　entire　course　of　its　history　has　had　to　do。
The　Thought　which　is　free　and　independent；　not　abstract；　but　in　itself　concrete；　comprehends　itself
in　itself　as　an　intellectually　actual　world；　and　this　is　the　truth　of　Nature；　Nature　in　itself。　The　second
great　merit　possessed　by　Schelling　is　to　have　pointed　out　in　Nature　the　forms　of　Spirit；　thus
electricity；　magnetism；　&c。；　are　for　him　only　external　modes　of　the　Idea。　His　defect　is　that　this　Idea
in　general；　its　distinction　into　the　ideal　and　the　natural　world；　and　also　the　totality　of　these
determinations；　are　not　shown　forth　and　developed　as　necessitated　in　themselves　by　the　Notion。
As　Schelling　has　not　risen　to　this　point　of　view；　he　has　misconceived　the　nature　of　thought；　the
work　of　art　thus　becomes　for　him　the　supreme　and　only　mode　in　which　the　Idea　exists　for　spirit。
But　the　supreme　mode　of　the　Idea　is　really　its　own　element；　thought；　the　Idea　apprehended；　is
therefore　higher　than　the　work　of　art。　The　Idea　is　the　truth；　and　all　that　is　true　is　the　Idea；　the
systematizing　of　the　Idea　into　the　world　must　be　proved　to　be　a　necessary　unveiling　and　revelation。
With　Schelling；　on　the　other　hand；　form　is　really　an　external　scheme；　and　his　method　is　the　artificial
application　of　this　scheme　to　external　objects。　This　externally　applied　scheme　takes　the　place　of
dialectic　progress；　and　this　is　the　special　reason　why　the　philosophy　of　Nature　has　brought　itself
into　discredit；　that　it　has　proceeded　on　an　altogether　external　plan；　has　made　its　foundation　a
ready…made　scheme；　and　fitted　into　it　Nature　as　we　perceive　it。　These　forms　were　potencies　with
Schelling；　but　instead　of　mathematical　forms　or　a　type　of　thought　like　this；　by　some　other　men
sensuous　forms　have　been　taken　as　basis；　just　as　were　sulphur　and　mercury　by　Jacob　Boehme。
For　instance；　magnetism；　electricity；　and　chemistry　have　been　defined　to　be　the　three　potencies　in
Nature；　and　thus　in　the　organism　reproduction　has　been　termed　chemistry；　irritability；　electricity；
and　sensibility；　magnetism。（27）　In　this　way　there　has　crept　into　Natural　Philosophy　the　great
formalism　of　representing　everything　as　a　series；　which　is　a　superficial　determination　without
necessity；　since　instead　of　Notions　we　find　formulas。　Brilliant　powers　of　imagination　are　displayed；
such　as　were　exhibited　by　G？rres。　This　mistake　of　applying　forms　which　are　taken　from　one
sphere　of　Nature　to　another　sphere　of　the　same　has　been　carried　a　long　way；　Oken；　for　example；
calls　wood…fibres　the　nerves　and　brain　of　the　plant；　and　is　almost　crazy　on　the　subject。　Philosophy
would　in　this　way　become　a　play　of　mere　analogical　reflections；　and　it　is　not　with　these　but　with
thoughts　that　we　have　to　do。　Nerves　are　not　thoughts；　any　more　than　such　expressions　as　pole　of
contraction；　of　expansion；　masculine；　feminine；　&c。　The　formal　plan　of　applying　an　external
scheme　to　the　sphere　of　Nature　which　one　wishes　to　observe；　is　the　external　work　of　Natural
Philosophy；　and　this　scheme　is　itself　derived　from　the　imagination。　That　is　a　most　false　mode　of
proceeding；　Schelling　took　advantage　of　it　to　some　extent；　others　have　made　a　complete　misuse　of
it。　All　this　is　done　to　escape　thought；　nevertheless；　thought　is　the　ultimate　simple　determination
which　has　to　be　dealt　with。

It　is　therefore　of　the　greatest　importance　to　distinguish　Schelling's　philosophy；　on　the　one　hand；
from　that　imitation　of　it　which　throws　itself　into　an　unspiritual　farrago　of　words　regarding　the
Absolute；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　from　the　philosophy　of　those　imitators；　who；　owing　to　a　failure
to　understand　intellectual　intuition；　give　up　comprehension；　and　with　it　the　leading　moment　of
knowledge；　and　speak　from　so…called　intuition；　i。e。　they　take　a　glance　at　the　thing　in　question；　and
having　fastened　on　it　some　superficial　analogy　or　definition；　they　fancy　they　have　expressed　its
whole　nature；　while　in　point　of　fact　they　put　an　end　to　all　capacity　for　attaining　to　scientific
knowledge。　This　whole　tendency　places　itself；　in　the　first　place；　in　opposition　to　reflective　thought；
or　to　progress　in　fixed；　steadfast；　immovable　Notions。　But　instead　of　remaining　in　the　Notion　and
recognizing　it　as　the　unresting　ego；　they　have　lighted　on　the　opposite　extreme　of　passive　intuition；
of　immediate　Being　of　fixed　implicitude；　and　they　think　that　they　can　make　up　for　the　lack　of　fixity
by　superficial　observation；　and　can　render　this　observation　intellectual　by　determining　it　once　more
by　some　fixed　Notion　or　other；　or　they　bring　their　minds　to　bear　on　the　object　of　consideration　by
saying；　for　instance；　that　the　ostrich　is　the　fish　among　birds；　because　he　has　a　long　neck　—　fish
becomes　a　general　term；　but　not　a　Notion。　This　whole　mode　of　reasoning；　which　has　forced　its
way　into　natural　history　and　natural　science；　as　well　as　into　medicine；　is　a　miserable　formalism；　an
irrational　medley　of　the　crudest　empiricism　with　the　most　superficial　ideal　determinations　that
formalism　ever　descended　to。　The　philosophy　of　Locke　is　not　so　crude　as　it　is；　for　it　is　not　a　whit
better　in　either　its　content　or　its　form；　and　it　is　combined　with　foolish　self…conceit　into　the　bargain。
Philosophy　on　this　account　sank　into　general　and　well…deserved　contempt；　such　as　is　for　the　most
part　extended　to　those　who　assert　that　they　have　a　monopoly　of　philosophy。　Instead　of
earnestness　of　apprehension　and　circumspection　of　thought；　we　find　in　them　a　juggling　with　idle
fancies；　which　pass　for　deep　conceptions；　lofty　surmises；　and　even　for　poetry：　and　they　think　they
are　right　in　the　centre　of　things　when　they　are　only　on　the　surface。　Five…and…twenty　years　ago（28）
the　case　was　the　same　with　poetic　art；　a　taste　for　ingenious　conceits　took　possession　of　it；　and　the
effusions　of　its　poetic　inspiration　came　forth　blindly　from　itself；　shot　out　as　from　a　pistol