history of philosophy-第101节

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by　the　finite　being　received　into　the　infinite；　difference　into　indifference。”　But　passing　into　and
receiving　into　are　merely　sensuous　expressions。　“Otherwise　expressed；　the　particular　becomes
absolute　form　by　the　universal　becoming；　one　with　it；　and　the　universal　becomes　absolute　existence
by　the　particular　becoming　one　with　it。　But　these　two　unities；　as　in　the　Absolute；　are　not　outside　of
one　another；　but　in　one　another；　and　therefore　the　Absolute　is　absolute　indifference　of　form　and
existence；”　as　unity　of　this　double　passing…into…one。　“By　means　of　these　two　unities　two　different
potencies　are　determined；　but　in　themselves　they　are　both　the　exactly　equal　roots　of　the　Absolute。”
（23）　That　is　a　mere　assertion；　the　continual　return　after　each　differentiation；　which　is　perpetually
again　removed　out　of　the　Absolute。

“Of　the　first　absolute　transformation　there　are　copies　in　phenomenal　Nature；　therefore　Nature；
regarded　in　itself；　is　nothing　else　than　that　first　transformation　as　it　exists　in　the　absolute
（unseparated　from　the　other）。　For　by　means　of　the　infinite　passing　into　the　finite；　existence　passes
into　form；　since　then　form　obtains　reality　only　by　means　of　existence；　existence；　when　it　has　passed
into　form　without　form　having　（according　to　the　assumption）　similarly　passed　into　existence；　can　be
represented　only　as　potentiality　or　ground　of　reality；　but　not　as　indifference　of　possibility　and
actuality。　But　that　which　may　be　described　thus；　namely　as　existence；　in　so　far　as　that　is　mere
ground　of　reality；　and　therefore　has　really　passed　into　form；　although　form　has　not　in　turn　passed
into　it；　is　what　presents　itself　as　Nature。　—　Existence　makes　its　appearance　in　form；　but　in　return
form；　also　makes　its　appearance　in　existence；　this　is　the　other　unity；”　that　of　mind。　“This　unity　is
established　by　the　finite　being　received　into　the　infinite。　At　this　point　form；　as　the　particular；　strikes
into　existence；　and　itself　becomes　absolute。　Form　which　passes　into　existence　places　itself　as
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