science of logic-第22节
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being is in and for itself； it does not stop at the immediate and its determinations； but penetrates it
on the supposition that at the back of this being there is something else； something other than being
itself； that this background constitutes the truth of being。 This knowledge is a mediated knowing
for it is not found immediately with and in essence； but starts from an other； from being； and has a
preliminary path to tread； that of going beyond being or rather of penetrating into it。 Not until
knowing inwardises； recollects itself out of immediate being； does it through this mediation find
essence。 The German language has preserved essence in the past participle ＇gewesen＇ of the verb
to be； for essence is past — but timelessly past — being。
When this movement is pictured as the path of knowing； then this beginning with being； and the
development that sublates it； reaching essence as a mediated result； appears to be an activity of
knowing external to being； and irrelevant to being's own nature。
But this path is the movement of being itself。 It was seen that being inwardises itself through its on
nature； and through this movement into itself becomes essence。
If； therefore； the absolute was at first defined as being； now it is defined as essence。 Cognition 。
certainly cannot stop short at manifold determinate being； nor yet at being； pure being； the
reflection that immediately forces itself on one is that this pure being； the negation of everything
finite； presupposes an internalisation； a recollection ＇Erinnerung＇ and movement which has
purified immediate； determinate being to pure being。 Being is accordingly determined as essence；
as a being in which everything determinate and finite is negated。 It is thus the indeterminate；
simple unity from which what is determinate has been eliminated in an external manner； the
determinate element itself was external to this unity and； after this elimination； still remains
confronting it； for it has not been sublated in itself but only relatively； only in relation to this unity。
We have already mentioned that if essence is defined as the sum total of all realities； then these
realities likewise are subordinate to the nature of the determinateness and to the abstractive
reflection and this sum total reduces to empty oneness。 Essence is in this way only a product； an
artefact。
External negation … and this is what abstraction is … only shifts the determinatenesses of being
away from what is left over as Essence； it only puts them； so to speak； elsewhere； leaving them
the affirmative character they possessed before。 But in this way； essence is neither in itself nor for
itself； what it is； it is through an other； the external； abstract reflection； and it is for an other；
namely abstraction and； in general； for the simply affirmative being that remains confronting it。 Its
character； therefore； is to lack all determinate character； to be inherently lifeless and empty。
But essence as it has here come to be； is what it is； through a negativity which is not alien to it but
is its very own； the infinite movement of being。 It is being that is in itself and for itself； it is
absolute being…in…itself in that it is indifferent to every determinateness of being； and otherness
and relation…to…other have been completely sublated。 But it is not only this being…in…itself； as mere
being…in…itself it would be only the abstraction of pure essence； but it is equally essentially
being…for…self； it is itself this negativity； the self…sublating of otherness and determinateness。
Essence as the completed return of being into itself is thus at first indeterminate essence。 The
determinateness of being are sublated in it； they are contained in essence in principle but are not
posited in it Absolute essence in this simple equality with itself has no determinate being； but it
must develop determinate being； for it is both in itself and for itself； i。e。 differentiates the
determinations which are implicit in it。 Because it is self…repelling or indifferent to itself； negative
self…relation； it sets itself over against itself and is infinite being…for…self only in so far is as it is at
one with itself in this its own difference from itself。 The determining then is of a different nature
from the determining in the sphere of being； and the determinations of essence have a different
character from the determinatenesses of being。 Essence is absolute unity of being…in…itself and
being…for…itself； consequently its determining remains within this unity and is neither a becoming nor
a transition； nor are the determinations themselves an other as other； or relations to other； they
are self …subsistent； but at the same time only in their association with each other in this unity。 Since
essence is at first simple negativity； it now has to posit in its own sphere the determinateness that is
only implicit in it； in order to give itself determinate being and then being…for…self。
In the whole of logic； essence occupies the same place as quantity does in the sphere of being；
absolute indifference to limit。 But quantity is this indifference in an immediate determination； and
the limit is present in it as an immediately external determinateness； quantity passes over into
quantum； the external limit is necessary to quantity and is affirmatively present in it ＇ist an ihr
seiend＇。 In essence； …on the other hand； the determinateness is not a simple immediacy but is
present only as posited by essence itself； it is not free； but is present only as connected with its
unity。 The negativity of essence is reflection； and the determinations are reflected； posited by
essence itself and remaining in essence as sublated。
Essence stands between being and Notion； it constitutes their mean； and its movement is the
transition from being into the Notion。 Essence is being…in…and…for…itself； but in the determination
of being…in…itself； for the general determination of essence is to have proceeded from being； or to
be the first negation of being。 Its movement consists in positing within itself the negation or
determination； thereby giving itself determinate being and becoming as infinite being…for…self what
it is in itself。 It thus gives itself its determinate being that is equal to its being…in…itself and
becomes Notion。 For the Notion is the absolute that in its determinate being is absolute； or is in
and for itself。 But the determinate being which essence gives itself is not vet determinate being as in
and for itself； but as given by essence to itself； or as posited； and is consequently still distinct from
the determinate being of the Notion。
At first； essence shines or shows within itself； or is reflection； secondly； it appears； thirdly； it
manifests itself。 In its movement； essence posits itself in the following determinations：
I。 As simple essence； essence in itself； which in its determinations remains within itself。
II。 As emerging into determinate being； or in accordance with its Existence and Appearance。
III。 As essence that is one with its Appearance； as actuality。
Section One： Essence as Reflection
Within Itself
Essence issues from being； hence it is not immediately in and for itself but is a result of that
movement。 Or if essence is taken at first as an immediacy； then it is a specific determinate being
confronted by another such； it is only essential； as opposed to unessential； determinate being。
But essence is being that has been sublated in and for itself； what confronts it is only illusory being
＇Schein＇。 The illusory being； however； is essence's own positing。
Essence is first reflection。 Reflection determines itself and its determinations are a positedness
which is at the same time reflection…into…self。
Secondly； we have to consider these determinations of reflection or essentialities。
Thirdly； essence as the reflection…into…self of its determining converts itself into ground and passes
over into Existence and Appearance。
Chapter 1 Illusory Being
Essence that issues from being seems to confront it as an opposite； this immediate being is； in the
first instance； the unessential。
But secondly； it is more than merely unessential being； it is essenceless being； it is illusory being。
Thirdly； this illusory being is not something external to or other than essence； on the contrary； it is
essence's own illusory being。 The showing of this illusory being within essence itself is reflection。
A THE ESSENTIAL AND THE UNESSENTIAL
Essence is sublated being。 It is simple equality with itself； but only in so far as it is the negation of
the sphere of being in general。
Essence thus has immediacy confronting it as an immediacy from which it has become and which
in this sublating has preserved and maintained itself。 In this determination； essence itself is simply
affirmative ＇seiendes＇； immediate essence； and being is only a negative in relation to essence；
not in and for itself； therefore essence is a determinate negation。 In this way； being and essence
are again related to each other as others； for each has a being； an immediacy； and these are
indifferent to each other； and with respect to this
