science of logic-第56节
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to have an objectivity the same as itself; that is; to have itself for object。 The part of logic that
treats of this concrete side does not belong to applied logic as such; if it did; then every science
would have to be dragged into logic; for each is an applied logic in so far as it consists in
apprehending its subject matter in forms of thought and the Notion。 The subjective Notion has
presuppositions which present themselves in psychological; anthropological and other forms。 But
to logic belong only the presuppositions of the pure Notion in so far as they have the form of pure
thoughts; of abstract essentialities; that is; the determinations of being and essence。 Similarly; in
respect of cognition; the Notion's apprehension of itself; logic will not deal with other shapes of its
presupposition but only with that which is itself Idea; this latter; however; necessarily falls to be
dealt with in logic。 Now this presupposition is the immediate Idea; for since cognition is the
Notion in so far as this is for itself but as a subjectivity is in relation to an objectivity; the Notion is
related to the Idea as presupposed or immediate Idea。 But the immediate Idea is life。
To this extent the necessity of treating of the Idea of life in logic would be based on the necessity;
otherwise recognised; too; of treating here of the concrete Notion of cognition。 But this Idea has
come upon the scene through the Notion's own necessity; the Idea; that which is true in and for
itself; is essentially the subject matter of logic; since it is at first to be considered in its immediacy; it
must be apprehended and cognised in this determinateness in which it is life; in order that its
treatment shall not be an empty affair devoid of determinate content。 All that we need perhaps to
remark is how far the logical view of life differs from any other scientific view of it; this is not the
place; however; to concern ourselves with how life is treated in the unphilosophical sciences; but
only with differentiating logical life as pure Idea from natural life which is dealt with in the
philosophy of nature; and from life in so far as it stands in connection with spirit。 The former of
these; as the life of nature; is life as projected into the externality of existence and having its
condition in inorganic nature; and where the moments of the Idea are a multiplicity of actual
formations。 Life in the Idea is without such presuppositions which are in the form of shapes of
actuality; its presupposition is the Notion as we have considered it; on the one hand as subjective;
on the other hand as objective。 In nature life appears as the highest stage; a stage that nature's
externality attains by withdrawing into itself and sublating itself in subjectivity。 In Logic it is simple
inwardness 'Insichsein'; which in the Idea of life has attained an externality that genuinely
corresponds to it; the Notion that earlier appeared on the scene as subjective Notion is the soul of
life itself; it is the urge that mediates for itself its reality throughout objectivity。 Nature; having
reached this Idea from the starting point of its externality; transcends itself; its end does not appear
as its beginning; but as its limit; in which it sublates itself。 Similarly; in the Idea of life the moments
of its reality do not receive the shape of external actuality but remain enclosed within the form of
the Notion。
In spirit; however; life appears partly as opposed to it; partly as posited as at one with it; this
unity being reborn as the pure offspring of spirit。 For here life is to be taken generally in its proper
sense as natural life; for what is called the life of spirit as spirit; is its peculiar nature that stands
opposed to mere life; just as we speak; too; of the nature of spirit; although spirit is not a natural
being and is rather the opposite of nature。 Life as such; then; is for spirit partly a means; and as
such spirit opposes it to itself; partly spirit is a living individual and life is its body; and again; this
unity of spirit with its living corporeality is born from spirit itself as an ideal。 None of these
relations to spirit concerns logical life and life is to be considered here neither as instrument
'Mittel' of a spirit; nor as a moment of the ideal and of beauty。 In both cases; as natural life and
as life standing in relation with spirit; life possesses a determinateness of its externality; in the
first case through its presuppositions which are other formations of nature; in the second case
through the ends and the activity of spirit。 The Idea of life by itself is free from the former
presupposed and conditioning objectivity as well as from relation to the latter subjectivity。
Life; considered now more closely in its Idea; is in and for itself absolute universality; the
objectivity that it possesses is permeated throughout by the Notion and has the Notion alone for
substance。 What is distinguished as part; or in accordance with some other external reflection; has
within itself the whole Notion; the Notion is the omnipresent soul in it; which remains simple
self…relation and remains a one in the multiplicity belonging to objective being。 This multiplicity; as
self…external objectivity; has an indifferent subsistence; which in space and time; if these could
already be mentioned here; is a mutual externality of wholly diverse and self…subsistent elements。
But in life externality is at the same time present as the simple determinateness of its Notion; thus
the soul is an omnipresent outpouring of itself into this multiplicity and at the same remains
absolutely the simple oneness of the concrete Notion with itself。 The thinking that clings to the
determinations of the relationships of reflection and of the formal Notion; when it comes to
consider life; this unity of its Notion in the externality of objectivity; in the absolute multiplicity of
atomistic matter; finds all its thoughts without exception are of no avail; the omnipresence of the
simple in manifold externality is for reflection an absolute contradiction; and as reflection must at
the same time apprehend this omnipresence from its perception of life and therefore admit the
actuality of this Idea; it is an incomprehensible mystery for it; because it does not grasp the
Notion; and the Notion as the substance of life。 This simple life; however; is not only omnipresent;
it is absolutely the subsistence and immanent substance of its objectivity; but as subjective
substance it is the urge; and moreover t ' he specific urge; of the particular difference; and no
less essentially the one and universal urge of the specialised difference that reduces this its
particularisation into unity and maintains it therein。 It is only as this negative unity of its objectivity
and particularisation that life is a self…related life that is for itself; a soul。 As such it is essentially an
individual; which relates itself to objectivity as to an other; to a non…living nature。
Consequently the original judgment of life consists in this; that it detaches itself as an individual
subject from objectivity; and in constituting itself the negative unity of the Notion; makes the
presupposition of an immediate objectivity。
Life is therefore first to be considered as a living individual that is for itself the subjective totality
and is presupposed as indifferent to an objectivity that confronts it as indifferent。
Secondly; it is the life process; the process of sublating its presupposition; positing as negative the
objectivity that is indifferent to it and actualising itself as that objectivity's power and negative unity。
By so doing it makes itself into the universal that is the unity of itself and its other。
Hence life is thirdly the genus process; the process of sublating its individualisation and relating
itself to its objective existence as to itself。 Accordingly; this process is on the one hand the return
to its Notion and the repetition of the first diremption; the becoming of a new individuality and the
death of the first; immediate one; but on the other hand; the Notion of life that has withdrawn
into itself is the becoming of the Notion that is in relationship with itself and exists universally and
freely for itself…the transition into cognition。
A The Living Individual
B The Life Process
C The Genus 'Kind'
Chapter 2 The Idea of Cognition
Life is the immediate Idea; or the Idea as its Notion not yet realised in its own self。 In its
judgement; the Idea is cognition in general。
The Notion is; as Notion; for itself in so far as it freely exists as abstract universality or as genus。
As such; it is its pure self…identity; which inwardly differentiates itself in such a manner that the
differentiated moment is not an objectivity; but is likewise liberated into subjectivity or the form of
simple selflikeness; and hence the object of the Notion is the Notion itself。 Its reality in general is
the form of its determinate being and the point of interest is the determination this form; on this
determination rests the difference between what the Notion is in itself or as subjective and what
it is when submerged in objectivity; and then