phenomenology of mind-第24节
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cleverer than any ideas; which one gets from oneself or others; could make possible。 This sort of
conceit which understands how to belittle every truth and turn away from it back into itself; and
gloats over this its own private understanding; which always knows how to dissipate every
possible thought; and to find; instead of all the content; merely the barren Ego…this is a satisfaction
which must be left to itself; for it flees the universal and seeks only an isolated existence on its own
account (Fürsichseyn)。
§ 12
As the foregoing has been stated; provisionally and in general; concerning the manner and the
necessity Of the process of the inquiry; it may also be of further service to make some
observations regarding the method of carrying this out。 This exposition; viewed as a process of
relating science to phenomenal knowledge; and as an inquiry and critical examination into the
reality of knowing; does not seem able to be effected without some presupposition which is laid
down as an ultimate criterion。 For an examination consists in applying an accepted standard; and;
on the final agreement or disagreement therewith of what is tested; deciding whether the latter is
right or wrong; and the standard in general; and so science; were this the criterion; is thereby
accepted as the essence or inherently real (Ausich)。 But; here;。 where science first appears on the
scene; neither science nor any sort of standard has justified itself as the essence or ultimate reality;
and without this no examination seems able to be instituted。
§ 13
This contradiction and the removal of it will become more definite if ; to begin with; we call to
mind the abstract determinations of knowledge and of truth as they are found in consciousness。
Consciousness; we find; distinguishes from itself something; to which at the same time it relates
itself; or; to use the current expression; there is something for consciousness; and the determinate
form of this process of relating; or of there being something for a consciousness; is knowledge。 But
from this being for another we distinguish being in itself or per se; what is related to knowledge is
likewise distinguished from it; and posited as also existing outside this relation; the aspect of being
per se or in itself is called Truth。 What really lies in these determinations does not further concern
us here; for since the object of our inquiry is phenomenal knowledge。; its determinations are also
taken up; in the first instance; as they are immediately offered to us。 And they are offered to us
very much in the way we have just stated。
§ 14
If now our inquiry deals with the truth of knowledge; it appears that we are inquiring what
knowledge is in itself。 But in this inquiry knowledge is our object; it is for us; and the essential
nature (Ansich) of knowledge; were this to come to light; would be rather its being for us: what
we should assert to be its essence would rather be; not the truth of knowledge; but only our
knowledge of it。 The essence or the criterion would lie in us; and that which was to be compared
with this standard; and on which a decision was to be passed as a result of this comparison; would
not necessarily have to recognize that criterion。
§ 15
But the nature of the object which we are examining surmounts this separation; or semblance of
separation; and presupposition。 Consciousness furnishes its own criterion in itself; and the inquiry
will thereby be a comparison of itself with its own self ; for the distinction; just made; falls inside
itself。 In consciousness there is one element for an other; or; in general; consciousness implicates
the specific character of the moment of knowledge。 At the same time this 〃other〃 is to
consciousness not merely for it; but also outside this relation; or has a being in itself; i。e。 there is
the moment of truth。 Thus in what consciousness inside itself declares to be the essence or truth
we have the standard which itself sets up; and by which we are to measure its knowledge。
§ 16
Suppose we call knowledge the notion; and the essence or truth 〃being〃 or the object; then the
examination consists in seeing whether the notion corresponds with the object。 But if we call the
inner nature of the object; or what it is in itself; the notion; and; on the other side; understand by
object the notion qua object; i。e。 the way the notion is for an other; then the examination consists
in our seeing whether the object corresponds to its own notion。 It is clear; of course; that both of
these processes are the same。 The essential fact; however; to be borne in mind throughout the
whole inquiry is that both these moments; notion and object; 〃being for another〃 and 〃being in
itself〃; themselves fall within that knowledge which we are examining。 Consequently we do not
require to bring standards with us; nor to apply our fancies and thoughts in the inquire; and just by
our leaving these aside we are enabled to treat and discuss the subject as it actually is in itself and
for itself; as it is in its complete reality。
§ 17
But not only in this respect; that notion and object; the criterion and what is to be tested; are ready
to hand in consciousness itself; is any addition of ours superfluous; but we are also spared the
trouble of comparing these two and of making an examination in the strict sense of the term; so
that in this respect; too; since consciousness tests and examines itself; all we are left to do is simply
and solely to look on。 For consciousness is; on the one hand; consciousness of the object; on the
other; consciousness of itself; consciousness of what to it is true; and consciousness of its
knowledge of that truth。 Since both are for the same consciousness; it is itself their comparison; it
is the same consciousness that decides and knows whether its knowledge of the object
corresponds with this object or not。 The object; it is true; appears only to be in such wise for
consciousness as consciousness knows it。 Consciousness does not seem able to get; so to say;
behind it as it is; not for consciousness; but in itself; and consequently seems also unable to test
knowledge by it。 But just because consciousness has; in general; knowledge of an object; there is
already present the distinction that the inherent nature; what the object is in itself; is one thing to
consciousness; while knowledge; or the being of the object for consciousness; is another moment。
Upon this distinction; which is present as a fact; the examination turns。 Should both; when thus
compared; not correspond; consciousness seems bound to alter its knowledge; in order to make it
fit the object。 But in the alteration of the knowledge; the object itself also; in point of fact; is
altered; for the knowledge which existed was essentially a knowledge of the object; with change in
the knowledge; the object also becomes different; since it belonged essentially to this knowledge。
Hence consciousness comes to find that what formerly to it was the essence is not what is per se;
or what was per se was only per se for consciousness。 Since; then; in the case of its object
consciousness finds its knowledge not corresponding with this object; the object likewise fails to
hold out; or the standard for examining is altered when that; whose criterion this standard was to
be; does not hold its ground in the course of the examination; and the examination is not only an
examination of knowledge; but also of the criterion used in the process。
§ 18
This dialectic process which consciousness executes on itself…on its knowledge as well as on its
object — in the sense that out of it the new and true object arises; is precisely; what is termed
Experience。 In this connection; there is a moment in the process just mentioned which should be
brought into more decided prominence; and by which a new light is cast on the scientific aspect of
the following exposition。 Consciousness knows something; this something is the essence or is per
se。 This object; however; is also the per se; the inherent reality; for consciousness。 Hence comes
ambiguity of this truth。 Consciousness; as we see; has now two objects: one is the first per se; the
second is the existence for consciousness of this per se。 The last object appears at first sight to
be merely the reflection of consciousness into itself; i。e。 an idea not of an object; but solely of its
knowledge of that first object。 But; as was already indicated; by that very process the first object
is altered; it ceases to be what is per se; and becomes consciously something which is per se only
for consciousness。 Consequently; then; what this real per se is for consciousness is truth: which;
however; means that this is the essential reality; or the object which consciousness has。 This new
object contains the nothingness of the first; the new object is the experience concerning that first
object。
§