phenomenology of mind-第71节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


moments　of　the　process　of　its　coming　into　being；　moments　which　indeed　break　loose　and　appear
as　forms　on　their　own　account；　but　have　in　fact　only　existence　and　actuality　when　borne　and
supported　by　it；　and　only　retain　their　truth　in　so　far　as　they　are　and　remain　in　it。

If　we　take　this　final　result　of　the　process　as　it　is　when　really　accomplishedthis　end；　which　is　the
notion　that　has　already　become　manifest　before　us；　viz。　recognized　self…consciousness；　which　has
the　certainty　of　itself　in　the　other　free　self…consciousness；　and　finds　its　truth　precisely　there；　in　other
words；　if　we　bring　this　still　inward　and　unevolved　mind　to　light　as　the　substance　that　has　developed
into　its　concrete　existencewe　shall　find　that　in　this　notion　there　is　opened　up　the　realm　of　the
Social　Order；　the　Ethical　World　（Sittlichkeit）。　For　this　latter　is　nothing　else　than　the　absolute
spiritual　unity　of　the　essential　substance　（Wesen）　of　individuals　in　their　independent　reality；　it　is　an
inherently　universal　self…consciousness；　which　is　aware　of　being　so　concrete　and　real　in　an　other
consciousness；　that　this　latter　has　complete　independence；　is　looked　on　as　a　〃thing〃；　and　the
universal　self…consciousness　is　aware　precisely　therein　of　its　unity　with　that　〃thing〃；　and　is　only　then
self…consciousness；　when　thus　in　unity　with　this　objective　being　（Wesen）。　This　ethical　substance
when　taken　in　its　abstract　universality　is　only　the　conception　of　law；　thought…constituted　law；　but
just　as　much　it　is　immediately　actual　self…consciousness；　it　is　Custom　（Sitte）。　The　single　individual
conversely；　is　only　a　〃this〃；　a　given　existent　unit；　in　so　far　as　he　is　aware　of　the　universal
consciousness　as　his　own　being　in　his　own　particular　individuality；　seeing　that　his　action　and
existence　are　the　universal　custom。

In　point　of　fact　the　notion　of　the　realization　of　self…conscious　reasonof　directly　apprehending
complete　unity　with　another　in　his　independence：　of　having　for　my　object　an　other　in　the　fashion　of
a　〃thing〃　found　detached　and　apart　from　me；　and　the　negative　of　myself；　and　of　taking　this　as　my
own　self…existence　（Fürmichseyn）finds　its　complete　reality　in　fulfilment　in　the　life　of　a　nation。
Reason　appears　here　as　the　fluent　universal　substance；　as　unchangeable　simple　thinghood　which
yet　breaks　up　into　many　entirely　independent　beings；　just　as　light　bursts　asunder　into　stars　as
innumerable　luminous　points；　each　giving　light　on　its　own　account；　and　whose　absolute
self…existence　（Fürmichseyn）　is　dissolved；　not　merely　implicitly　（an　sich）；　but　explicitly　for
themselves　（für　sich）；　within　the　simple　independent　substance。　They　are　conscious　within
themselves　of　being　these　individual　independent　beings　through　the　fact　that　they　surrender　and
sacrifice　their　particular　individuality；　and　that　this　universal　substance　is　their　soul　and　essenceas
this　universal　again　is　the　action　of　themselves　as　individuals；　and　is　the　work　and　product　of　their
own　activity。

The　purely　particular　activity　and　business　of　the　individual　refer　to　needs　which　he　has　as　a　part　of
nature；　i。e。　as　a　mere　existent　particular。　That　even　these；　its　commonest　functions；　do　not　come　to
nothing；　but　have　reality；　is　brought　about　by　the　universal　sustaining　medium；　the　might　of　the
entire　nation。

It　is　not　merely；　however；　this　form　of　subsistence　for　his　activity　in　general　that　the　individual　gets
in　the　universal　substance；　but　likewise　also　his　content；　what　he　does　is　what　all　are　capable　of
doing；　is　the　custom　all　follow。　This　content；　in　so　far　as　it　is　completely　particularized；　is；　in　its
concrete　reality；　confined　within　the　limits　of　the　activity　of　all。　The　labour　of　the　individual　for　his
own　wants　is　just　as　much　a　satisfaction　of　those　of　others　as　of　himself；　and　the　satisfaction　of　his
own　he　attains　only　by　the　labour　of　others。

As　the　individual　in　his　own　particular　work　ipso　facto　accomplishes　unconsciously　a　universal
work；　so　again　he　also　performs　the　universal　task　as　his　conscious　object。　The　whole　becomes　in
its　entirety　his　work；　for　which　he　sacrifices　himself；　and　precisely　by　that　means　receives　back
his　own　self　from　it。

There　is　nothing　here　which　may　not　be　reciprocal；　nothing　in　regard　to　which　the　independence　of
the　individual　may　not；　in　dissipating　its　existence　on　its　own　account　（Fürsichseyn）；　in　negating
itself；　give　itself　its　positive　significance　of　existing　for　itself。　This　unity　of　existing　for　another；　or
making　self　a　〃thing〃；　and　；of　existence　for　self；　this　universal　substance；　utters　its　universal
language　in　the　customs　and　laws　of　a　（4）　nation。　But　this　existent　unchangeable　nature　（Wesen）　is
nothing　else　than　the　expression　of　the　particular　individuality　which　seems　opposed　to　it：　the　laws
give　expression　to　that　which　each　individual　is　and　does；　the　individual　knows　them　not　merely　to
be　what　constitutes　his　universal　objective　nature　as　a　〃thing〃；　but　knows　himself；　too；　in　that　form；
or　knows　it　to　be　particularized　in　his　own　individuality　and　in　each　of　his　fellow…citizens。　In　the
universal　mind；　therefore；　each　has　the　certainty　only　of　himself；　the　certainty　of　finding　in　the　actual
reality　nothing　but　himself；　he　is　as　certain　of　the　others　as　of　himself。　I　apprehend　and　see　in　all　of
them　that　they　are　in　their　own　eyes　（für　sich　selbst）　only　these　independent　beings　just　as　I　am。　I
see　in　their　case　the　free　unity　with　others　in　such　wise　that　just　as　this　unity　exists　through　me；　so　it
exists　through　the　others　too…I　see　them　as　myself；　myself　as　them。

In　a　free　nation；　therefore；　reason　is　in　truth　realized。　It　is　a　present　living　spirit；　where　the
individual　not　only　finds　his　destiny　（Bestimmung）；　i。e。　his　universal　and　particular　nature　（Wesen）；
expressed　and　given　to　him　in　the　fashion　of　a　thing；　but　himself　is　this　essential　being；　and　has　also
attained　his　destiny。　The　wisest　men　of　antiquity　for　that　reason　declared　that　wisdom　and　virtue
consist　in　living　in　accordance　with　the　customs　of　one's　own　nation。

From　this　happy　state；　however；　of　having　attained　its　destiny；　and　of　living　in　it；　the
self…consciousness；　which　in　the　first　instance　is　only　immediately　and　in　principle　spirit；　has　broken
away；　or　perhaps　it　has　not　yet　attained　it：　for　both　can　be　said　with　equal　truth。

Reason　must　pass　out　of　and　leave　this　happy　condition。　For　only　implicitly　or　immediately　is　the
life　of　a　free　nation　the　real　objective　ethical　order　（Sittlichkeit）。　In　other　words；　the　latter　is　an
existent　social　order；　and　in　consequence　this　universal　mind　is　also　an　individualized　mind。　It　is　the
totality　of　customs　and　laws　of　a　particular　people；　a　specifically　determinate　ethical　substance；
which　casts　off　this　limitation　only　when　it　reaches　the　higher　moment；　namely；　when　it　becomes
conscious　regarding　its　own　nature；　only　with　this　knowledge　does　it　get　its　absolute　truth；　and　not
as　it　is　immediately　in　its　bare　existence。　In　this　latter　form　it　is；　on　the　one　hand；　a　restricted　ethical
substance；　on　the　other；　absolute　limitation　consists　just　in　this　that　mind　is　in　the　form　of　existence。

Hence；　further；　the　individual；　as　he　immediately　finds　his　existence　in　the　actual　objective　social
order；　in　the　life　of　his　nation；　has　a　solid　imperturbable　confidence；　the　universal　mind　has　not　for
him　resolved　itself　into　its　abstract　moments；　and　thus；　too；　he　does　not　think　of　himself　as　existing
in　singleness　and　independence。　When　however　he　has　once　arrived　at　this　knowledge；　as　indeed
he　must；　this　immediate　unity　with　mind；　this　undifferentiated　existence　in　the　substance　of　mind；　his
naive　confidence；　is　lost。　Isolated　by　himself　he　is　himself　now　the　central　essential　realityno
longer　universal　mind。　The　element　of　this　singleness　of　self…consciousness　is　no　doubt　in　universal
mind　itself；　but　merely　as　a　vanishing　quantity；　which；　as　it　appears　with　an　existence　of　its　own；　is
straightway　resolved　within　the　universal；　and　only　becomes　consciously　felt　in　the　form　of　that
confidence。　When　the　individual　gets　fixity　in　the　form　of　singleness　（and　every　moment；　being　a
moment　of　the　essential　reality；　must　manage　to　reveal　itself　as　essential）；　the　individual　has　thereby
set　himself　over　against　the　laws　and　customs。　These　latter　are　looked　on　as　merely　a　thought
without　absolutely　essential　significance；　an　abstract　theory　without　reality；　while　he　qua　this
particular　ego　is　in　his　own　view　the　living　truth。

Or；　again　＇we　can　say；　as　above　stated；　that＇　self…consciousness　has　not　yet　attained　this　happy
state　of　being　ethical　substance；　the　spirit　of　a　people。　For；　after　leaving　the　process　of　rational
Observation；　mind；　at　first；　is　not　yet　as　such　actually　realized　through　itself；　it　is　merely　affirmed　as
inner　nature　and　essence；　or　as　abstraction。　In　other　words；　mind　is　first　immediate。　As
immediately　existing；　however；　it　is　individualized。　It　is　practical　consciousness；　which　steps　into
the　world　it　finds　lying　ready…made　with　the　intention　of　duplicating　itself　in　the　determinate　form　of
an　individual；　of　producing　itself　as　this　particular　individual；　and　creating　this　its　own　existential
counterpart；　and　thus　bec