phenomenology of mind-第75节

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In　that　it　gives　expression　to　this　moment　of　its　own　conscious　destruction；　and　thereby　expresses
the　result　of　its　experience；　it　shows　itself　to　be　this　inner　perversion　of　itself；　to　be　consciousness
gone　crazy；　its　own　essence　being　immediately　not　essence；　its　reality　immediately　unreality。

The　madness　here　cannot　be　taken　to　mean　that　in　general　something　unessential　is　regarded　as
essential；　something　unreal　as　real；　so　that　what　for　one　is　essential　or　actual　might　not　be　so　for
another；　and　thus　the　consciousness　of　real　and　of　unreal；　or　of　essential　and　unessential；　would　fall
apart。　If　something　in　point　of　fact　is　real　and　essential　for　consciousness　in　general；　but　for　me　is
not　so；　then；　in　being　conscious　of　its　nothingness；　I　have；　since　I　am　consciousness　in　general；　at
the　same　time　the　consciousness　of　its　reality；　and　since　they　both　are　fixed　and　rooted　within　me；
this　is　a　union　which　is　madness　in　general。　In　this　state；　however；　there　is　only　an　object　deranged
for　consciousnessnot　consciousness　as　such　within　itself　and　for　itself。　But　in　the　result　of　the
process　of　experience；　which　has　here　come　about；　consciousness　is　in　its　law　aware　of　its　self　as
this　individual　reality；　and　at　the　same　time；　since　precisely　this　same　essential　facts　this　same
reality；　is　estranged　from　it；　it　is　qua　self…consciousness；　qua　absolute　realtyaware　of　its
unreality。　In　other　words；　both　aspects　are　held　by　it　in　their　contradiction　to　be　directly　its
essence；　which　is　thus　in　its　utmost　being　distracted。

The　heartthrob　for　the　welfare　of　mankind　passes　therefore　into　the　rage　of　frantic　self…conceit；
into　the　fury　of　consciousness　to　preserve　itself　from　destruction；　and　to　do　so　by　casting　out　of　its
life　the　perversion　which　it　really　is；　and　by　straining　to　regard　and　to　express　that　perversion　as
something　else。　The　universal　ordinance　and　law　it；　therefore；　now　speaks　of　as　an　utter　distortion
of　the　law　of　its　heart　and　of　its　happiness；　a　perversion　invented　by　fanatical　priests；　by　riotous；
revelling　despots　and　their　minions；　who　seek　to　indemnify　themselves　for　their　own　degradation
by　degrading　and　oppressing　in　their　turna　distortion　practised　to　the　nameless　misery　of　deluded
mankind。

Consciousness　in　this　its　frenzy　proclaims　individuality　to　be　deranging；　mad；　and　perverted；　but
this　is　an　alien　and　accidental　individuality。　It　is　the　heart；　however；　or　the　particular　consciousness
immediately　seeking　to　be　universal；　that　is　thus　raving　and　perverted；　and　the　outcome　of　its
action　is　merely　that　this　contradiction　comes　to　its　consciousness。　For　the　truth　in　its　view　is　the
law　of　its　heart；　something　merely　intended；　which　has　not　stood　the　test　of　time　as　the　permanent
ordinance　has　done；　but　rather　is　overthrown；　as　time　indeed　discloses。　This　its　law　ought　to　have
reality：　herein　the　law　qua　reality；　qua　valid　ordinance；　is　for　it　purpose　and　essential　nature；　but
that　reality；　that　very　law　as　valid　ordinance；　is　at　once　and　at　the　same　time　for　it　nothingness　and
void。

Similarly　its　own　reality；　itself　as　individual　consciousness；　is　in　its　view　the　essential　truth。　Its
purpose；　however；　is　to　establish　that　particularity　as　existent。　It　thus　in　the　first　instance　rather
takes　its　self　qua　notindividual　to　be　the　truly　real；　or　its　self　is　purpose　in　the　sense　of　law；　and
hence　precisely　a　universality；　which　its　self　is　held　to　be　as　object　for　its　consciousness。　This　its
notion　comes　by　its　own　act　to　be　its　object。　Its　（individual）　self　is　thus　discovered　to　be　unreal；
and　unreality　it　finds　out　to　be　its　reality。　It　is　thus　not　an　accidental　and　alien　individuality；　but　just
this　particular　〃heart〃；　which　is　in　every　respect　inherently　perverted　and　perverting。

Since；　however；　the　directly　universal　individuality　is　that　which　is　perverted　and　perverting；　this
universal　ordinance；　being　the　law　of　all　hearts；　and　so　of　the　perverted　consciousness；　is　no　less
itself　in　its　very　nature　the　perverted　element；　as　indeed　raging　frenzy　declared。　On　the　one　hand
this　ordinance　proves　itself　to　be　a　law　for　all　hearts；　by　the　resistance　which　the　law　of　one　heart
meets　with　from　other　individuals。　The　accepted　and　established　laws　are　defended　against　the　law
of　a　single　individual　because　they　are　not　empty　necessity；　unconscious　and　dead；　but　are　spiritual
substance　and　universality；　in　which　those　in　whom　this　spiritual　substance　is　realized　live　as
individuals；　and　are　conscious　of　their　own　selves。　Hence；　even　when　they　complain　of　this
ordinance；　as　if　it　went　contrary　to　their　own　inmost　law；　and　maintain　in　opposition　to　it　the　claims
of　the　〃heart〃；　in　point　of　fact　they　inwardly　cling　to　it　as　being　their　essential　nature；　and　if　they　are
deprived　of　this　ordinance；　or　put　themselves　outside　the　range　of　its　influence；　they　lose
everything。　Since；　then；　it　is　precisely　in　this　that　the　reality　and　power　of　public　ordinance　consist；
the　latter　appears　as　the　essence；　self…identical　and　everywhere　alive；　and　individuality　appears　as
its　form。

On　the　other　hand；　however；　this　ordinance　is　the　sphere　of　perversion。　For　in　that　this　ordinance
is　the　law　of　all　hearts；　in　that　all　individuals　are　immediately　this　universal；　it　is　a　reality　which　is
only　that　of　self…existing　individuality；　i。e。　of　the　heart。　When　consciousness　therefore　sets　up　the
law　of　its　heart；　it　finds　itself　resisted　by　others　because　it　conflicts　with　the　equally　individual　laws
of　their　heart；　and　the　latter　in　opposing　it　are　doing　nothing　else　but　setting　up　in　their　turn　and
making　valid　their　own　law。　The　universal　here　presented；　therefore；　is　only　a　universal　resistance
and　struggle　of　all　against　one　another；　in　which　each　makes　good　his　own　individuality；　but　at　the
same　time　does　not　come　off　successfully；　because　each　individuality　meets　with　the　same
opposition；　and　each　is　reciprocally　dissipated　by　the　others。　What　appears　as　public　ordinance　is
thus　this　state　of　war　of　each　against　all；　in　which　every　one　for　himself　wrests　what　he　can；
executes　even…handed　justice　upon　the　individual　lives　of　others；　and　establishes　his　own　individual
existence；　which　in　its　turn　vanishes　at　the　hands　of　others。　We　have　here　the　Course　of　the
World；　the　mere　semblance　of　a　constant　regular　trend；　which　is　only　a　pretence　of　universality；
and　whose　content　is　rather　the　meaningless　insubstantial　sport　of　setting　up　individual　beings　as
fixed　and　stable；　and　then　dissipating　them。

If　we　put　both　sides　of　the　universal　ordinance　over　against　one　another　and　consider　them；　we
see　that　this　later　universality　has　for　its　content　restless　individuality；　which　regards　opinion　or
mere　individualism　as　law；　the　real　as　unreal；　and　the　unreal　as　real。　That　universality　is；　however；
at　the　same　time　the　side　of　realization　of　the　ordinance；　for　to　it　belongs　the　independent
self…existence　（Fürsichseyn）　of　individuality。　The　other　side　is　the　universal　in　the　sense　of　stable
passive　essence；　but；　for　that　very　reason；　the　universal　is　only　something　inner；　which　is　not
indeed　absolutely　non…existent；　but　still　not　an　actual　reality　and　can　itself　only　become　actual　by
cancelling　the　individuality；　that　has　presumed　to　claim　actuality。　This　type　of　consciousness；　which
becomes　aware　of　itself　in　the　law；　which　finds　itself　in　what　is　inherently　true　and　good　not　as
mere　individual；　but　only　as　essentially　real；　and　which　knows　individuality　to　be　what　is　perverted
and　perverting；　and　hence　feels　bound　to　surrender　and　sacrifice　individualism　of
consciousness…this　type　of　consciousness　is　Virtue。　




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　　　　　　　　Virtue　&　the　Course　of　the　World

＇＇Translator's　comments：　The　mood　of　moral　sentimentalism　is　reduced　to　confusion　and
contradiction：　but　the　subjective　individualism　in　which　it　is　rooted　is　not　yet　eradicated。
Individualism　now　takes　refuge　in　another　attitude　which　claims　to　do　greater　justice　to　the　inherent
universality　of　rational　self…realization；　but　yet　clings　to　its　particular　individuality　as　an　inalienable
possession。　It　now　tries　to　make　the　realization　of　universal　purposes　in　the　shape　of　the　Good
depend　solely　on　its　own　activity；　the　objective　sphere　in　which　the　good　is　to　be　carried　out　being
regarded　as　at　once　external　to　its　ends；　opposing　its　activity；　and　yet　requiring　these　ends　to　be
carried　out　in　order　to　have　any　moral　significance。　Individualism　looks　on　the　good　as　its　private
perquisite；　and　makes　a　personal　merit　and　glory　out　of　its　action　in　carrying　out　the　good。　This
external　realm　is　the　〃Course　of　the　World〃　which　in　itself　is　thought　to　contain　no　goodness；　and
which　only　gets　a　value　if　the　good　is　realized　in　it。　The　world's　course　is　thus　to　owe　its　goodness
to　the　efforts　of　the　individual。　A　struggle　ensues；　for　the　situation　is　contradictory；　and　the　issue　of
the　struggle　goes　to　prove　that　the　individual　is　not　the　fons　etorigo　boni；　that　goodness　does　not
await　his　efforts；　and　that　in　fact　the　course　of　the　world　is　at　heart　good；　the　soul　of　the　world　is
righteous。

The　attitude　analysed　here　is　that　of　abstract　moral　idealism；　the　mood　of　moral　strenuousness；　the
mo