philosophy of nature-第15节

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genus；　and　to　integrate　itself　through　union　with　the　other。　Through　this　mediation　the　concrete
generality　joins　together　with　itself　and　yields　individual　reality。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　291。

This　product　is　the　negative　identity　of　the　differentiated　individuals　and　is；　as　realised　genus；　an
asexual　life。　But　on　the　side　of　nature　the　product　is　only　implicitly　this　genus　and　distinct　from　the
individuals　which　have　perished　in　it。　It　is　thus　itself　an　individual　which　has　in　itself　the
determination　of　the　same　difference　and　transiency。　But　at　the　same　time；　in　this　new　life　in　which
individuality　is　suspended；　the　same　subjectivity　is　retained　positively　and　in　this；　its　return　into　itself
the　genus　as　such　has　emerged　for　itself　in　reality；　and　has　become　a　higher　being　than　nature。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　292。

Underlying　the　various　orders　and　structures　of　the　animals　lies　the　general　type　of　the　animal
determined　by　the　concept；　which　nature　manifests　partly　in　the　different　steps　of　its　development
from　the　simplest　organisation　to　the　most　complete；　in　which　it　is　the　instrument　of　the　spirit；　and
partly　in　the　different　circumstances　and　conditions　of　elementary　nature。　

The　concept　of　the　animal　has　the　concept　itself　as　its　essence；　because　it　is　the　actuality　of　the
idea　of　life。　The　nature　of　its　generality　enables　it　to　have　a　simpler　and　more　developed　existence
which　corresponds　more　or　less　to　it。　Thus　the　concept　in　its　determinacy　can　not　be　grasped　from
existence　itself。　The　classes；　in　which　it　emerges　developed　and　manifested　completely　in　its
moments；　appear　as　a　particular　existence　in　contrast　to　the　others；　and　can　also　have　a　bad
existence　in　them。　The　concept　is　already　presupposed　for　the　judgment　of　whether　the　existence
is　bad。　If；　as　usual；　existence　is　presupposed；　then　it　will　undoubtedly　be　used　in　an　empirical　way
to　reach　no　fixed　determination；　and　all　particular　attributes　will　also　seem　to　be　lacking。
Acephalous　animals；　for　example；　have　been　used　as　proof　that　people　can　live　without　brains。　

Zoology；　like　the　natural　sciences　generally；　has　concerned　itself　primarily　with　discovering　more
certain　and　simpler　signs　for　subjective　cognition。　Only　since　this　goal　of　an　〃artificial〃　system　for
classifying　animals　was　given　up　has　the　way　been　opened　for　a　broader　view；　and　among　the
empirical　sciences　there　is　hardly　one　which　in　recent　times　has　expanded　as　much　as　zoology；
particularly　through　its　auxiliary　science　of　comparative　anatomy。　This　expansion　has　not　occurred
solely　in　the　sense　of　more　observations；　for　none　of　the　sciences　lacks　these；　but　in　the　sense　of
arranging　its　material　to　accord　with　reason。　

Partly　it　is　the　habits　of　individual　animals；　viewed　as　a　coherent　whole　determining　the
construction　of　every　part；　which　have　become　the　main　point；　so　that　the　great　founder　of
comparative　anatomy；　Cuvier；　could　boast　that　he　could　recognise　the　essential　nature　of　the　entire
animal　from　a　single　bone。　Partly　it　is　that　the　general　type　of　the　animal　has　been　traced　in　the
various；　still　apparently　incomplete　and　disparate　forms；　and　its　importance　recognised　in　the
hardly　noticed　suggestion；　as　well　as　in　the　mixture　of　organs　and　functions；　and　in　this　way　has
been　raised　above　and　beyond　its　particularity　into　its　generality。　A　primary　feature　of　this　method
is　the　recognition　of　how　nature　shapes　and　adapts　this　organism　to　the　particular　element　in　which
it　is　placed；　an　environment　which　can　also　be　one　particular　species　of　plant　or　another　of　animal。
It　is　due　to　the　immediacy　of　the　idea　of　life　that　the　concept；　whether　or　not　it　is　only　determined
in　and　for　itself　does　not　exist　as　such　in　life。　Its　existence　is　therefore　subjected　to　the　manifold
conditions　and　circumstances　of　external　nature；　and　can　appear　in　the　most　inadequate　forms。
The　fecundity　of　the　earth　causes　life　to　break　out　in　every　way。　Even　perhaps　less　than　the　other
spheres　of　nature；　therefore；　can　the　animal　world　present　in　itself　an　independent；　rational　system
of　organisation；　or　retain　a　hold　on　forms　determined　by　the　concept　and　preserve　them　against　the
imperfection　and　mixture　of　conditions；　from　confusion；　degeneration；　and　transitional　forms。　This
weakness　of　the　concept；　which　exists　in　the　animal　though　not　in　its　fixed；　independent　freedom；
entirely　subjects　even　the　genus　to　the　changes　that　are　shared　by　the　life　of　the　animal。　And　the
environment　of　external　contingency　in　which　the　animal　must　live　exercises　perpetual　violence
against　the　individual。　Hence　the　life　of　the　animal　seems　in　general　to　be　sick；　and　the　animal's
feeling　seems　to　be　insecure；　anxious；　and　unhappy。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　293。

Due　to　the　externality　of　its　existence；　the　individual　organism　can　not　accord　with　its
determination。　It　finds　itself　in　a　state　of　disease　when　one　of　its　systems　or　organs；　stimulated　to
conflict　with　an　organic　power；　establishes　itself　for　itself　and　persists　in　its　particular　activity
against　the　activity　of　the　whole。　For　the　fluidity　and　pervasive　process　of　the　activity　is　thus
obstructed。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　294。

The　characteristic　manifestation　of　disease　is；　thus；　when　the　identity　of　the　entire　organic　concept；
as　the　successive　course　of　life's　movement　through　its　different　moments；　sensibility；　irritability；
and　reproduction；　presents　itself　as　fever。　This　fever　is　to　the　same　extent　both　the　isolated　activity
in　opposition　to　the　course　of　totality；　and　the　effort　towards　and　beginning　of　healing。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　295。

Medicine　provokes　the　organism　to　remove　the　inorganic　power　with　which　the　activity　of　the
individual　organ　or　system　is　entangled　and　thereby　isolated。　Essentially；　however；　the　irritation　of
the　formal　activity　of　the　particular　organ　or　system　is　suspended；　and　its　fluidity　is　restored　within
the　whole。　The　medicine　achieves　this　as　an　irritant；　but　one　which　is　even　more　difficult　to
assimilate　and　to　overcome；　and　against　which　the　organism　is　compelled　to　exert　its　entire
strength。　While　it　acts　in　this　way　against　an　external　entity；　the　organism　steps　out　of　the　limitation
with　which　it　had　become　identical　and　in　which　it　had　become　involved。　

Medication　must　in　general　be　viewed　as　an　indigestible　substance。　But　indigestibility　is　only　a
relative　category；　though　not　in　the　vague　sense　in　which　it　is　usually　taken；　as　if　it　really　meant
something　easily　digestible　by　weaker　constitutions。　On　the　contrary；　such　an　easily　digestible
substance　is　indigestible　for　stronger　individuals。　The　true　relativity；　that　of　the　concept；　which　has
its　actuality　in　life；　consists；　when　expressed　in　the　quantitative　terms　which　count　as　valid　here；　in
homogeneity　being　greater；　the　more　the　opposed　terms　are　intrinsically　self…subsistent。　The
highest　qualitative　form　of　relativity　in　the　living　organism　has　manifested　itself　as　the　sexual　relation；
in　which　independent　individualities　are　identical　to　each　other。　

For　the　lower　forms　of　animal　life；　which　have　not　achieved　a　difference　within　themselves；　the
digestible　substance　is　the　substance　without　individuality；　such　as　water　for　plants。　For　children；
the　digestible　substance　is　partly　the　completely　homogeneous　animal　lymph；　mother's　milk；　a
substance　which　is　already　digested　or　rather　has　further　differentiated　within　itself　and　partly　the
least　individualised　of　mixed　substances。　Substances　of　this　kind；　on　the　other　hand；　are
indigestible　for　stronger　natures。　These　natures　digest　more　easily　individualised　animal　substances；
or　plant　juices　which　sunlight　has　matured　to　a　more　powerful　self　and　are　therefore　〃spirituous；〃
instead　of　for　example；　the　vegetable　products　still　in　their　merely　neutral　colour　and　closer　to　the
chemical　process　proper。　Through　this　more　intensive　selfhood　the　former　substances　form　an
even　stronger　contrast；　but　for　that　very　reason　they　are　more　homogeneous　irritants。　Taken
together；　medications　are　negative　irritants；　poisons；　a　stimulant　and　at　the　same　time　an
indigestible　substance；　to　the　extent　that　the　organism　alienated　from　itself　in　disease　must　gather
up　its　strength；　turn　against　the　medication　as　an　external；　foreign　body；　and　thereby　achieve　again
the　self…feeling　of　its　individuality。　

But　Brownianism；　regarded　as　a　complete　system　of　medicine；　is　merely　an　empty　formalism；
especially　in　its　determination　of　diseases　and　the　actions　of　medications　according　to　sthenic　or
asthenic　body　types；　the　latter　further　divided　into　direct　and　indirect　asthenia。　Brown's　theory　is；
moreover；　too　often　limited　by　formulations　derived　from　the　natural　sciences；　such　as　his　recourse
to　the　factors　of　carbon　and　nitrogen；　oxygen　and　hydrogen　as　explanations；　or　magnetic；
electrical；　and　chemical　moments。　Nevertheless；　his　theory　did　have　two　important　consequences：
through　him；　the　view　of　merely　particular　and　specific　issues；　both　in　diseases　and　medications；
was　expanded　to　the　general　in　them　as　essential　elements；　and　through　his　opposition　to　the
p