shorter logic-第28章

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which　nothing　can　stay；　however　secure　and　stable　it　may　deem　itself。　The　category　of　power　does
not；　it　is　true；　exhaust　the　depth　of　the　divine　nature　of　the　notion　of　；　but　it　certainly　forms　a　vital
element　in　all　religious　consciousness。　

Apart　from　this　general　objectivity　of　Dialectic；　we　find　traces　of　its　presence　in　each　of　the
particular　provinces　and　phases　of　the　natural　and　spiritual　world。　Take　as　an　illustration　the
motion　of　the　heavenly　bodies。　At　this　moment　the　planet　stands　in　this　spot；　but　implicitly　it　is　the
possibility　of　being　in　another　spot；　and　that　possibility　of　being　otherwise　the　planet　brings　into
existence　by　moving。　Similarly　the　'physical'　elements　prove　to　be　Dialectical。　The　process　of
meteorological　action　is　the　exhibition　of　their　Dialectic。　It　is　the　same　dynamic　that　lies　at　the　root
of　every　natural　process；　and；；　as　it　were；　forces　nature　out　of　itself。　

To　illustrate　the　presence　of　Dialectic　in　the　spiritual　world；　especially　in　the　provinces　of　law　and
morality；　we　have　only　to　recollect　how　general　experience　shows　us　the　extreme　of　one　state　or
action　suddenly　into　its　opposite：　a　Dialectic　which　is　recognised　in　many　ways　in　common
proverbs。　The　summum　jus　summa　injuria；　which　means　that　to　drive　an　abstract　right　to　its
extremity　is　to　do　a　wrong。　

In　political　life；　as　every　one　knows；　extreme　anarchy　and　extreme　despotism　naturally　lead　to　one
another。　The　perception　of　Dialectic　in　the　province　of　individual　Ethics　is　seen　in　the　well…known
adages：　〃Pride　comes　before　a　fall〃；　〃Too　much　wit　outwits　itself〃。　Even　feeling；　bodily　as　well　as
mental；　has　its　dialectic。　Everyone　knows　how　the　extremes　of　pain　and　pleasure　pass　into　each
other：　the　heart　overflowing　with　joy　seeks　relief　in　tears；　and　the　deepest　melancholy　will　at　times
betray　its　presence　by　a　smile。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　81n2

Scepticism　should　not　be　looked　upon　merely　as　a　doctrine　of　doubt。　It　would　be　more　correct　to
say　that　the　Sceptic　has　no　doubt　of　his　point；　which　is　the　nothingness　of　all　finite　existence。　He
who　only　doubts　still　clings　to　the　hope　that　his　doubt　may　be　resolved；　and　that　one　or　other　of
the　definite　views；　between　which　he　wavers；　will　turn　out　solid　and　true。　Scepticism　properly　so
called　is　a　very　different　thing：　its　is　complete　hopelessness　about　all　which　understanding　counts
stable；　and　the　feeling　to　which　it　gives　birth　is　one　of　unbroken　calmness　and　inward　repose。　Such
at　least　is　the　noble　Scepticism　of　antiquity；　especially　as　exhibited　in　the　writings　of　Sextus
Empiricus；　when　in　the　later　times　of　Rome　it　had　been　systematised　as　a　complement　to　the
dogmatic　systems　of　Stoic　and　Epicurean。　

Of　far　other　stamp；　and　to　be　strictly　distinguished　from　it；　is　the　modern　Scepticism　。。。；　which
partly　preceded　the　Critical　Philosophy；　and　partly　sprang　out　of　it。　That　later　Scepticism　consisted
solely　in　denying　the　truth　and　certitude　of　the　supersensible；　and　in　pointing　to　the　facts　of　sense
and　of　immediate　sensations　as　what　we　have　to　keep　to。　

Even　to　this　day　Scepticism　is　often　spoken　of　as　the　irresistible　enemy　of　all　positive　knowledge；
and　hence　of　philosophy；　in　so　far　as　philosophy　is　concerned　with　positive　knowledge。　But　in
these　statements　there　is　a　misconception。　It　is　only　the　finite　thought　of　abstract　understanding
which　has　to　fear　Scepticism；　because　unable　to　withstand　it：　philosophy　includes　the　sceptical
principle　as　a　subordinate　function　of　its　own；　in　the　shape　of　Dialectic。　In　contradistinction　to　mere
scepticism；　however；　philosophy　does　not　remain　content　with　the　purely　negative　result　of
Dialectic。　

The　sceptic　mistakes　the　true　value　of　his　result；　when　he　supposes　it　to　be　no　more　than　a
negation　pure　and　simple。　For　the　negative　which　emerges　as　the　result　of　dialectic　is；　because　a
result；　at　the　same　time　positive：　it　contains　what　it　results　from；　absorbed　into　itself；　and　made　part
of　its　own　nature。　Thus　conceived；　however；　the　dialectical　stage　has　the　features　characterising
the　third　grade　of　logical　truth；　the　speculative　form；　or　form　of　positive　reason。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　82　

＇c＇　The　Speculative　stage；　or　stage　of　Positive　Reason；　apprehends　the　unity　of
terms　（propositions）　in　their　opposition　…　the　affirmative；　which　is　involved　in　their
disintegration　and　in　their　transition。　

（1）　The　result　of　Dialectic　is　positive；　because　it　has　a　definite　content；　or　because
its　result　is　not　empty　and　abstract　nothing　but　the　negation　of　certain　specific
propositions　which　are　contained　in　the　result　…　for　the　very　reason　that　it　is　a
resultant　and　not　an　immediate　nothing。　

（2）　It　follows　from　this　that　the　'reasonable'　result；　though　it　be　only　a　thought　and
abstract；　is　still　a　concrete；　being　not　a　plain　formal　unity；　but　a　unity　of　distinct
propositions。　Bare　abstractions　or　formal　thoughts　are　therefore　no　business　of
philosophy；　which　has　to　deal　only　with　concrete　thoughts。　

（3）　The　logic　of　mere　Understanding　is　involved　in　Speculative　logic；　and　can　at
will　be　elicited　from　it；　by　the　simple　process　of　omitting　the　dialectical　and
'reasonable'　element。　When　that　is　done；　it　becomes　what　the　common　logic　is；　a
descriptive　collection　of　sundry　thought…forms　and　rules　which；　finite　though　they
are；　are　taken　to　be　something　infinite。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　82n

If　we　consider　only　what　it　contains；　and　not　how　it　contains　it；　the　true　reason…world；　so　far　from
being　the　exclusive　property　of　philosophy；　is　the　right　of　every　human　being　on　whatever　grade　of
culture　or　mental　growth　he　may　stand；　which　would　justify　man's　ancient　title　of　rational　being。
The　general　mode　by　which　experience　first　makes　us　aware　of　the　reasonable　order　of　things　is
by　accepted　and　unreasoned　belief；　and　the　character　of　the　rational；　as　already　noted　（s。　45）；　is
to　be　unconditioned；　self…contained；　and　thus　to　be　self…determining。　

In　this　sense　man　above　all　things　becomes　aware　of　the　reasonable　order　of　things　when　he
knows　of　God；　and　knows　him　to　be　the　completely　self…determined。　Similarly；　the　consciousness
a　citizen　has　of　his　country　and　its　laws　is　a　perception　of　reason…world；　so　long　as　he　looks　up　to
them　as　unconditioned　and　likewise　universal　powers；　to　which　he　must　subject　his　individual　will。
And　in　the　same　sense；　the　knowledge　and　will　of　the　child　is　rational；　when　he　knows　his　parents'
will；　and　wills　it。　

Now；　to　turn　these　rational　（of　course　positively　rational）　realities　into　speculative　principles；　the
only　thing　needed　is　that　they　be　thought。　The　expression　'Speculation'　in　common　life　is　often
used　with　a　very　vague　and　at　the　same　time　secondary　sense；　as　when　we　speak　of　a　matrimonial
or　a　commercial　speculation。　By　this　we　only　mean　two　things：　first；　that　what　is　the　subject…matter
has　to　be　passed　and　left　behind；　and　secondly；　that　the　subject…matter　of　such　speculation；　though
in　the　first　place　only　subjective；　must　not　remain　so；　but　be　realised　or　translated　into　objectivity。　

What　was　some　time　ago　remarked　respecting　the　Idea　may　be　applied　to　this　common　usage　of
the　term　'speculation'；　and　we　may　add　that　people　who　rank　themselves　among　the　educated
expressly　speak　of　speculation　even　as　if　it　were　something　purely　subjective。　A　certain　theory　of
some　conditions　and　circumstances　of　nature　or　mind　may　be；　say　these　people；　very　fine　and
correct　as　a　matter　of　speculation；　but　it　contradicts　experience　and　nothing　of　the　sort　is
admissible　in　reality。　To　this　the　answer　is；　that　the　speculative　is　in　its　true　signification；　neither
preliminary　nor　even　definitively；　something　merely　subjective：　that；　on　the　contrary；　it　expressly
rises　above　such　oppositions　as　that　between　subjective　and　objective；　which　the　understanding
cannot　get　over；　and　absorbing　them　in　itself；　evinces　its　own　concrete　and　all…embracing　nature。　

A　one…sided　proposition　therefore　can　never　even　give　expression　to　a　speculative　truth。　If　we　say；
for　example；　that　the　absolute　is　the　unity　of　subjective　and　objective；　we　are　undoubtedly　in　the
right；　but　so　far　one…sided；　as　we　enunciate　the　unity　only　and　lay　the　accent　upon　it；　forgetting　that
in　reality　the　subjective　and　objective　are　not　merely　identical　but　also　distinct。　

Speculative　truth；　it　may　also　be　noted；　means　very　much　the　same　as　what；　in　special　connection
with　religious　experience　and　doctrines；　used　to　be　called　Mysticism。　The　term　Mysticism　is　at
present　used；　as　a　rule；　to　designate　what　is　mysterious　and　incomprehensible：　and　in　proportion　as
their　general　culture　and　way　of　thinking　vary；　the　epithet　is　applied　by　one　class　to　denote　the　real
and　the　true；　by　another　to　name　everything　connected　with　superstition　and　deception。　

On　which　we　first　of　all　remark　that　there　is　mystery　in　the　mystical；　only　however　for　the
understanding　which　is　ruled　by　the　principle　of　abstract　identity；　whereas　the　mystical；　as
synonymous　with　the　speculative；　is　the　concrete　unity　of　those　propositions　which　understanding
only　accepts　in　their　separation　and　opposition。　And　if　those　who　recognise　Mysticism　as　the
highest　truth　are　content　to　leave　it　in　its　original　utter　mystery；　their　conduct　only　proves　that　for
them　too；　as　well　as　for　their　antagonists；　thinking　means　abstract　identification；　and　that　in　their
opinion；　therefore　truth　can　only　be　won　by　renouncing　thought；　or　as　it　is　frequently　expressed；　by
leading　the　reason　captive。　

But；　as　we　have　seen；　the　abstract　thinking　of　understanding　is　so　far　from　being　either　ultimate　or
stable；　that　it　shows　a　perpetual　tendency　to　work　its　own　dissolution　and　swing　round　into　its
opposite。　Reasonableness；　on　the　contrary；　just　consists　in　embracing　within　itself　these　opposites
as　unsubstantial　elements。　Thus　the　reason…world　may　be　equally　styled　mystical　…　not　however
because　thought　cannot　both　reach　and　comprehend　it；　but　merely　because　it　lies　beyond　the
compass　of　understanding。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Subdivision　of　Logic
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§83

Logic　is　subdivided　into　three　parts：　

I。　The　Doctrine　of　Being。　

II。　The　Doctrine　of　Essence。　

III。　The　Doctrine　of　Notion　and　Idea。　



That　is；　the　Theory　of　Thought　in：　

I。　its　immediacy；　the　notion　implicit　and　in　germ；　

II。　its　reflection　and　mediation；　the　being…for…self　and　show　of　the　notion；　

III。　its　return　into　self；　and　its　developed　abiding　by　itself　…　the　notion　in　and　for
itself。　




First　Subdivision　of　The　Logic；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII。　The　Doctrine　of　Being



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　84

Being　is　the　notion　implicit　only：　its　special　forms　have　the　predicate　'is'；　when
they　are　distinguished　they　are　each　of　them　an　'other'：　and　the　shape　which
dialectic　takes　in　them；　i。e。　their　further　specialisation；　is　at　once　a　forth…putting
and　in　that　way　a　disengaging　of　the　notion　implicit　in　being；　and　at　the　same　time
the　withdrawing　of　being　inwards；　its　sinking　deeper　into　itself。　Thus　the
explication　of　the　notion　in　the　sphere　of　being　does　two　things：　it　brings　out　the