philosophy of nature-第7章

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mechanics　and　the　free　central　bodies；　so　too；　the　finite　physics　of　the　single　individual　bodies　is
taken　to　be　the　same　as　the　free；　independent　physics　of　the　process　of　the　earth。　It　is　seen　as　a
triumph　of　science　that　the　same　determinations　are　recognised　and　demonstrated　in　the　general
process　of　the　earth　as　are　found　in　the　external　and　dependent　processes　of　isolated　physical
corporeality。　The　demonstration　of　this　likeness　is　effected　by　changing　the　determinations；　through
abstraction；　from　their　characteristic　differences　and　conditions　into　superficial　generalities　like
attraction。　Thus　forces　and　laws　are　imaginatively　drawn　in　which　the　particular；　the　concrete
concept；　and　the　conditions　are　lacking　and　are　then　fantasised　as　an　addition；　partly　as　an　external
substance　and　partly　by　analogy。　

A　primary　difference　marks　the　fixed　idea　'of　the　substantial；　immutable　diversity　of　the　elements；
which　is　posited　once　and　for　all　by　the　understanding　on　the　basis　of　the　processes　of　the　isolated
materials。　Where　higher　transitions　occur　in　these　finite　processes；　where；　for　example；　water　is
solidified　into　a　crystal；　where　light　and　heat　vanish；　and　so　on；　the　obstinacy　of　formal　thought　has
recourse　to　the　nebulous　and　to　some　extent　meaningless　conceptions　of　44　solution；〃　〃becoming
bound　or　latent；〃　and　so　on。　Here；　too；　essentially　belongs　the　transformation　of　all　relationships　in
physical　phenomena　into　〃substances〃　and　〃materials；〃　partly　imponderable；　so　that　each　physical
existence　becomes　the　chaos　previously　mentioned　of　materials　passing　in　and　out　of　each　other's
pores。　Such　views　conflict　not　only　with　every　concept；　but　also　with　reasonable　thinking。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　231。

The　process　of　the　earth　is　continuously　ignited　by　its　general　self　the　activity　of　light；　its　primordial
relationship　to　the　sun。　One　moment　of　this　process　is　the　diremption　of　substantial　identity；　the
development　of　moments　of　the　independent　antithesis　into　a　tension　between　rigidity　and　selfless
neutrality。　Through　this　tension　the　earth　tends　towards　resolution　into；　on　the　one　hand；　a　crystal；
a　moon；　or　on　the　other　hand　into　a　fluid　body；　a　comet；　and　the　moments　seek　to　realise　their
connection　with　their　independent　roots。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　232。

The　other　moment　of　the　process　is　that　being　for　itself　towards　which　both　sides　of　the　antithesis
strive；　suspends　itself　as　negativity　pushed　to　its　extreme；…it　becomes　the　self…igniting　destruction　of
the　different　existence　sought　by　the　moments。　Through　this　process　the　substantial　identity　of　the
moments　is　produced；　and　the　earth　transforms　itself　into　fertile　individuality。　

The　thunderstorm　is　the　complete　manifestation　of　this　process；　whereas　the　other　meteorological
phenomena　are　beginnings　or　moments　and　undeveloped　elaborations　of　it。　Concerning
thunderstorms；　however；　physics　has　so　far　been　unable　to　propose　a　satisfactory
explanation…since　it　limits　its　perspective　to　the　conditions　of　the　external　process…；　neither　of　rain
formation　（in　spite　of　de　Luc's　observations　and　the　conclusions　drawn　from　them；　and；　among　the
Germans；　the　arguments　made　by　the　clever　Lichtenberg　against　the　theory　of　dissolution；　whose
conclusions　have　at　least　been　retained　to　some　extent）　nor　of　lightning　and　thunder。　It　has　had　just
as　little　success　with　other　meteorological　phenomena；　in　particular　with　meteorites；　in　which　the
process　progresses　as　far　as　the　beginning　of　an　earthly　core。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　233。

The　concept　of　matter；　gravity；　sets　out　its　moments　in　elemental　nature；　initially　in　the　form　of
independent　realities。　The　earth　is　initially　the　abstract　ground　of　individuality；　and　posits　itself　in　its
process　as　the　negative　unity　of　the　abstract；　mutually　separating　elements；　and　consequently　as　the
real　ground　and　actuality　of　individualisation。　Now；　in　this　actuality；　the　elements　present
themselves　as　being　unified　together　in　concrete　points　of　unity。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　C。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Physics　of　Individuality

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　234。

The　individual　body　is　matter；　brought　together　by　the　particularity　of　the　elements　out　of　the
generality　of　gravity　and　into　individuality。　Thus　it　is　determined　in　and　for　itself　and　has　by　virtue　of
its　individuality　a　characteristic　form　which　constitutes　the　unity　of　the　differentiation　of　a　body。　—
This　individuality　is　（a）　immediate　or　at　rest；　a　shape；　（b）　its　separation　into　the　diversity　of
features　and　the　tension　of　differences；　（c）　process；　in　which　the　shape　dissolves　just　as　much　as；
in　its　determinateness　in　and　for　itself　emerges。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（a）　Shape
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　235。

The　individuality　of　matter　in　its　immediate　existence　is　the　immanent　form；　which　gives　its　own
determinate　difference　to　that　material　of　the　body　which　itself　has　in　the　first　place　only　a
superficial　unit；　and　then　one　particular　determinacy　as　its　essence。　

This　is　the　shape；　the　specific　kind　of　inward　coherence　of　matter　and　its　external　border　in　space；
—　the　individuality　of　the　mechanism。　

The　specification　of　matter　as　an　element　is　at　this　point　shapeless；　because　it　is　still　only　a
singularity。　Regarding　the　form　of　the　shape；　and　individuality　in　general；　it　is　preferable　to　avoid
the　image　of　an　external；　mechanical　style　and　composition。　It　may　help　in　this　case　to　distinguish
between　the　externality　of　style　and　the　inwardness　of　the　shape's　coherence；　but　the　essential
point　is　to　remember　the　peculiar　differentiation　which　arises　from　this　distinction；　which　at　the
same　time　constitutes　a　determinate；　self…identical　unity　in　the　relation。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　236。

The　abstract　specification　is　the　specific　gravity　or　density　of　matter；　the　relation　of　the　weight　of　its
mass　to　the　volume。　In　this　relation　the　material　selfhood　tears　itself　away　from　the　abstract；
general　relations　to　the　central　body；　ceases　to　be　the　uniform　filling　of　space；　and　opposes　a
specific　being　in　itself　to　an　abstract　being　apart　from　itself　

The　varying　density　of　matter　is　often　explained　by　the　assumption　of　pores；　…　though　〃to　explain〃
means　in　general　to　refer　a　phenomenon　back　to　the　accepted；　familiar　determinations　of　the
understanding；　and　no　conceptions　are　more　familiar　than　those　of　〃composition；〃　〃pieces　and　their
details；〃　and　〃emptiness。〃　Therefore　nothing　is　clearer　than　to　use　the　imaginative　invention　of　pores
to　comprehend　the　densification　of　matter。　These　would　be　empty　interstices；　though　physics　does
not　demonstrate　them；　despite　its　attempt　to　speak　of　them　as　at　hand　and　its　claim　to　be　based　on
experience　and　observation。　What　is　beyond　these　and　is　merely　assumed　is　the　matter　of　thought。
It　does　not　occur　to　physics；　however；　that　it　has　thoughts；　which　is　true　in　at　least　two　senses　and
here　in　a　third　sense：　the　pores　are　only　imaginative　inventions。　

An　immediate　example　of　the　peculiar　specification　of　gravity　offered　by　physics　is　furnished　by　the
phenomenon　that；　when　a　bar　of　iron；　evenly　balanced　on　its　fulcrum；　is　magnetised；　it　loses　its
equilibrium　and　shows　itself　to　be　heavier　at　one　pole　than　at　the　other。…The　axioms　presupposed
by　physics　in　its　mode　of　representing　density　are：　（1）　that　equal　amounts　of　equally　large　material
parts　weigh　the　same；…in　this　way　the　formal　identity　of　gravity　remains　consistent…（2）　the　measure
of　the　number　of　parts　is　the　amount　of　weight；　but　（3）　also　of　space；　so　that　bodies　of　equal
weight　occupy　equal　amounts　of　space；　（4）　consequently；　when　equal　weights　are　found　in
different　volumes；　the　equality　of　the　spaces　is　preserved　by　the　assumption　of　pores　which　fill　the
space。　

Kant　has　already　contrasted　intensity　to　the　quantitative　determination　of　the　amount；　and；　instead
of　positing　that　the　heavier　body　contains　more　particles　in　a　certain　space；　he　has　assumed　that　in
the　heavier　body　the　same　number　of　particles　fill　space　to　a　greater　degree。　In　this　way　he　created
〃dynamic　physics。〃　At　least　the　determination　of　the　intensive　quantum　would　be　just　as　correct　as
that　of　an　extensive　quantum；　but　this　distinction　（cf　§　56）　is　empty　and　in　itself　nothing。　Here　the
intensive　determination　of　size；　however；　has　this　advantage：　that　it　points　to　the　category　of
measure　and　indicates　initially　a　being　in　itself　which　as　a　conceptual　determination　is　an　immanent
determinacy　of　form；　and　only　existent　as　quantum。　But　to　distinguish　between　extensive　or
intensive　quantum　differences；　…　and　dynamic　physics　goes　no　further　than　this…does　not　express
any　reality。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　237。

Density　is　at　first　only　a　simple　determinacy。　The　simple　determinacy　is；　however；　essentially　a
determination　of　form　as　a　unity　split　apart　from　itself。　Thus　it　constitutes　the　principle　of
brittleness；　the　shaping　relation　of　its　consistently　maintained　points。　

The　previously　mentioned　particles；　molecules　of　matter；　are　an　external　determination　of
reflection。　The　real　significance　of　the　determination　of　the　unit　is　that　it　is　the　immanent　form　of
shaping。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　238。

The　brittle　is　the　subjective　entity　existing　for　itself　but　it　must　deploy　the　difference　of　the　concept。
The　point　becomes　the　line　and　posits　itself　as　an　opposed　extreme　to　the　line；　the　two　are　held　by
their　middle　term　and　point　of　indifference　in　their　antithesis。　This　syllogism　constitutes　the　principle
of　shaping　in　its　developed　determinacy；　and　is；　in　this　abstract　rigour；　magnetism。　

Magnetism　is　one　of　the　determinations　which　inevitably　became　prominent　when　thought　began　to
recognise　itself　in　determinate　nature　and　grasped　the　idea　of　a　philosophy　of　nature。　For　the
magnet　exhibits　in　a　simple；　naive　way　the　nature　of　the　concept。　The　poles　are　not　particular
things；　they　do　not　possess　sensory；　mechanical　reality；　but　rather　an　ideal　reality；　the　point　of
indifference；　in　which　they　have　their　substance；　is　the　unity　in　which　they　exist　only　as
determinations　of　the　concept；　and　the　polarity　is　an　opposition　of　only　such　moments。　The
phenomena　revealed　by　magnetism　as　merely　particular　are　merely　and　repeatedly　the　same
determinations；　and　not　diverse　features　which　could　add　data　to　a　description。　That　the　individual
magnetic　needle　points　to　the　north；　and　thus　to　the　south　as　well；　is　a　manifestation　of　general
terrestrial　magnetism：　in　two　such　empirical　magnets　the　poles　named　similarly　repel　each　other；
whereas　the　poles　named　differently　attract。　And　precisely　this　is　magnetism；　namely；　that　the　same
or　indifferent　will　split　apart　and　oppose　each　other　in　the　extreme；　and　the　dissimilar　or　different
will　posit　its　indifference。　The　differently　named　poles　have　even　been　called　friendly；　and　the
similarly　named　poles　have　been　called　hostile。　

The　statement；　however；　that　all　bodies　are　magnetic　has　an　unfortunate　double　meaning。　The
correct　meaning　is　that　all　real；　and　not　merely　brittle；　figures　contain　this　concept；　but　t