history of philosophy-第12部分

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itself　in　mere　indefinite　change。　From　the　germ　much　is　produced　when　at　first　nothing　was　to　be
seen　but　the　whole　of　what　is　brought　forth；　if　not　developed；　is　yet　hidden　and　ideally　contained
within　itself。　The　principle　of　this　projection　into　existence　is　that　the　germ　cannot　remain　merely
implicit；　but　is　impelled　towards　development；　since　it　presents　the　contradiction　of　being　only
implicit　and　yet　not　desiring　so　to　be。　But　this　coming　without　itself　has　an　end　in　view；　its
completion　fully　reached；　and　its　previously　determined　end　is　the　fruit　or　produce　of　the　germ；
which　causes　a　return　to　the　first　condition。　The　germ　will　produce　itself　alone　and　manifest　what　is
contained　in　it；　so　that　it　then　may　return　to　itself　once　more　thus　to　renew　the　unity　from　which　it
started。　With　nature　it　certainly　is　true　that　the　subject　which　commenced　and　the　matter　which
forms　the　end　are　two　separate　units；　as　in　the　case　of　seed　and　fruit。　The　doubling　process　has
apparently　the　effect　of　separating　into　two　things　that　which　in　content　is　the　same。　Thus　in　animal
life　the　parent　and　the　young　are　different　individuals　although　their　nature　is　the　same。　

In　Mind　it　is　otherwise：　it　is　consciousness　and　therefore　it　is　free；　uniting　in　itself　the　beginning　and
the　end。　As　with　the　germ　in　nature；　Mind　indeed　resolves　itself　back　into　unity　after　constituting
itself　another。　But　what　is　in　itself　becomes　for　Mind　and　thus　arrives　at　being　for　itself。　The　fruit
and　seed　newly　contained　within　it　on　the　other　hand；　do　not　become　for　the　original　germ；　but　for
us　alone；　in　the　case　of　Mind　both　factors　not　only　are　implicitly　the　same　in　character；　but　there　is
a　being　for　the　other　and　at　the　same　time　a　being　for　self。　That　for　which　the　〃other〃　is；　is　the　same
as　that　〃other；〃　and　thus　alone　Mind　is　at　home　with　itself　in　its　〃other。〃　The　development　of　Mind
lies　in　the　fact　that　its　going　forth　and　separation　constitutes　its　coming　to　itself。　

This　being…at…home…with…self；　or　coming…to…self　of　Mind　may　be　described　as　its　complete　and
highest　end：　it　is　this　alone　that　it　desires　and　nothing　else。　Everything　that　from　eternity　has
happened　in　heaven　and　earth；　the　life　of　God　and　all　the　deeds　of　time　simply　are　the　struggles　for
Mind　to　know　itself；　to　make　itself　objective　to　itself；　to　find　itself；　be　for　itself；　and　finally　unite
itself　to　itself；　it　is　alienated　and　divided；　but　only　so　as　to　be　able　thus　to　find　itself　and　return　to
itself。　Only　in　this　manner　does　Mind　attain　its　freedom；　for　that　is　free　which　is　not　connected　with
or　dependent　on　another。　True　self…possession　and　satisfaction　are　only　to　be　found　in　this；　and　in
nothing　else　but　Thought　does　Mind　attain　this　freedom。　In　sense…perception；　for　instance；　and　in
feeling；　I　find　myself　confined　and　am　not　free；　but　I　am　free　when　I　have　a　consciousness　of　this
my　feeling。　Man　has　particular　ends　and　interests　even　in　will；　I　am　free　indeed　when　this　is　mine。
Such　ends；　however；　always　contain　〃another；〃　or　something　which　constitutes　for　me　〃another；〃
such　as　desire　and　impulse。　It　is　in　Thought　alone　that　all　foreign　matter　disappears　from　view；　and
that　Mind　is　absolutely　free。　All　interest　which　is　contained　in　the　Idea　and　in　Philosophy　is
expressed　in　it。　

b。　The　Notion　of　the　Concrete。

As　to　development；　it　may　be　asked；　what　does　develop　and　what　forms　the　absolute　content？
Development　is　considered　in　the　light　of　a　formal　process　in　action　and　as　destitute　of　content。
But　the　act　has　no　other　end　but　activity；　and　through　this　activity　the　general　character　of　the
content　is　already　fixed。　For　being…in…self　and　being…for…self　are　the　moments　present　in　action；　but
the　act　is　the　retention　of　these　diverse　elements　within　itself。　The　act　thus　is　really　one；　and　it　is　just
this　unity　of　differences　which　is　the　concrete。　Not　only　is　the　act　concrete；　but　also　the　implicit；
which　stands　to　action　in　the　relation　of　subject　which　begins；　and　finally　the　product　is　just　as
concrete　as　the　action　or　as　the　subject　which　begins。　Development　in　process　likewise　forms　the
content；　the　Idea　itself；　for　this　we　must　have　the　one　element　and　then　the　other：　both　combined
will　form　a　unity　as　third；　because　the　one　in　the　other　is　at　home　with；　and　not　without；　itself。　Thus
the　Idea　is　in　its　content　concrete　within　itself；　and　this　in　two　ways：　first　it　is　concrete　potentially；
and　then　it　is　its　interest　that　what　is　in　itself　should　be　there　for　it。　

It　is　a　common　prejudice　that　the　science　of　Philosophy　deals　only　with　abstractions　and　empty
generalities；　and　that　sense…perception；　our　empirical　self…consciousness；　natural　instinct；　and　the
feelings　of　everyday　life；　lie；　on　the　contrary；　in　the　region　of　the　concrete　and　the　self…determined。
As　a　matter　of　fact；　Philosophy　is　in　the　region　of　thought；　and　has　therefore　to　deal　with
universals；　its　content　is　abstract；　but　only　as　to　form　and　element。　In　itself　the　Idea　is　really
concrete；　for　it　is　the　union　of　the　different　determinations。　It　is　here　that　reasoned　knowledge
differs　from　mere　knowledge　of　the　understanding；　and　it　is　the　business　of　Philosophy；　as
opposed　to　understanding；　to　show　that　the　Truth　or　the　Idea　does　not　consist　in　empty
generalities；　but　in　a　universal；　and　that　is　within　itself　the　particular　and　the　determined。　If　the　Truth
is　abstract　it　must　be　untrue。　

Healthy　human　reason　goes　out　towards　what　is　concrete；　the　reflection　of　the　understanding
comes　first　as　abstract　and　untrue；　correct　in　theory　only；　and　amongst　other　things　unpractical。
Philosophy　is　what　is　most　antagonistic　to　abstraction；　and　it　leads　back　to　the　concrete。　

If　we　unite　the　Notion　of　the　concrete　with　that　of　development　we　have　the　motion　of　the
concrete。　Since　the　implicit　is　already　concrete　within　itself；　and　we　only　set　forth　what　is　implicitly
there；　the　new　form　which　now　looks　different　and　which　was　formerly　shut　up　in　the　original　unity；
is　merely　distinguished。　The　concrete　must　become　for　itself　or　explicit；　as　implicit　or　potential　it　is
only　differentiated　within　itself；　not　as　yet　explicitly　set　forth；　but　still　in　a　state　of　unity。　The
concrete　is　thus　simple；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　differentiated。　This；　its　inward　contradiction；
which　is　indeed　the　impelling　force　in　development；　brings　distinction　into　being。　But　thus；　too；　its
right　to　be　taken　back　and　reinstated　extends　beyond　the　difference；　for　its　truth　is　only　to　be
found　in　unity。　Life；　both　that　which　is　in　Nature　and　that　which　is　of　the　Idea；　of　Mind　within　itself；
is　thus　manifested。　Were　the　Idea　abstract；　it　would　simply　be　the　highest　conceivable　existence；
and　that　would　be　all　that　could　be　said　of　it；　but　such　a　God　is　the　product　of　the　understanding　of
modern　times。　What　is　true　is　rather　found　in　motion；　in　a　process；　however；　in　which　there　is　rest；
difference；　while　it　lasts；　is　but　a　temporary　condition；　through　which　comes　unity；　full　and
concrete。　

We　may　now　proceed　to　give　examples　of　sensuous　things；　which　will　help　us　further　to　explain
this　Notion　of　the　concrete。　Although　the　flower　has　many　qualities；　such　as