history of philosophy-第8部分

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Introduction
　A。　　The　Notion　of　the　History　of　Philosophy。

THE　thought　which　may　first　occur　to　us　in　the　history　of　Philosophy；　is　that　the　subject　itself
contains　an　inner　contradiction。　For　Philosophy　aims　at　understanding　what　is　unchangeable；
eternal；　in　and　for　itself：　its　end　is　Truth。　But　history　tells　us　of　that　which　has　at　one　time　existed；　at
another　time　has　vanished；　having　been　expelled　by　something　else。　Truth　is　eternal；　it　does　not　fall
within　the　sphere　of　the　transient；　and　has　no　history。　But　if　it　has　a　history；　and　as　this　history　is
only　the　representation　of　a　succession　of　past　forms　of　knowledge；　the　truth　is　not　to　be　found　in
it；　for　the　truth　cannot　be　what　has　passed　away。　

It　might　be　said　that　all　this　argument　would　affect　not　only　the　other　sciences；　but　in　like　decree
the　Christian　religion；　and　it　might　be　found　inconsistent　that　a　history　of　this　religion　and　of　the
other　sciences　should　exist；　but　it　would　be　superfluous　further　to　examine　this　argument；　for　it　is
immediately　contradicted　by　the　very　fact　that　there　are　such　histories。　But　in　order　to　get　a　better
understanding　of　this　apparent　contradiction；　we　must　distinguish　between　the　outward　history　of　a
religion　or　a　science　and　the　history　of　the　subject　itself。　And　then　we　must　take　into　account　that
the　history　of　Philosophy　because　of　the　special　nature　of　its　subject…matter；　is　different　from　other
histories。　It　is　at　once　evident　that　the　contradiction　in　question　could　not　refer　to　the　outward
history；　but　merely　to　the　inward；　or　that　of　the　content　itself。　There　is　a　history　of　the　spread　of
Christianity　and　of　the　lives　of　those　who　have　avowed　it；　and　its　existence　has　formed　itself　into
that　of　a　Church。　This　in　itself　constitutes　an　external　existence　such　that　being　brought　into　contact
with　temporal　affairs　of　the　most　diverse　kind；　its　lot　is　a　varied　one；　and　it　essentially　possesses　a
history。　And　of　the　Christian　doctrine　it　is　true　that　it；　too；　has　its　history；　but　it　necessarily　soon
reached　its　full　development　and　attained　to　its　appointed　powers。　And　this　old　creed　has　been　an
acknowledged　influence　to　every　age；　and　will　still　be　acknowledged　unchanged　as　the　Truth；　even
though　this　acknowledgment　were　become　no　more　than　a　pretence；　and　the　words　an　empty
form。　But　the　history　of　this　doctrine　in　its　wider　sense　includes　two　elements：　first　the　various
additions　to　and　deviations　from　the　truth　formerly　established；　and　secondly　the　combating　of
these　errors；　the　purification　of　the　principles　that　remain　from　such　additions；　and　a　consequent
return　to　their　first　simplicity。　

The　other　sciences；　including　Philosophy；　have　also　an　external　history　like　Religion。　Philosophy
has　a　history　of　its　origin；　diffusion；　maturity；　decay；　revival；　a　history　of　its　teachers；　promoters；
and　of　its　opponents…often　too；　of　an　outward　relation　to　religion　and　occasionally　to　the　State。
This　side　of　its　history　likewise　gives　occasion　to　interesting　questions。　Amongst　other　such；　it　is
asked　why　Philosophy；　the　doctrine　of　absolute　Truth；　seems　to　have　revealed　itself　on　the　whole
to　a　small　number　of　individuals；　to　special　nations；　and　how　it　has　limited　itself　to　particular
periods　of　time。　Similarly　with　respect　to　Christianity；　to　the　Truth　in　a　much　more　universal　form
than　the　philosophical；　a　difficulty　has　been　encountered　in　respect　to　the　question　whether　there　is
a　contradiction　in　the　fact　that　this　religion　should　have　appeared　so　late　in　time；　and　that　it　should
have　remained　so　long　and　should　still　remain　limited　to　special　races　of　men。　But　these　and　other
similar　questions　are　too　much　a　matter　of　detail　to　depend　merely　on　the　general　conflict　referred
to；　and　when　we　have　further　touched　upon　the　peculiar　character　of　philosophic　knowledge；　we
may　go　more　specially　into　the　aspects　which　relate　to　the　external　existence　and　external　history
of　Philosophy。　

But　as　regards　the　comparison　between　the　history　of　Religion　and　that　of　Philosophy　as　to　inner
content；　there　is　not　in　the　latter　as　there　is　in　Religion　a　fixed　and　fundamental　truth　which；　as
unchangeable；　is　apart　from　history。　The　content　of　Christianity；　which　is　Truth；　has；　however；
remained　unaltered　as　such；　and　has　therefore　little　history　or　as　good　as　none。　（2）　Hence　in
Religion；　on　account　of　its　very　nature　as　Christianity；　the　conflict　referred　to　disappears。　The
errors　and　additions　constitute　no　difficulty。　They　are　transitory　and　altogether　historical　in
character。　

The　other　sciences；　indeed；　have　also　according　to　their　content　a　History；　a　part　of　which　relates
to　alterations；　and　the　renunciation　of　tenets　which　were　formerly　current。　But　a　great；　perhaps　the
greater；　part　of　the　history　relates　to　what　has　proved　permanent；　so　that　what　was　new；　was　not
an　alteration　on　earlier　acquisitions；　but　an　addition　to　them。　These　sciences　progress　through　a
process　of　juxtaposition。　It　is　true　that　in　Botany；　Mineralogy；　and　so　on；　much　is　dependent　on
what　was　previously　known；　but　by　far　the　greatest　part　remains　stationary　and　by　means　of　fresh
matter　is　merely　added　to　without　itself　being　affected　by　the　addition。　With　a　science　like
Mathematics；　history　has；　in　the　main；　only　the　pleasing　task　of　recording　further　additions。　Thus　to
take　an　example；　elementary　geometry　in　so　far　as　it　was　created　by　Euclid；　may　from　his　time　on
be　regarded　as　having　no　further　history。　

The　history　of　Philosophy；　on　the　other　hand；　shows　neither　the　motionlessness　of　a　complete；
simple　content；　nor　altogether　the　onward　movement　of　a　peaceful　addition　of　new　treasures　to
those　already　acquired。　It　seems　merely　to　afford　the　spectacle　of　ever…recurring　changes　in　the
whole；　such　as　finally　are　no　longer　even　connected　by　the　common　aim。　

1。　COMMON　IDEAS　REGARDING　THE　HISTORY　OF　PHILOSOPHY。

At　this　point　appear　these　ordinary　superficial　ideas　regarding　the　history　of　Philosophy　which　have
to　be　referred　to　and　corrected。　As　regards　these　very　current　views；　which　are　doubtless　known
to　you；　gentlemen；　for　indeed　they　are　the　reflections　most　likely　to　occur　in　one's　first　crude
thoughts　on　a　history　of　Philosophy；　I　will　shortly　explain　what　requires　explanation；　and　the
explanation　of　the　differences　in　philosophies　will　lead　us　further　into　the　matter　itself。　

a。　The　History　of　Philosophy　as　an　accumulation　of　Opinions。

History；　at　the　first　glance；　includes　in　its　aim　the　narration　of　the　accidental　circumstances　of　times；
of　races；　and　of　individuals；　treated　impartially　partly　as　regards　their　relation　in　time；　and　partly　as
to　their　content。　The　appearance　of　contingency　in　time…succession　is　to　be　dealt　with　later　on。　It　is
contingency　of　content　which　is　the　idea　with　which　we　have　first　to　deal…the　idea　of　contingent
actions。　But　thoughts　and　not　external　actions；　or　griefs；　or　joys；　form　the　content　of　Philosophy。
Contingent　thoughts；　however；　are　nothing　but　opinions；　and　philosophical　opinions　are　opinions
relating　to　the　more　special　content　of　Philosophy；　regarding　God；　Nature　and　Spirit。　

Thus　we　now　meet　the　view　very　usuall