philosophy of nature-第15章
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The real process of inorganic nature begins equally with feeling； namely； the feeling of real
externality； and with this feeling the negation of the subject； which is at the same time the positive
relation to itself and its certainty in contrast to its negation。 It begins with the feeling of a lack； and
the drive to suspend the lack； which is the condition of being stimulated externally。
Only what is living feels a lack； for it alone in nature is the concept； the unity of itself and of its
specific opposite； in this relation it is a subject。 Where there is a limitation； it is a negation only for
a third； an external reflection。 It is lack； however； insofar as in one sense the overcoming of the
lack is also at hand； and the contradiction is posited as such。 A being which is capable of having
and enduring the contradiction of itself in itself is the subject； this constitutes its finitude。 — Reason
proves its infinitude precisely at that point when reference is made to finite reason； since it
determines itself as finite。 For negation is finitude and a lack only for that which is the suspended
being of itself the infinite relation to itself。 Thoughtlessness； however； stops short at the abstraction
of the limitation； and in life； too； where the concept itself enters into existence； it fails to grasp the
concept； but remains fixed on the determinations of representation： drives； instincts； and needs。
An important step towards a true representation of the organism is the substitution of the category
of stimulation by external forces for the category of the intervention of external causes。 This latter
contains the beginning of idealism； the assertion that nothing at all can have a positive relation to
the living if the living being is not in and for itself the possibility of the relation itself that is； not
determined by the concept； and thus in general not immanent to the subject。
But perhaps the most unphilosophical of any such scientific concoctions of the reflective categories
is the introduction of such formal and material relationships into the theory of stimulation； which has
long been regarded as philosophical。 This includes for example the entirely abstract antithesis of
receptivity to active capacity； which supposedly stand to each other as factors in inverse relations
of magnitude。 The result of this is to reduce all differences in the organism to the formalism of a
merely quantitative differentiation； involving increase and decrease； strengthening and weakening；
in other words； removing all possible traces of the concept。 A theory of medicine built on these
and determinations of the understanding is complete in half a dozen propositions； and it is no
wonder that it spread rapidly and found many adherents。
The cause of this philosophical confusion； which initiated the tendency to befriend nature； lay in the
basic error of initially determining the absolute as the absolute indifference of subject and object；
and then treating all determinations as only quantitative differences。 It is the case； rather； that the
absolute form； the concept and the principle of life； has for its soul only the qualitative difference
which consumes itself in itself But because this truly infinite negativity was not recognised； it was
believed that the absolute identity of life； as the attributes and the modes in the external
understanding are for Spinoza； can not be fixed without making the difference into a merely
external difference of the reflection。 In this way； however； life is left altogether lacking the salient
point of selfhood； the principle of self…movement； the differentiation of the self and the principle of
individuality in general。
Another crude and utterly unphilosophical procedure is the one which attempted to give the formal
determinations a real meaning by replacing the conceptual determinations with carbon and
nitrogen； oxygen and hydrogen； and determined the difference previously characterised as
intensive as now more or less of the one or another substance； whereas the active and positive
relation of the external stimulus would be the addition of a lacking substance。 One example is the
assertion that in an asthenia； or a nerve fever； nitrogen has the upper hand in the organism because
the brain and nerves are supposedly in general intensified nitrogen； since chemical analysis has
shown this to be the principal ingredient of these organic structures。 The ingestion of carbon is
therefore supposedly indicated in order to restore the balance of these substances； in other words；
in order to restore health。 The remedies which have been shown to work empirically against nerve
fever are； for this same reason； regarded as belonging to the side of carbon； and this superficial
compilation and opinion are presented as explanation and proof The crudity of this procedure
consists in taking the external Caput mortuum； the dead substance； a dead life which chemistry
has already destroyed a second time； for the essence of a living organ； and indeed； for its concept。
This last argument gives rise to that highly facile formalism which replaces the determinations of the
concept with sensuous materials like chemical substances； as well as relationships belonging to the
sphere of inorganic nature； like the north and south polarity of magnetism； or the differences
between magnetism and electricity。 This is a formalism which conceives the natural universe and
develops its conception in such a way that it attaches a readymade schema of north and south or
east and west polarities externally to the spheres and differences it uses。 For this purpose there is a
great variety of forms possible。 For it remains a matter of choice whether one employs the
determinations of the totality for the schema； as they appear for example in the chemical sphere；
oxygen； hydrogen； and so on； and transfers them to magnetism； mechanism； electricity； and the
masculine and the feminine； contraction and expansion； and so on； then applies them to the other
spheres。
§ 283。
Need and excitement are connected to the relation between the universal and the particular
mechanism （sleeping and waking）； the relation to air （breathing and skin processes）； water （thirst）；
and the individualised earth； namely； the particular forms of the earth （cf。 hunger； § 275）。 Life； the
subject of these moments of totality； develops inwardly a tension between itself as concept and the
moments of a reality external to itself and is the ongoing conflict in which it overcomes this
externality。 Because the animal can only exist as an essentially individual entity； and this only
individually； this objectification is not adequate to its concept and therefore turns back constantly
from its satisfaction to the condition of need。
§ 284。
The mechanical seizure of the external object is only the beginning of the unification of the object
with the living animal。 Since the animal is hence a subject； the simple negativity of the punctured
unity； the assimilation can be neither of a mechanical nor a chemical nature； for in these processes
both the material substances as the conditions and the activity remain externally in opposition to
each other； and lack living； absolute unity。
§ 285。
In the first place； because the living organism is the general power over the nature external and
opposed to it； assimilation is the immediate fusion of the ingested material with animality； an
infection by the latter and simple transformation （cf。 § 278）。 Secondly； since the power of the
living organism is the relation of itself to itself in mediation； assimilation is digestion。 It is the
opposition of the subject to its immediate assimilation； so that the former stimulates itself on the
other hand as a negative； and emerges as the process of the antithesis； the process of animal water
（of stomach and pancreatic juices； animal lymph as such） and of animal fire （of the gall； in which
the accomplished return of the organism into itself from its concentration in the spleen is
determined as being for itself as active consu
