philosophy of nature-第17章
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Acephalous animals； for example； have been used as proof that people can live without brains。
Zoology； like the natural sciences generally； has concerned itself primarily with discovering more
certain and simpler signs for subjective cognition。 Only since this goal of an 〃artificial〃 system for
classifying animals was given up has the way been opened for a broader view； and among the
empirical sciences there is hardly one which in recent times has expanded as much as zoology；
particularly through its auxiliary science of comparative anatomy。 This expansion has not occurred
solely in the sense of more observations； for none of the sciences lacks these； but in the sense of
arranging its material to accord with reason。
Partly it is the habits of individual animals； viewed as a coherent whole determining the
construction of every part； which have become the main point； so that the great founder of
comparative anatomy； Cuvier； could boast that he could recognise the essential nature of the entire
animal from a single bone。 Partly it is that the general type of the animal has been traced in the
various； still apparently incomplete and disparate forms； and its importance recognised in the
hardly noticed suggestion； as well as in the mixture of organs and functions； and in this way has
been raised above and beyond its particularity into its generality。 A primary feature of this method
is the recognition of how nature shapes and adapts this organism to the particular element in which
it is placed； an environment which can also be one particular species of plant or another of animal。
It is due to the immediacy of the idea of life that the concept； whether or not it is only determined
in and for itself does not exist as such in life。 Its existence is therefore subjected to the manifold
conditions and circumstances of external nature； and can appear in the most inadequate forms。
The fecundity of the earth causes life to break out in every way。 Even perhaps less than the other
spheres of nature； therefore； can the animal world present in itself an independent； rational system
of organisation； or retain a hold on forms determined by the concept and preserve them against the
imperfection and mixture of conditions； from confusion； degeneration； and transitional forms。 This
weakness of the concept； which exists in the animal though not in its fixed； independent freedom；
entirely subjects even the genus to the changes that are shared by the life of the animal。 And the
environment of external contingency in which the animal must live exercises perpetual violence
against the individual。 Hence the life of the animal seems in general to be sick； and the animal's
feeling seems to be insecure； anxious； and unhappy。
§ 293。
Due to the externality of its existence； the individual organism can not accord with its
determination。 It finds itself in a state of disease when one of its systems or organs； stimulated to
conflict with an organic power； establishes itself for itself and persists in its particular activity
against the activity of the whole。 For the fluidity and pervasive process of the activity is thus
obstructed。
§ 294。
The characteristic manifestation of disease is； thus； when the identity of the entire organic concept；
as the successive course of life's movement through its different moments； sensibility； irritability；
and reproduction； presents itself as fever。 This fever is to the same extent both the isolated activity
in opposition to the course of totality； and the effort towards and beginning of healing。
§ 295。
Medicine provokes the organism to remove the inorganic power with which the activity of the
individual organ or system is entangled and thereby isolated。 Essentially； however； the irritation of
the formal activity of the particular organ or system is suspended； and its fluidity is restored within
the whole。 The medicine achieves this as an irritant； but one which is even more difficult to
assimilate and to overcome； and against which the organism is compelled to exert its entire
strength。 While it acts in this way against an external entity； the organism steps out of the limitation
with which it had become identical and in which it had become involved。
Medication must in general be viewed as an indigestible substance。 But indigestibility is only a
relative category； though not in the vague sense in which it is usually taken； as if it really meant
something easily digestible by weaker constitutions。 On the contrary； such an easily digestible
substance is indigestible for stronger individuals。 The true relativity； that of the concept； which has
its actuality in life； consists； when expressed in the quantitative terms which count as valid here； in
homogeneity being greater； the more the opposed terms are intrinsically self…subsistent。 The
highest qualitative form of relativity in the living organism has manifested itself as the sexual relation；
in which independent individualities are identical to each other。
For the lower forms of animal life； which have not achieved a difference within themselves； the
digestible substance is the substance without individuality； such as water for plants。 For children；
the digestible substance is partly the completely homogeneous animal lymph； mother's milk； a
substance which is already digested or rather has further differentiated within itself and partly the
least individualised of mixed substances。 Substances of this kind； on the other hand； are
indigestible for stronger natures。 These natures digest more easily individualised animal substances；
or plant juices which sunlight has matured to a more powerful self and are therefore 〃spirituous；〃
instead of for example； the vegetable products still in their merely neutral colour and closer to the
chemical process proper。 Through this more intensive selfhood the former substances form an
even stronger contrast； but for that very reason they are more homogeneous irritants。 Taken
together； medications are negative irritants； poisons； a stimulant and at the same time an
indigestible substance； to the extent that the organism alienated from itself in disease must gather
up its strength； turn against the medication as an external； foreign body； and thereby achieve again
the self…feeling of its individuality。
But Brownianism； regarded as a complete system of medicine； is merely an empty formalism；
especially in its determination of diseases and the actions of medications according to sthenic or
asthenic body types； the latter further divided into direct and indirect asthenia。 Brown's theory is；
moreover； too often limited by formulations derived from the natural sciences； such as his recourse
to the factors of carbon and nitrogen； oxygen and hydrogen as explanations； or magnetic；
electrical； and chemical moments。 Nevertheless； his theory did have two important consequences：
through him； the view of merely particular and specific issues； both in diseases and medications；
was expanded to the general in them as essential elements； and through his opposition to the
previously used method； which was even more fixed on asthenic and asthenising questions than the
subsequent phases； he showed that the organism does not react to the most antithetical kind of
treatment in such an opposite way； but that frequently； at least in the final results； it reacts in a
similar and hence general way。 Thus the simple identity of the organism with itself as its true
essence is demonstrated in opposition to a particular entanglement of one of its systems with
specific irritants。
§ 296。
The animal individual； in overcoming and moving beyond particular inadequacies in conflict with its
concept； does not suspend the inadequacy in general which it has within it； namely； that its idea is
the immediate idea； or that the animal stands within nature。 Its subjectivity is only the concept in
itself but not itself for itself and exists only as an immediate individuality。 That inner generality is
thus opposed to its actuality as a negative powe
