philosophy of nature-第9章
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absorbs and penetrates everything。
§ 227。
（2） The elements of the antithesis are （a） being for itself not the indifferent being of rigidity； but
rather being for itself posited in individuality as a moment； and therefore material selfhood； light
identical to heat： fire。 This element is materialised time； absolutely restless and consuming； and
causes the self…consumption of the subsisting body as it conversely destroys the body through its
external approach。 In consuming another； fire consumes itself。
§ 228。
（b） The other element is the neutral element； the antithesis which coalesces into itself。 Without
individuality； however； and thus without rigidity and determination in itself it is a thoroughgoing
equilibrium that dissolves all determinacy mechanically posited in it。 It receives its limitation of
shape only from outside； and without the unrest of the process in itself but at the most the
possibility of process； namely； solubility。 This element； water； can assume a gaseous and a solid
form as a state apart from its characteristic state； that of internal indeterminacy。
§ 229。
（3） Earth； however； the element of the developed difference and its individual determination； is in
the first place still indeterminate： earthiness； as such。
（c） The Elementary Process
§ 230。
The individual identity； by which the different elements in terms of both their difference from each
other and their unity with each other are bound； is a dialectic which constitutes the physical life of
the earth； the meteorological process。 It is in this process alone that the elements； as dependent
moments； have their existence； being generated in it and posited as existent。
just as the determinations of ordinary mechanics and the dependent bodies are applied to absolute
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
T
