shorter logic-第35章

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Without　this　unification　of　elements　he　is　neither　concrete；　nor　living；　nor　a　spirit。
Thus　the　knowledge　of　God　as　a　spirit　necessarily　implies　mediation。　The　form　of
immediacy；　secondly；　invests　the　particular　with　the　character　of　independent　or
self…centred　being。　But　such　predicates　contradict　the　very　essence　of　the
particular…which　is　to　be　referred　to　something　else　outside。　They　thus　invest　the
finite　with　the　character　of　an　absolute。　But；　besides；　the　form　of　immediacy　is
altogether　abstract：　it　has　no　preference　for　one　set　of　contents　more　than
another；　but　is　equally　susceptible　of　all：　it　may　as　well　sanction　what　is　idolatrous
and　immoral　as　the　reverse。　Only　when　we　discern　that　the　content…the　particular
…　is　not　self…subsistent；　but　derivative　from　something　else；　are　its　finitude　and
untruth　shown　in　their　proper　light。　Such　discernment；　where　the　content　we
discern　carries　with　it　the　ground　of　its　dependent　nature；　is　a　knowledge　which
involves　mediation。　The　only　content　which　can　be　held　to　be　the　truth　is　one　not
mediated　with　something　else；　not　limited　by　other　things：　or；　otherwise
expressed；　it　is　one　mediated　by　itself；　where　mediation　and　immediate
reference…to…self　coincide。　The　understanding　that　fancies　it　has　got　clear　of　finite
knowledge；　the　identity　of　the　analytical　metaphysicians　and　the　old　'rationalists'；
abruptly　takes　again　as　principle　and　criterion　of　truth　that　immediacy　which；　as
an　abstract　reference…to…self；　is　the　same　as　abstract　identity。　Abstract　thought
（the　scientific　form　used　by　'reflective'　metaphysic）　and　abstract　intuition　（the
form　used　by　immediate　knowledge）　are　one　and　the　same。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§74n

The　stereotyped　opposition　between　the　form　of　immediacy　and　that　of　mediation　gives　to　the
former　a　half…ness　and　inadequacy　that　affects　every　content　which　is　brought　under　it。　Immediacy
means；　upon　the　whole；　an　abstract　reference…to…self；　that　is；　an　abstract　identity　or　abstract
universality。　Accordingly　the　essential　and　real　universal；　when　taken　merely　in　its　immediacy；　is　a
mere　abstract　universal；　and　from　this　point　of　view　God　is　conceived　as　a　being　altogether　without
determinate　quality。　To　call　God　spirit　is　in　that　case　only　a　phrase：　for　the　consciousness　and
self…consciousness　which　spirit　implies　are　impossible　without　a　distinguishing　of　it　from　itself　and
from　something　else；　i。e。　without　mediation。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§75

It　was　impossible　for　us　to　criticise　this；　the　third　attitude　which　thought　has　been
made　to　take　towards　objective　truth；　in　any　other　mode　than　what　is　naturally
indicated　and　admitted　in　the　doctrine　itself。　The　theory　asserts　that　immediate
knowledge　is　a　fact。　It　has　been　shown　to　be　untrue　in　fact　to　say　that　there　is　an
immediate　knowledge；　a　knowledge　without　mediation　either　by　means　of
something　else　or　in　itself。　It　has　also　been　explained　to　be　false　in　fact　to　say　that
thought　advances　through　finite　and　conditioned　categories　only；　which　are
always　mediated　by　a　something　else；　and　to　forget　that　in　the　very　act　of
mediation　the　mediation　itself　vanishes。　And　to　show　that；　in　point　of　fact；　there　is
a　knowledge　which　advances　neither　by　unmixed　immediacy　nor　by　unmixed
mediation；　we　can　point　to　the　example　of　Logic　and　the　whole　of　philosophy。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§76

If　we　view　the　maxims　of　immediate　knowledge　in　connection　with　the　uncritical
metaphysic　of　the　past　from　which　we　started；　we　shall　learn　from　the
comparison　the　reactionary　nature　of　the　school　of　Jacobi。　His　doctrine　is　a　return
to　the　modern　starting…point　of　this　metaphysic　in　the　Cartesian　philosophy。　Both
Jacobi　and　Descartes　maintain　the　following　three　points：　

（1）　The　simple　inseparability　of　the　thought　and　being　of　the　thinker。　Cogito；　ergo
sum　is　the　same　doctrine　as　that　the　being；　reality；　and　existence　of　the　'Ego'　is
immediately　revealed　to　me　in　consciousness。　（Descartes；　in　fact；　is　careful　to
state　that　by　thought　he　means　consciousness　in　general。　Princip。　Phil。　i。　9。）　This
inseparability　is　the　absolutely　first　and　most　certain　knowledge；　not　mediated　or
demonstrated。　

（2）　The　inseparability　of　existence　from　the　conception　of　God：　the　former　is
necessarily　implied　in　the　latter；　or　the　conception　never　can　be　without　the
attribute　of　existence；　which　is　thus　necessary　and　eternal。。　

　　　　　Descartes；　Princip。　Phil。　i。　15：　'The　reader　will　be　more　disposed　to　believe　that　there　exists　a
　　　　　being　supremely　perfect；　if　he　notes　that　in　the　case　of　nothing　else　is　there　found　in　him　an
　　　　　idea；　in　which　he　notices　necessary　existence　to　be　contained　in　the　same　way。　He　will　see　that
　　　　　that　idea　exhibits　a　true　and　unchangeable　nature　…a　nature　which　cannot　but　exist；　since
　　　　　necessary　existence　is　contained　in　it。'　A　remark　which　immediately　follows；　and　which　sounds
　　　　　like　mediation　or　demonstration；　does　not　really　prejudice　the　original　principle。　

　　　　　In　Spinoza　we　come　upon　the　same　statement　that　the　essence　or　abstract　conception　of　God
　　　　　implies　existence。　The　first　of　Spinoza's　definitions；　that　of　the　Causa　Sui　（or　Self…Cause）；
　　　　　explains　it　to　be　'that　of　which　the　essence　involves　existence；　or　that　whose　nature　cannot　be
　　　　　conceived　except　as　existing'。　The　inseparability　of　the　notion　from　being　is　the　main　point　and
　　　　　fundamental　hypothesis　in　his　system。　But　what　notion　is　thus　inseparable　from　being？　Not　the
　　　　　notion　of　finite　things；　for　they　are　so　constituted　as　to　have　a　contingent　and　a　created
　　　　　existence。　Spinoza's　eleventh　proposition；　which　follows　with　a　proof　that　God　exists
　　　　　necessarily；　and　his　twentieth；　showing　that　God's　existence　and　his　essence　are　one　and　the
　　　　　same；　are　really　superfluous；　and　the　proof　is　more　in　form　than　in　reality。　To　say　that　God　is
　　　　　Substance；　the　only　Substance；　and　that；　as　Substance　is　Causa　Sui；　God　therefore　exists
　　　　　necessarily；　is　merely　stating　that　God　is　that　of　which　the　notion　and　the　being　are　inseparable。　

（3）　The　immediate　consciousness　of　the　existence　of　external　things。　By　this
nothing　more　is　meant　than　sense…consciousness。　To　have　such　a　thing　is　the
slightest　of　all　cognitions：　and　the　only　thing　worth　knowing　about　it　is　that　such
immediate　knowledge　of　the　being　of　things　external　is　error　and　delusion；　that　the
sensible　world　as　such　is　altogether　void　of　truth；　that　the　being　of　these　external
things　is　accidental　and　passes　away　as　a　show；　and　that　their　very　nature　is　to
have　only　an　existence　which　is　separable　from　their　essence　and　notion。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§77

There　is　however　a　distinction　between　the　two　points　of　view：　

（1）　The　Cartesian　philosophy；　from　these　unproved　postulates；　which　it　assumes
to　be　unprovable；　proceeds　to　wider　and　wider　details　of　knowledge；　and　thus
gave　rise　to　the　sciences　of　modern　times。　The　modern　theory　（of　Jacobi）；　on　the
contrary；　（§　62）　has　come　to　what　is　intrinsically　a　most　important　conclusion
that　cognition；　proceeding　as　it　must　by　finite　mediations；　can　know　only　the
finite；　and　never　embody　the　truth；　and　would　fain　have　the　consciousness　of
God　go　no　further　than　the　aforesaid　very　abstract　belief　that　God　is。　

　　　　　Anselm　on　the　contrary　says：　'Methinks　it　is　carelessness；　if；　after　we　have　been　confirmed　in
　　　　　the　faith；　we　do　not　exert　ourselves　to　see　the　meaning　of　what　we　believe。'　＇Tractat。　Cur　Deus
　　　　　Homo？＇　These　words　of　Anselm；　in　connection　with　the　concrete　truths　of　Christian　doctrine；
　　　　　offer　a　far　harder　problem　for　investigation；　than　is　contemplated　by　this　modern　faith。　

（2）　The　modern　doctrine　on　the　one　hand　makes　no　change　in　the　Cartesian
method　of　the　usual　scientific　knowledge；　and　conducts　on　the　same　plan　the
experimental　and　finite　sciences　that　have　sprung　from　it。　But；　on　the　other　hand；
when　it　comes　to　the　science　which　has　infinity　for　its　scope；　it　throws　aside　that
method　and　thus；　as　it　knows　no　other；　it　rejects　all　methods。　It　abandons　itself　to
wild　vagaries　of　imagination　and　assertion；　to　a　moral