shorter logic-第43章
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always contains Being and Nothing in such a way； that these two are always changing into each
other； and reciprocally cancelling each other。 Thus Becoming stands before us in utter restlessness
… unable however to maintain itself in this abstract restlessness： for； since Being and Nothing vanish
in Becoming （and that is the very notion of Becoming）； the latter must vanish also。 Becoming is as
it were a fire； which dies out in itself； when it consumes its material。 The result of this process
however is not empty Nothing； but Being identical with the negation … what we call Being
Determinate （being then and there）： the primary import of which evidently is that it has become。
Quality
§ 90
（a） Determinate Being is Being with a character or mode … which simply is； and
such unmediated character is Quality。 And as reflected into itself in this its
character or mode； Determinate Being is a somewhat； as existent。 The categories；
which issue by a closer analysis of Determinate Being； need only be mentioned
briefly。
§ 90n
Quality may be described as the determinate mode immediate and identical with Being … as
distinguished from Quantity （to come afterwards）； which； although a mode of Being； is no longer
immediately identical with Being； but a mode indifferent and external to it。 A something is what it is
in virtue of its quality； and losing its quality it ceases to be what it is。
Quality； moreover； is completely a category only of the finite； and for that reason too it has its
proper place in Nature； not in the world of the Mind。 Thus； for example； in Nature what are styled
elementary bodies； oxygen； nitrogen； etc。； should be regarded as existing qualities。 But in the
sphere of mind； Quality appears in a subordinate way only； and not as if its qualitativeness could
exhaust any specific aspect of mind。 If； for example； we consider the subjective mind； which forms
the object of psychology； we may describe what is called （moral and mental） character； as in
logical language identical with Quality。 This however does not mean that character is a mode of
being which pervades the soul and is immediately identical with it； as is the case in the natural
world with elementary bodies beforementioned。 Yet a more distinct manifestation of Quality as
such； in mind even； is found in the case of besotted or morbid conditions； especially in states of
passion and when the passion rises to derangement。 The state of mind of a deranged person； being
one mass of jealousy； fear； etc。； may suitably be described as Quality。
Reality； Being…for…another & Being…for…self
§ 91
Quality； as determinateness which is； as contrasted with the Negation which is
involved in it but distinguished from it； is Reality。 Negation is no longer an
abstract nothing； but； as a determinate being and somewhat； is only a form of
such being … it is as Otherness。 Since this otherness； though a determination of
Quality itself； is in the first instance distinct from it； Quality is Being…for…another
… an expansion of the mere point of Determinate Being； or of Somewhat。 The
Being as such of Quality； contrasted with this reference to somewhat else； is
Being…for…self
§ 91n
The foundation of all determinateness is negation。 The unreflecting observer supposes that
determinate things are merely positive； and pins them down under the form of being。 Mere being
however is not the end of the matter： it is； as we have already seen； utter emptiness and instability
besides。 Still； when abstract being is confused in this way with being modified and determinate； it
implies some perception of the fact that； though in determinate being there is involved an element
of negation； this element is at first wrapped up； as it were； and only comes to the front and
receives its due in Being…for…self。 If we go on to consider determinate Being as a determinateness
which is； we get in this way what is called Reality。
We speak； for example； of the reality of a plan or a purpose； meaning thereby that they are no
longer inner and subjective； but have passed into being…there…and…then。 In the same sense the
body may be called the reality of the soul； and the law the reality of freedom； and the world
altogether the reality of the divine idea。 The word 'reality' is however used in another acceptation
to mean that something behaves conformably to its essential characteristic or notion。 For example；
we use the expression： This is a real occupation； This is a real man。 Here the term does not merely
mean outward and immediate existence： but rather that some existence agrees with its notion。 In
which sense； be it added； reality is not distinct from the ideality which we shall in the first instance
become acquainted with in the shape of Being…for…self。
§ 92
＇b＇ Being； if kept distinct and apart from its determinate mode； as it is in
Being…by…self （Being implicit）； would be only the vacant abstraction of Being。 In
Being （determinate there and then）； the determinateness is one with Being； yet at
the same time； when explicitly made a negation； it is a Limit； a Barrier。 Hence
the otherness is not something indifferent and outside it； but a function proper to
it。 Somewhat is by its quality； firstly finite； secondly alterable； so that finitude
and variability appertain to its being。
§ 92n
。。。
If we take a closer look at what a limit implies； we see it involving a contradiction in itself； and thus
evincing its dialectical nature。 On the one side limit makes the reality of a thing； on the other it is its
negation。 But； again； the limit； as the negation of something； is not an abstract nothing but a nothing
which is … what we call an 〃other〃。 Given something； and up starts an other to us： we know that
there is not something only； but an other as well。 Nor； again； is the other of such a nature that we
can think something apart from it； a something is implicitly the other of itself； and the somewhat
sees its limit become objective to it in the other。 If we now ask for the difference between
something and another； it turns out that they are the same： which sameness is expressed in Latin by
calling the pair aliad…aliud。 The other； as opposed to the something； is itself a something； and
hence we say some other； or something else； and so on the other hand the first something when
opposed to the other； also defined as something； is itself an other。 When we say 〃something else〃
our first impression is that something taken separately is only something； and that the quality of
being another attaches to it only from outside considerations。 Thus we suppose that the moon；
being something else than the sun； might very well exist without the sun。 But really the moon； as a
something； has its other implicit in it。 Plato says： God made the world out of the nature of the 〃one〃
and the 〃other〃： having brought these together； he formed from them a third； which is of the nature
of the 〃one〃 and the 〃other〃。 In these words we have in general terms a statement of the nature of
the finite； which； as something； does not meet the nature of the other as if it had no affinity to it；
but； being implicitly the other of itself； thus undergoes alteration。 Alteration thus exhibits the
inherent contradiction which originally attaches to determinate being； and which forces it out of its
own bounds。 To materialised conception existence stands in the character of something solely
positive； and quietly abiding within its own limits： though we also know； it is true； that everything
finite （such as existence） is subject to change。 Such changeableness in existence is to the superficial
eye a mere possibility； the realisation of which is not a consequence of its own nature。 But the fact
is； mutability lies in the notion of existence； and change is only the manifestation of what it implicitly
is。 The living die； simply because as living they bear in themselves the germ of death。
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