shorter logic-第44章

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is。　The　living　die；　simply　because　as　living　they　bear　in　themselves　the　germ　of　death。　
？



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　93

Something　becomes　an　other；　this　other　is　itself　somewhat；　therefore　it　likewise
becomes　an　other；　and　so　on　ad　infinitum。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　94

This　Infinity　is　the　wrong　or　negative　infinity：　it　is　only　a　negation　of　a　finite：　but
the　finite　rises　again　the　same　as　ever；　and　is　never　got　rid　of　and　absorbed。　In
other　words；　this　infinite　only　expresses　the　ought…to…be　elimination　of　the　finite。
The　progression　to　infinity　never　gets　further　than　a　statement　of　the　contradiction
involved　in　the　finite；　viz。　that　it　is　somewhat　as　well　as　somewhat　else。　It　sets　up
with　endless　iteration　the　alternation　between　these　two　terms；　each　of　which　calls
up　the　other。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　94n

If　we　let　somewhat　and　another；　the　elements　of　determinate　Being；　fall　asunder；　the　result　is　that
some　becomes　other；　and　this　other　is　itself　a　somewhat；　which　then　as　such　changes　likewise；　and
so　on　ad　infinitum。　This　result　seems　to　superficial　reflection　something　very　grand；　the　grandest
possible。　But　such　a　progression　to　infinity　is　not　the　real　infinite。　That　consists　in　being　at　home
with　itself　in　its　other；　or；　if　enunciated　as　a　process；　in　coming　to　itself　in　its　other。　Much　depends
on　rightly　apprehending　the　notion　of　infinity；　and　not　stopping　short　at　the　wrong　infinity　of　endless
progression。　When　time　and　space；　for　example；　are　spoken　of　as　infinite；　it　is　in　the　first　place　the
infinite　progression　on　which　our　thoughts　fasten。　We　say；　Now；　This　time；　and　then　we　keep
continually　going　forwards　and　backwards　beyond　this　limit。　The　case　is　the　same　with　space；　the
infinity　of　which　has　formed　the　theme　of　barren　declamation　to　astronomers　with　a　talent　for
edification。　In　the　attempt　to　contemplate　such　an　infinite；　our　thought；　we　are　commonly　informed；
must　sink　exhausted。　It　is　true　indeed　that　we　must　abandon　the　unending　contemplation；　not
however　because　the　occupation　is　too　sublime；　but　because　it　is　too　tedious。　It　is　tedious　to
expatiate　in　the　contemplation　of　this　infinite　progression；　because　the　same　thing　is　constantly
recurring。　We　lay　down　a　limit：　then　we　pass　it：　next　we　have　a　limit　once　more；　and　so　on　for
ever。　All　this　is　but　superficial　alternation；　which　never　leaves　the　region　of　the　finite　behind。　To
suppose　that　by　stepping　out　and　away　into　that　infinity　we　release　ourselves　from　the　finite；　is　in
truth　but　to　seek　the　release　which　comes　by　flight。　But　the　man　who　flees　is　not　yet　free：　in　fleeing
he　is　still　conditioned　by　that　from　which　he　flees。　If　it　be　also　said　that　the　infinite　is　unattainable；
the　statement　is　true；　but　only　because　to　the　idea　of　infinity　has　been　attached　the　circumstance　of
being　simply　and　solely　negative。　With　such　empty　and　other…world　stuff　philosophy　has　nothing　to
do。　What　philosophy　has　to　do　with　is　always　something　concrete　and　in　the　highest　sense　present。

No　doubt　philosophy　has　also　sometimes　been　set　the　task　of　finding　an　answer　to　the　question；
how　the　infinite　comes　to　the　resolution　of　issuing　out　of　itself。　This　question；　founded；　as　it　is；　upon
the　assumption　of　a　rigid　opposition　between　finite　and　infinite；　may　be　answered　by　saying　that　the
opposition　is　false；　and　that　in　point　of　fact　the　infinite　eternally　proceeds　out　of　itself；　and　yet　does
not　proceed　out　of　itself。　If　we　further　say　that　the　infinite　is　the　not…finite；　we　have　in　point　of　fact
virtually　expressed　the　truth：　for　as　the　finite　itself　is　the　first　negative；　the　not…finite　is　the　negative
of　that　negation；　the　negation　which　is　identical　with　itself　and　thus　at　the　same　time　a　true
affirmation。　

The　infinity　of　reflection　here　discussed　is　only　an　attempt　to　reach　the　true　infinity；　a　wretched
neither…one…thing…nor…another。　Generally　speaking；　it　is　the　point　of　view　which　has　in　recent　times
been　emphasised　in　Germany。　The　finite；　this　theory　tells　us；　ought　to　be　absorbed；　the　infinite
ought　not　to　be　a　negative　merely；　but　also　a　positive。　That　；ought　to　be'　betrays　the　incapacity　of
actually　making　good　a　claim　which　is　at　the　same　time　recognised　to　be　right。　This　stage　was
never　passed　by　the　systems　of　Kant　and　Fichte；　so　far　as　ethics　are　concerned。　The　utmost　to
which　this　way　brings　us　is　only　the　postulate　of　a　never…ending　approximation　to　the　law　of
Reason：　which　postulate　has　been　made　an　argument　for　the　immortality　of　the　soul。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　95

＇c＇　What　we　now　in　point　of　fact　have　before　us；　is　that　somewhat　comes　to　be
an　other；　and　that　the　other　generally　comes　to　be　an　other。　Thus　essentially
relative　to　another；　somewhat　is　virtually　an　other　against　it：　and　since　what　is
passed　into　is　quite　the　same　as　what　passes　over；　since　both　have　one　and　the
same　attribute；　viz。　to　be　an　other；　it　follows　that　something　in　its　passage　into
other　only　joins　with　itself。　To　be　thus　self…related　in　the　passage；　and　in　the
other；　is　the　genuine　Infinity。　Or；　under　a　negative　aspect：　what　is　altered　is　the
other；　it　becomes　the　other　of　the　other。　Thus　Being；　but　as　negation　of　the
negation；　is　restored　again：　it　is　now　Being…for…self。　

Dualism；　in　putting　an　insuperable　opposition　between　finite　and　infinite；　fails　to
note　the　simple　circumstance　that　the　infinite　is　thereby　only　one　of　two；　and　is
reduced　to　a　particular；　to　which　the　finite　forms　the　other　particular。　Such　an
infinite；　which　is　only　a　particular；　is　conterminous　with　the　finite　which　makes
for　it　a　limit　and　a　barrier：　it　is　not　what　it　ought　to　be；　that　is；　the　infinite；　but　is
only　finite。　In　such　circumstances；　where　the　finite　is　on　this　side；　and　the　infinite
on　that…this　world　as　the　finite　and　the　other　world　as　the　infinite…an　equal　dignity
of　permanence　and　independence　is　ascribed　to　finite　and　to　infinite。　The　being　of
the　finite　is　made　an　absolute　being；　and　by　this　dualism　gets　independence　and
stability。　Touched；　so　to　speak；　by　the　infinite；　it　would　be　annihilated。　But　it
must　not　be　touched　by　the　infinite。　There　must　be　an　abyss；　an　impassable　gulf
between　the　two；　with　the　infinite　abiding　on　yonder　side　and　the　finite　steadfast
on　this。　Those　who　attribute　to　the　finite　this　inflexible　persistence　in　comparison
with　the　infinite　are　not；　as　they　imagine；　far　above　metaphysic：　they　are　still　on
the　level　of　the　most　ordinary　metaphysic　of　understanding。　For　the　same　thing
occurs　here　as　in　the　infinite　progression。　At　one　time　it　is　admitted　that　the　finite
has　no　independent　actuality；　no　absolute　being；　no　root　and　development　of　its
own；　but　is　only　a　transient。　But　next　moment　this　is　straightway　forgotten；　the
finite；　made　a　mere　counterpart　to　the　infinite；　wholly　separated　from　it；　and
rescued　from　annihilation；　is　conceived　to　be　persistent　in　its　independence。　While
thought　thus　imagines　itself　elevated　to　the　infinite；　it　meets　with　the　opposite　fate：
it　comes　to　an　infinite　which　is　only　a　finite；　and　the　finite；　which　it　had　left
behind；　has　always　to　be　retained　and　made　into　an　absolute。　

After　this　examination　（with　which　it　were　well　to　compare　…Plato's　Philebus）；
tending　to　show　the　nullity　of　the　distinction　made　by　understanding　between　the
finite　and　the　infinite；　we　are　liable　to　glide　into　the　statement　that　the　infinite　and
the　finite　are　therefore　one；　and　that　the　genuine　infinity；　the　truth；　must　be
defined　and　enunciated　as　the　unity　of　the　finite　and　infinite。　Such　a　statement
would　be　to　some　extent　correct；　but　is　just　as　open　to　perversion　and　falsehood
as　the　unity　of　Being　and　Nothing　already　noticed。　Besides　it　may　very　fairly　be
charged　with　reducing　the　infinite　to　finitude　and　making　a　finite　infinite。　For；　so
far　as　the　expression　goes；　the　finite　seems　left　in　its　place…it　is　not　expressly
stated　to　be　absorbed。　Or；　if　we'　reflect　that　the　finite；　when　identified　with　the
infinite；　certainly　cannot　remain　what　it　was　out　of　such　unity；　and　will　at　least
suffer　some　change　in　its　characteristics　（as　an　alkali；　when　combined　with