shorter logic-第53章
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§ 123
Existence is the immediate unity of reflection…into…self and reflection…into…other。 It
follows from this that existence is the indefinite multitude of existents as
reflected…into…themselves； which at the same time equally throw light upon one
another … which； in short； are co…relative； and form a world of reciprocal
dependence and of infinite interconnection between grounds and consequents。
The grounds are themselves existences： and the existents in like manner are in
many directions grounds as well as consequents。
§ 123n
The phrase 'Existence' （derived from existere） suggests the fact of having proceeded from
something。 Existence is Being which has proceeded from the ground； and has reinstated by
annulling its intermediation。 The Essence； as Being set aside and absorbed； originally came are
identity； difference and ground。 The last is the unity of identity and difference； and because it
unifies them it has at the same time to distinguish itself from itself。 But that which is in this way
distinguished from the ground is as little mere difference as the ground itself is abstract sameness。
The ground works its own suspension： and when suspended； the result of its negation is existence。
Having issued from the ground； existence contains the ground in it； the ground does not remain； as
it were； behind existence； but by its very nature supersedes itself and translates itself into existence。
This is exemplified even in our ordinary mode of thinking when we look upon the ground of a
thing； not as something abstractly inward； but as itself also an existent。 For example； the
lightning…flash which has set a house on fire would be considered the ground of the conflagration；
or the manners of a nation and the conditions of its life would be regarded as the ground of its
constitution。 Such indeed is the ordinary aspect in which the existence world originally appears to
reflection … 。an indefinite crowd of things existent； which being simultaneously reflected on
themselves and on one another are related reciprocally as ground and consequence。 In this motley
play of the world； if we may so call the sum of existents； there is nowhere a firm footing to be
found： everything bears an aspect of relativity； conditioned by and conditioning something else。
The reflective understanding makes it its business to elicit and trace these connections running out
in every direction： but the question touching an ultimate design is so far left unanswered； and
therefore the craving of the reason after knowledge passes with the further development of the
logical Idea beyond this position of mere relativity。
Thing…in…itself
§ 124
The reflection…on…another of the existent is however inseparable from
reflection…into…self： the ground is their unity； from which existence has issued。
The existent therefore includes relativity； and has on its own part its multiple
interconnections with other existents： it is reflected on itself as its ground。 The
existent is； when so described； a Thing。
The 'thing…in…itself' （or thing in the abstract）； so famous in the philosophy of
Kant； shows itself here in its genesis。 It is seen to be the abstract
reflection…on…self； which is so clung to； to the exclusion of
reflection…into…other…things and of all predication of difference。
The thing…in…itself therefore is the empty substratum for these predicates of
relation。
§ 124n
If to know means to comprehend an object in its concrete character； then the thing…in…itself； which
is nothing but the quite abstract and indeterminate thing in general； must certainly be as
unknowable as it is alleged to be。 With as much reason however as we speak of the thing…in…itself；
we might speak of quality…by…itself or quantity…by…itself； and of any other category。 The expression
would then serve to signify that these categories are taken in their abstract immediacy； apart from
their development and inward character。 It is no better than a whim of the understanding；
therefore； if we attach the qualificatory 'in…itself'' to the thing only。 But this 'in…itself' is also applied
to the facts of the mental as well as the natural world： as we speak of electricity or of a plant in
itself； so we speak of man or the state in…itself。
By this 'in…itself' in these objects； we are meant to understand what they strictly and properly are。
This usage is liable to the same criticism as the phrase 'thing…in…itself'。 For if we stick to the mere
'in…itself' of an object； we apprehend it not in its truth； but in the inadequate form of mere
abstraction。 Thus the man； in himself； is the child。 And what the child has to do is to rise out of this
abstract and undeveloped 'in…himself' and become 'for himself' what he is at first only 'in…himself' …
a free and reasonable being。 Similarly； the state…in…itself is the yet immature and patriarchal state；
where the various political functions； latent in the notion of the state； have not received the full
logical constitution which the logic of political principles demands。
In the same sense； the germ may be called the plant…in…itself。 These examples may show the
mistake of supposing that the 'thing…in…itself' of things is something inaccessible to our cognition。 All
things are originally in…themselves； but that is not the end of the matter。 As the germ； being the
plant…in…itself； means self…development； so the thing in general passes beyond its in…itself （the
abstract reflection on self） to manifest itself further as a reflection on other things。 It is this sense
that it has properties。
（c） The Thing
§ 125
Properties
＇a＇ The Thing is the totality…the development in explicit unity of the categories of
the ground and of existence。 On the side of one of its factors； viz。
reflection…on…other…things； it has in it the differences； in virtue of which it is a
characterised and concrete thing。 These characteristics are different from one
another； they have their reflection…into…self not on their own part； but on the part
of the thing。 They are Properties of the thing： and their relation to the thing is
expressed by the word 'have'。
As a term of relation； 'to have' takes the place of 'to be'。 True； somewhat has
qualities on its part too： but this transference of 'having' into the sphere of Being
is inexact； because the character as quality is directly one with the somewhat； and
the somewhat ceases to be when it loses its quality。 But the thing is
reflection…into…self： for it is an identity which is also distinct from the difference；
i。e。 from its attributes。 In many languages 'have' is employed to denote past time。
And with reason： for the past is absorbed； or suspended being； and the mind is its
reflection…into…self； in the mind only it continues to subsist…the mind； however；
distinguishing from itself this being in it which has been absorbed or suspended。
§ 125n
In the Thing all the characteristics of reflection recur as existent。 Thus the thing； in its initial aspect；
as the thing…by…itself； is the selfsame or identical。 But identity； it was proved； is not found without
difference： so the properties； which the thing has； are the existent difference in the form of
diversity。 In the case of diversity of variety each diverse member exhibited an indifference to every
other； and they had no other relation to each other； save what was given by a comparison external
to them。 But now in the thing we have a bond which keeps the various properties in union。
Property； besides； should not be confused with quality。 No doubt； we also say； a thing has
qualities。 But the phraseology is a misplaced one： 'having' hints at an independence； foreign to the
'somewhat'； which is still directly identical with its quality。 Somewhat is what it is only by its quality：
whereas； though the thing indeed exists only as it has its properties； it is not confined to this or that
definite property
