shorter logic-第57章

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applied　is　non…existent。　A　bad　state　or　a　sickly　body　may　exist　all　the　same；　but　these　things　are
untrue；　because　their　notion　and　their　reality　are　out　of　harmony。　

The　relation　of　whole　and　parts；　being　the　immediate　relation；　comes　easy　to　reflective
understanding：　and　for　that　reason　it　often　satisfies　when　the　question　really　turns　on　profounder
ties。　The　limbs　and　organs　for　instance；　of　an　organic　body　are　not　merely　parts　of　it：　it　is　only　in
their　unity　that　they　are　what　they　are；　and　they　are　unquestionably　affected　by　that　unity；　as　they
also　in　turn　affect　it。　These　limbs　and　organs　become　mere　parts；　only　when　they　pass　under　the
hands　of　an　anatomist；　whose　occupation　be　it　remembered；　is　not　with　the　living　body　but　with
the　corpse。　Not　that　such　analysis　is　illegitimate：　we　only　mean　that　the　external　and　mechanical
relation　of　whole　and　parts　is　not　sufficient　for　us；　if　we　want　to　study　organic　life　in　its　truth。　And　if
this　be　so　in　organic　life；　it　is　the　case　to　a　much　greater　extent　when　we　apply　this　relation　to　the
mind　and　the　formations　of　the　spiritual　world。　Psychologists　may　not　expressly　speak　of　parts　of
the　soul　or　mind；　but　the　mode　in　which　this　subject　is　treated　by　the　analytic　understanding　is
largely　founded　on　the　analogy　of　this　finite　relation。　At　least　that　is　so；　when　the　different　forms　of
mental　activity　are　enumerated　and　described　merely　in　their　isolation　one　after　another；　as
so…called　special　powers　and　faculties。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§136
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Force　and　the　expression　of　force

＇b＇　The　one…and…same　of　this　correlation　（the　self…relation　found　in　it）　is　thus
immediately　a　negative　self…relation。　The　correlation　is　in　short　the　mediating
process　whereby　one　and　the　same　is　first　unaffected　towards　difference；　and
secondly　is　the　negative　self…relation；　which　repels　itself　as　reflection…into…self　to
difference；　and　invests　itself　（as　reflection…into…something…else）　with　existence；
whilst　it　conversely　leads　back　this　reflection…into…other　to　self…relation　and
indifference。　This　gives　the　correlation　of　Force　and　its　Expression。　

The　relationship　of　whole　and　part　is　the　immediate　and　therefore　unintelligent
（mechanical）　relation—a　revulsion　of　self…identity　into　mere　variety。　Thus　we　pass
from　the　whole　to　the　parts；　and　from　the　parts　to　the　whole：　in　the　one　we　forget
its　opposition　to　the　other；　while　each　on　its　own　account；　at　one　time　the　whole；
at　another　the　parts；　is　taken　to　be　an　independent　existence。　In　other　words；
when　the　parts　are　declared　to　subsist　in　the　whole；　and　the　whole　to　consist　of
the　parts；　we　have　either　member　of　the　relation　at　different　times　taken　to　be
permanently　subsistent；　while　the　other　is　non…essential。　In　its　superficial　form　the
mechanical　nexus　consists　in　the　parts　being　independent　of　each　other　and　of　the
whole。　

This　relation　may　be　adopted　for　the　progression　ad　infinitum；　in　the　case　of　the
divisibility　of　matter：　and　then　it　becomes　an　unintelligent　alternation　with　the　two
sides。　A　thing　at　one　time　is　taken　as　a　whole：　then　we　go　on　to　specify　the　parts：
this　specifying　is　forgotten；　and　what　was　a　part　is　regarded　as　a　whole：　then　the
specifying　of　the　part　comes　up　again；　and　so　on　for　ever。　But　if　this　infinity　be
taken　as　the　negative　which　it　is；　it　is　the　negative　self…relating　element　in　the
correlation　—　Force；　the　self…identical　whole；　or　immanency　—　which　yet
supersedes　this　immanency　and　gives　itself　expression；　and　conversely　the
expression　which　vanishes　and　returns　into　Force。　

Force；　notwithstanding　this　infinity；　is　also　finite：　for　the　content；　or　the　one　and
the　same　of　the　Force　and　its　out…putting；　is　this　identity　at　first　only　for　the
observer：　the　two　sides　of　the　relation　are　not　yet；　each　on　its　own　account；　the
concrete　identity　of　that　one　and　same；　not　yet　the　totality。　For　one　another　they
are　therefore　different；　and　the　relationship　is　a　finite　one。　Force　consequently
requires　solicitation　from　without：　it　works　blindly：　and　on　account　of　this
defectiveness　of　form；　the　content　is　also　limited　and　accidental。　It　is　not　yet
genuinely　identical　with　the　form：　not　yet　is　it　as　a　notion　and　an　end；　that　is　to
say；　it　is　not　intrinsically　and　actually　determinate。　This　difference　is　most　vital；
but　not　easy　to　apprehend：　it　will　assume　a　clearer　formulation　when　we　reach
Design。　If　it　be　overlooked；　it　leads　to　the　confusion　of　conceiving　God　as　Force；
a　confusion　from　which　Herder's　God　especially　suffers。　

It　is　often　said　that　the　nature　of　Force　itself　is　unknown　and　only　its
manifestation　apprehended。　But；　in　the　first　place；　it　may　be　replied；　every　article
in　the　import　of　Force　is　the　same　as　what　is　specified　in　the　Exertion：　and　the
explanation　of　a　phenomenon　by　a　Force　is　a　mere　tautology。　What　is　supposed
to　remain　unknown；　therefore；　is　really　nothing　but　the　empty　form　of
reflection…into…self；　by　which　alone　the　Force　is　distinguished　from　the　Exertion　…
and　that　form　too　is　something　familiar。　It　is　a　form　that　does　not　make　the
slightest　addition　to　the　content　and　to　the　law；　which　have　to　be　discovered　from
the　phenomenon　alone。　Another　assurance　always　given　is　that　to　speak　of　forces
implies　no　theory　as　to　their　nature：　and　that　being　so；　it　is　impossible　to　see　why
the　form　of　Force　has　been　introduced　into　the　sciences　at　all。　In　the　second　place
the　nature　of　Force　is　undoubtedly　unknown：　we　are　still　without　any　necessity
binding　and　connecting　its　content　together　in　itself；　as　we　are　without　necessity　in
the　content；　in　so　far　as　it　is　expressly　limited　and　hence　has　its　character　by
means　of　another　thing　outside　it。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§136n1　
Compared　with　the　immediate　relation　of　whole　and　parts；　the　relation　between　force　and　its
putting…forth　may　be　considered　infinite。　In　it　that　identity　of　the　two　sides　is　realised；　which　in　the
former　relation　only　existed　for　the　observer。　The　whole；　though　we　can　see　that　it　consists　of
parts；　ceases　to　be　a　whole　when　it　is　divided：　whereas　force　is　only　shown　to　be　force　when　it
exerts　itself；　and　in　its　exercise　only　comes　back　to　itself。　The　exercise　is　only　force　once　more。
Yet；　on　further　examination　even　this　relation　will　appear　finite；　and　finite　in　virtue　of　this　mediation：
just　as；　conversely；　the　relation　of　whole　and　parts　is　obviously　finite　in　virtue　of　its　immediacy。　The
first　and　simplest　evidence　for　the　finitude　of　the　mediated　relation　of　force　and　its　exercise　is；　that
each　and　every　force　is　conditioned　and　requires　something　else　than　itself　for　its　subsistence。　For
instance；　a　special　vehicle　of　magnetic　force；　as　is　well　known；　is　iron；　the　other　properties　of
which；　such　as　its　colour；　specific　weight；　or　relation　to　acids；　are　independent　of　this　connection
with　magnetism。　The　same　thing　is　seen　in　all　other　forces；　which　from　one　end　to　the　other　are
found　to　be　conditioned　and　mediated　by　something　else　than　themselves。　Another　proof　of　the
finite　nature　of　force　is　that　it　requires　solicitation　before　it　can　put　itself　forth。　That　through　which
the　force　is　solicited；　is　itself　another　exertion　of　force；　which　cannot　put　itself　forth　without　similar
solicitation。　This　brings　us　either　to　a　repetition　of　the　infinite　progression；　or　to　a　reciprocity　of
soliciting　and　being　solicited。　In　either　case　we　have　no　absolute　beginning　of　motion。　Force　is　not
as　yet；　like　the　final　cause；　inherently　self…determining：　the　content　is　given　to　it　as　determined；　and
force；　when　it　exerts　itself；　is；　according　to　the　phrase；　blind　in　its　working。　That　phrase　implies　the
distinction　between　abstract　force…manifestation　and　teleological　action。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　136n2
The　oft…repeated　statement；　that　the　exercise　of　the　force　and　not　the　force　itself　admits　of　being
known；　must　be　rejected　as　groundless。　It　is　the　very　essence　of　force　to　manifest　itself；　and　thus　in
the　totality　of　manifestation；　conceived　as　a　law；　we　at　the　same　time　discover　the　force　itself。　And
yet　this　assertion　that　force　in　its　own　self　is　unknowable　betrays　a　we