shorter logic-第59章

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sets　in　abeyance　mere　relativity　and　phenomenality　in　general。　Yet　so　long　as　understanding　keeps
the　Inward　and　Outward　fixed　in　their　separation；　they　are　empty　forms；　the　one　as　null　as　the
other。　Not　only　in　the　study　of　nature；　but　also　of　the　spiritual　world；　much　depends　on　a　just
appreciation　of　the　relation　of　inward　and　outward；　and　especially　on　avoiding　the　misconception
that　the　former　only　is　the　essential　point　on　which　everything　turns；　while　the　latter　is　unessential
and　trivial。　We　find　this　mistake　made　when；　as　is　often　done；　the　difference　between　nature　and
mind　is　traced　back　to　the　abstract　difference　between　inner　and　outer。　As　for　nature；　it　certainly　is
in　the　gross　external；　not　merely　to　the　mind；　but　even　on　its　own　part。　But　to　call　it　external　'in　the
gross'　is　not　to　imply　an　abstract　externality…for　there　is　no　such　thing。　It　means　rather　that　the　Idea
which　forms　the　common　content　of　nature　and　mind；　is　found　in　nature　as　outward　only；　and　for
that　very　reason　only　inward。　The　abstract　understanding；　with　its　'either…or'；　may　struggle　against
this　conception　of　nature。　It　is　none　the　less　obviously　found　in　our　other　modes　of　consciousness；
particularly　in　religion。　It　is　the　lesson　of　religion　that　nature；　no　less　than　the　spiritual　world；　is　a
revelation　of　God：　but　with　this　distinction；　that　while　nature　never　gets　so　far　as　to　be　conscious　of
its　divine　essence；　that　consciousness　is　the　express　problem　of　the　mind；　which　in　the　matter　of
that　problem　is　as　yet　finite。　Those　who　look　upon　the　essence　of　nature　as　mere　inwardness；　and
therefore　inaccessible　to　us；　take　up　the　same　line　as　that　ancient　creed　which　regarded　God　as
envious　and　jealous；　a　creed　which　both　Plato　and　Aristotle　pronounced　against　long　ago。　All　that
God　is；　he　imparts　and　reveals；　and　he　does　so　at　first　in　and　through　nature。　

Any　object　indeed　is　faulty　and　imperfect　when　it　is　only　inward；　and　thus　at　the　same　time　only
outward；　or　（which　is　the　same　thing）　when　it　is　only　an　outward　and　thus　only　an　inward。　For
instance；　a　child；　taken　in　the　gross　as　human　being；　is　no　doubt　a　rational　creature；　but　the　reason
of　the　child　as　child　is　at　first　a　mere　inward；　in　the　shape　of　his　natural　ability　or　vocation；　etc。　This
mere　inward；　at　the　same　time；　has　for　the　child　the　form　of　a　mere　outward；　in　the　shape　of　the
will　of　his　parents；　the　attainments　of　his　teachers；　and　the　whole　world　of　reason　that　environs
him。　The　education　and　instruction　of　a　child　aim　at　making　him　actually　and　for　himself　what　he　is
at　first　only　potentially　and　therefore　for　others；　viz。；　for　his　grown　up　friends。　The　reason；　which　at
first　exists　in　the　child　only　as　an　inner　possibility；　is　actualised　through　education：　and　conversely；
the　child　by　these　means　becomes　conscious　that　the　goodness；　religion；　and　science　which　he　had
at　first　looked　upon　as　an　outward　authority；　are　his　own　nature。　As　with　the　child　so　it　is　in　this
matter　with　the　adult；　when；　in　opposition　to　his　true　destiny；　his　intellect　and　will　remain　in　the
bondage　of　the　natural　man。　Thus；　the　criminal　sees　the　punishment　to　which　he　has　to　submit　as　an
act　of　violence　from　without；　whereas　in　fact　the　penalty　is　only　the　manifestation　of　his　own
criminal　will。　

From　what　has　now　been　said；　we　may　learn　what　to　think　of　a　man　who；　when　blamed　for　his
shortcomings；　or；　it　may　be；　his　discreditable　acts；　appeals　to　the　（professedly）　excellent　intentions
and　sentiments　of　the　inner　self　he　distinguishes　therefrom。　There　certainly　may　be　individual　cases
where　the　malice　of　outward　circumstances　frustrates　well…meant　designs；　and　disturbs　the
execution　of　the　best…laid　plans。　But　in　general　even　here　the　essential　unity　between　inward　and
outward　is　maintained。　We　are　thus　justified　in　saying　that　a　man　is　what　he　does；　and。　the　lying
vanity　which　consoles　itself　with　the　feeling　of　inward　excellence　may　be　confronted　with　the
words　of　the　Gospel：　'By　their　fruits　ye　shall　know　them。'　That　grand　saying　applies　primarily　in　a
moral　and　religious　aspect；　but　it　also　holds　good　in　reference　to　performances　in　art　and　science。
The　keen　eye　of　a　teacher　who　perceives　in　his　pupil　decided　evidences　of　talent；　may　lead　him　to
state　his　opinion　that　a　Raphael　of　a　Mozart　lies　hidden　in　the　boy：　and　the　result　will　show　how　far
such　an　opinion　was　well…founded。　But　if　a　daub　of　a　painter；　or　a　poetaster；　soothe　themselves　by
the　conceit　that　their　head　is　full　of　high　ideas；　their　consolation　is　a　poor　one；　and　if　they　insist　on
being　judged　not　by　their　actual　works　but　by　their　projects；　we　may　safely　reject　their　pretensions
as　unfounded　and　unmeaning。　The　converse　case　however　also　occurs。　In　passing　judgment　on
men　who　have　accomplished　something　great　and　good；　we　often　make　use　of　the　false　distinction
between　inward　and　outward。　All　that　they　have　accomplished；　we　say；　is　outward　merely；
inwardly　they　were　acting　from　some　very　different　motive；　such　as　a　desire　to　gratify　their　vanity
or　other　unworthy　passion。　This　is　the　spirit　of　envy。　Incapable　of　any　great　action　of　its　own；　envy
tries　hard　to　depreciate　greatness　and　to　bring　it　down　to　its　own　level。　Let　us；　rather；　recall　the
fine　expression　of　Goethe；　that　there　is　no　remedy　but　Love　against　great　superiorities　of　others。
We　may　seek　to　rob　men's　great　actions　of　their　grandeur；　by　the　insinuation　of　hypocrisy；　but；
though　it　is　possible　that　men　in　an　instance　now　and　then　may　dissemble　and　disguise　a　good　deal；
they　cannot　conceal　the　whole　of　their　inner　self；　which　infallibly　betrays　itself　in　the　decursus
vitae。　Even　here　it　is　true　that　a　man　is　nothing　but　the　series　of　his　actions。　

What　is　called　the　'pragmatic'　writing　of　history　has　in　modern　times　frequently　sinned　in　its
treatment　of　great　historical　characters；　and　defaced　and　tarnished　the　true　conception　of　them　by
this　fallacious　separation　of　the　outward　and　the　inward。　Not　content　with　telling　the　unvarnished
tale　of　the　great　acts　which　have　been　wrought　by　the　heroes　of　the　world's　history；　and　wit
acknowledging　that　their　inward　being　corresponds　with　the　import　of　their　acts；　the　pragmatic
historian　fancies　himself　justified　and　even　obliged　to　trace　the　supposed　secret　motives　that　lie
behind　the　open　facts　of　the　record。　The　historian；　in　that　case；　is　supposed　to　write　with　more
depth　in　proportion　as　he　succeeds　in　tearing　away　the　aureole　from　all　that　has　been　heretofore
held　grand　and　glorious；　and　in　depressing　it；　so　far　as　its　origin　and　proper　significance　are
concerned；　to　the　level　of　vulgar　mediocrity。　To　make　these　pragmatic　researches　in　history　easier；
it　is　usual　to　recommend　the　study　of　psychology；　which　is　supposed　to　make　us　acquainted　with
the　real　motives　of　human　actions。　The　psychology　in　question　however；　is　only　that　petty
knowledge　of　men；　which　looks　away　from　the　essential　and　permanent　in　human　nature　to　fasten
its　glance　on　the　casual　and　private　features　shown　in　isolated　instincts　and　passions。　A　pragmatic
psychology　ought　at　leat　to　leave　the　historian；　who　investigates　the　motives　at　the　ground　of　great
actions；　a　choice　between　the　'substantial'　interests　of　patriotism；　justice；　religious　truth；　and　the
like；　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　subjective　and　'formal'　interests　of　vanity；　ambition；　avarice；　and　the
like；　on　the　other。　The　latter；　however；　are　the　motives　which　must　be　viewed　by　the　pragmatist　as
really　efficient；　otherwise　the　assumption　of　a　contrast　between　inward　（the　disposition　of　the
agent）　and　the　outward　（the　import　of　he　action）　would　fall　to　the　ground。　But　inward　and　outward
have　in　truth　the　same　content；　and　the　right　doctrine　is　the　very　reverse　of　this　pedantic　judiciality。
If　the　heroes　of　history　had　been　actuated　by　subjective　and　formal　interests　alone；　they　would
never　have　accomplished　what　they　have。　And　if　we　have　due　regard　to　the　unity　between　the
inner　and　the　outer；　we　must　own　that　great　men　willed　what　they　did；　and　did　what　they　willed。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§141　

The　empty　abstractions；　by　means　of　which　the　one　identical　content　perforce
continues　in　th