shorter logic-第68章

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of　the　whole　notion。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　161n

Transition　into　something　else　is　the　dialectical　process　within　the　range　of　Being：　reflection
（bringing　something　else　into　light）；　in　the　range　of　Essence。　The　movement　of　the　Notion　is
development：　by　which　that　only　is　explicit　which　is　already　implicitly　present。　In　the　world　of
nature　it　is　organic　life　that　corresponds　to　the　grade　of　the　notion。　Thus　e。g。　the　plant　is　developed
from　its　germ。　The　germ　virtually　involves　the　whole　plant；　but　does　so　only　ideally　or　in　thought：
and　it　would　therefore　be　a　mistake　to　regard　the　development　of　the　root；　stem；　leaves；　and　other
different　parts　of　the　plant；　as　meaning　that　they　were　realiter　present；　but　in　a　very　minute　form；
in　the　germ。　That　is　the　so…called　'box…within…box'　hypothesis；　a　theory　which　commits　the　mistake
of　supposing　an　actual　existence　of　what　is　at　first　found　only　as　a　postulate　of　the　completed
thought。　The　truth　of　the　hypothesis　on　the　other　hand　lies　in　its　perceiving　that　in　the　process　of
development　the　notion　keeps　to　itself　and　only　gives　rise　to　alteration　of　form；　without　making　any
addition　in　point　of　content。　It　is　this　nature　of　the　notion　…　this　manifestation　of　itself　in　its　process
as　a　development　of　its　own　self　which　is　chiefly　in　view　with　those　who　speak　of　innate　ideas；　or
who；　like　Plato；　describe　all　learning　merely　as　reminiscence。　Of　course　that　again　does　not　mean
that　everything　which　is　embodied　in　a　mind；　after　that　mind　has　been　formed　by　instructions　had
been　present　in　that　mind　beforehand；　in　its　definitely　expanded　shape。　

The　movement　of　the　notion　is　as　it　were　to　be　looked　upon　merely　as　plan：　the　other　which　it　sets
up　is　in　reality　not　an　other。　Or；　as　it　is　expressed　in　the　teaching　of　Christianity：　not　merely　has
God　created　a　World　which　confronts　him　as　an　other；　he　has　also　from　all　eternity　begotten　a　Son
in　whom　he；　a　Spirit；　is　at　home　with　himself。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　162

The　doctrine　of　the　notion　is　divided　into　three　parts。　

（1）　The　first　is　the　doctrine　of　the　Subjective　or　Formal　Notion。　

（2）　The　second　is　the　doctrine　of　the　notion　invested　with　the　character　of
immediacy；　or　of　Objectivity。　

（3）　The　third　is　the　doctrine　of　the　Idea；　the　subject…object；　the　unity　of　notion
and　objectivity；　the　absolute　truth。　

The　Common　Logic　covers　only　the　matters　which　come　before　us　here　as　a
portion　of　the　third　part　of　the　whole　system；　together　with　the　so…called　Laws　of
Thought；　which　we　have　already　met；　and　in　the　Applied　Logic　it　adds　a　little
about　cognition。　This　is　combined　with　psychological；　metaphysical；　and　all　sorts
of　empirical　materials；　which　were　introduced　because；　when　all　was　done；　those
forms　of　thought　could　not　be　made　to　do　all　that　was　required　of　them。　But　with
these　additions　the　science　lost　its　unity　of　aim。　Then　there　was　a　further
circumstance　against　the　Common　Logic。　Those　forms；　which　at　least　do　belong
to　the　proper　domain　of　Logic；　are　supposed　to　be　categories　of　conscious
thought　only；　of　thought　too　in　the　character　of　understanding；　not　of　reason。　

The　preceding　logical　categories；　those　viz。　of　Being　and　Essence；　are；　it　is　true；
no　mere　logical　modes　or　entities：　they　are　proved　to　be　notions　in　their　transition
or　their　dialectical　element；　and　in　their　return　into　themselves　and　totality。　But
they　are　only　in　a　modified　form　notions　（cf。　§§　84　and　112）；　notions
rudimentary；　or；　what　is　the　same　thing；　notions　for　us。　The　antithetical　term　into
which　each　category　passes；　or　in　which　it　shines；　so　producing　correlation；　is　not
characterised　as　a　particular。　The　third；　in　which　they　return　to　unity；　is　not
characterised　as　a　subject　or　a　individual：　nor　is　there　any　explicit　statement　that
the　category　is　identical　in　its　antithesis　…　in　other　words；　its　freedom　is　not
expressly　stated：　and　all　this　because　the　category　is　not　universality。　What
generally　passes　current　under　the　name　of　a　notion　is　a　mode　of　understanding；
or　even　a　mere　general　representation；　and　therefore；　in　short；　a　finite　mode　of
thought　（cf。　§　62）。　

The　Logic　of　the　Notion　is　usually　treated　as　a　science　of　form　only；　and
understood　to　deal　with　the　form　of　notion；　judgment；　and　syllogism　as　form；
without　in　the　least　touching　the　question　whether　anything　is　true。　The　answer　to
that　question　is　supposed　to　depend　on　the　content　only。　If　the　logical　forms　of
the　notion　were　really　dead　and　inert　receptacles　of　conceptions　and　thoughts；
careless　of　what　they　contained；　knowledge　about　them　would　be　an　idle　curiosity
which　the　truth　might　dispense　with。　On　the　contrary　they　really　are；　as　forms　of
the　notion；　the　vital　spirit　of　the　actual　world。　That　only　is　true　of　the　actual　which
is　true　in　virtue　of　these　forms；　through　them　and　in　them。　As　yet；　however；　the
truth　of　these　forms　has　never　been　considered　or　examined　on　their　own　account
any　more　than　their　necessary　interconnection。　？　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A。　THE　SUBJECTIVE　NOTION



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Development　of　the　Subjective　Notion
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Notion　…　Judgment　…　Syllogism



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（a）　The　Notion　as　Notion
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　163

The　Notion　as　Notion　contains　the　three　following　'moments'　or　functional　parts。　

（1）　The　first　is　Universality…meaning　that　it　is　in　free　equality　with　itself　in　its
specific　character。　

（2）　The　second　is　Particularity…that　is；　the　specific　character；　in　which　the
universal　continues　serenely　equal　to　itself。　

（3）　The　third　is　Individuality…meaning　the　reflection…into…self　of　the　specific
characters　of　universality　and　particularity；　which　negative　self…unity　has　complete
and　original　determinateness；　without　any　loss　to　its　self…identity　or　universality。　

Individual　and　actual　are　the　same　thing：　only　the　former　has　issued　from　the
notion；　and　is　thus；　as　a　universal；　stated　expressly　as　a　negative　identity　with
itself。　The　actual；　because　it　is　at　first　no　more　than　a　potential　or　immediate　unity
of　essence　or　existence；　may　possibly　have　effect：　but　the　individuality　of　the
notion　is　the　very　source　of　effectiveness；　effective　moreover　no　longer　as　the
cause　is；　with　a　show　of　effecting　something　else；　but　effective　of　itself。
Individuality；　however；　is　not　to　be　understood　to　mean　the　immediate　or　natural
individual；　as　when　we　speak　of　individual　things　or　individual　men：　for　that
special　phase　of　individuality　does　not　appear　till　we　come　to　the　judgment。　Every
function　and　'moment'　of　the　notion　is　itself　the　whole　notion　（§　160）；　but　the
individual　or　subject　is　the　notion　expressly　put　as　a　totality。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　163n1

The　notion　is　generally　associated　in　our　minds　with　abstract　generality；　and　on　that　account　it　is
often　described　as　a　general　conception。　We　speak；　accordingly；　of　the　notions　of　colour；　plant；
animal；　etc。　They　are　supposed　to　be　arrived　at　by　neglecting　the　particular　features　which
distinguish　the　different　colours；　plants；　and　animals　from　each　other；　and　by　retaining　those
common　to　them　all。　This　is　the　aspect　of　the　notion　which　is　familiar　to　understanding；　and　feeling
is　in　the　right　when　it　stigmatises　such　hollow　and　empty　notions　as　mere　phantoms　and　shadows。
But　the　universal　of　the　notion　is　not　a　mere　sum　of　features　common　to　several　things；　confronted
by　a　particular　which　enjoys　an　existence　of　its　own。　It　is；　on　the　contrary；　self…particularising　or
self…specifying；　and　with　undimmed　clearness　finds　itself　at　home　in　its　antithesis。　For　the　sake　both
of　cognition　and　of　our　practical　conduct；　it　is　of　the　utmost　importance　that　the　real　universal
should　not　be　confused　with　what　is　merely　held　in　common。　All　those　charges　which　the　devotees
of　feeling　make　against　thought；　and　especially　against　philosophic　thought；　and　the　reiterated
statement　that　is　dangerous　to　carry　thought　to　what　they　call　too　great　lengths；　originate　in　the
confusion　of　these　two　things。　

The　universal　in　its　true　and　comprehensive　meaning　is　a　thought　which；　as　we　know；　cost
thousands　of　years