shorter logic-第73章

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extraneous。　In　chemism；　on　the　contrary；　the　object　exhibits　an　essential　tendency　to
differentiation；　in　such　a　way　that　the　objects　are　what　they　are　only　by　their　relation　to　each　other：
this　tendency　to　difference　constitutes　their　quality。　The　third　type　of　objectivity；　the　teleological
relation；　is　the　unity　of　mechanism　and　chemism。　Design；　like　the　mechanical　object；　is　a
self…contained　totality；　enriched　however　by　the　principle　of　differentiation　which　came　to　the　fore
in　chemism；　and　thus　referring　itself　to　the　object　that　stands　over　against　it。　Finally；　it　is　the
realisation　of　design　which　forms　the　transition　to　the　Idea。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（a）　Mechanism
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　195

The　object　（1）　in　its　immediacy　is　the　notion　only　potentially；　the　notion　as
subjective　is　primarily　outside　it；　and　all　its　specific　character　is　imposed　from
without。　As　a　unity　of　differents；　therefore；　it　is　a　composite；　an　aggregate；　and　its
capacity　of　acting　on　anything　else　continues　to　be　an　external　relation。　This　is
Formal　Mechanism。　Notwithstanding；　and　in　this　connection　and
non…independence；　the　objects　remain　independent　and　offer　resistance；　external
to　each　other。　

Pressure　and　impact　are　examples　of　mechanical　relations。　Our　knowledge　is　said
to　be　mechanical　or　by　rote；　when　the　words　have　no　meaning　for　us；　but
continue　external　to　sense；　conception；　thought；　and　when；　being　similarly
external　to　each　other；　they　form　a　meaningless　sequence。　Conduct；　piety；　etc。；
are　in　the　same　way　mechanical；　when　a　man's　behaviour　is　settled　for　him　by
ceremonial　laws；　by　a　spiritual　adviser；　etc。；　in　short；　when　his　own　mind　and　will
are　not　in　his　actions；　which　in　this　way　are　extraneous　to　himself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　195n

Mechanism；　the　first　form　of　objectivity；　is　also　the　category　which　primarily　offers　itself　to
reflection；　as　it　examines　the　objective　world。　It　is　also　the　category　beyond　which　reflection
seldom　goes。　It　is；　however；　a　shallow　and　superficial　mode　of　observation；　one　that　cannot　carry
us　through　in　connection　with　Nature　and　still　less　in　connection　with　the　world　of　Mind。　In　Nature
it　is　only　the　veriest　abstract　relations　of　matter　in　its　inert　masses　which　obey　the　law　of
mechanism。　On　the　contrary　the　phenomena　and　operations　of　the　province　to　which　the　term
'physical'　in　its　narrower　sense　is　applied；　such　as　the　phenomena　of　light；　heat；　magnetism；　and
electricity；　cannot　be　explained　by　any　mere　mechanical　processes；　such　as　pressure；　impact；
displacement　of　parts；　and　the　like。　

Still　less　satisfactory　is　it　to　transfer　these　categories　and　apply　them　in　the　field　of　organic　nature；
at　least　if　it　be　our　aim　to　understand　the　specific　features　of　that　field；　such　as　the　growth　and
nourishment　of　plants；　or；　it　may　be；　even　animal　sensation。　It　is　at　any　rate　a　very　deep…seated；
and　perhaps　the　main；　defect　of　modern　researches　into　nature；　that；　even　where　other　and　higher
categories　than　those　of　mere　mechanism　are　in　operation；　they　still　stick　obstinately　to　the
mechanical　laws；　although　they　thus　conflict　with　the　testimony　of　unbiased　perception；　and
foreclose　the　gate　to　an　adequate　knowledge　of　nature。　But　even　in　considering　the　formations　in
the　world　of　Mind；　the　mechanical　theory　has　been　repeatedly　invested　with　an　authority　which　it
has　no　right　to。　Take　as　an　instance　the　remark　that　man　consists　of　soul　and　body。　In　this
language；　the　two　things　stand　each　self…subsistent；　and　associated　only　from　without。　Similarly　Be
find　the　soul　regarded　as　a　mere　group　of　forces　and　faculties；　subsisting　independently　side　by
side。　

Thus　decidedly　must　we　reject　the　mechanical　mode　of　inquiry　when　it　comes　forward　and
arrogates　to　itself　the　place　of　rational　cognition　in　general；　and　seeks　to　get　mechanism　accepted
as　an　absolute　category。　But　we　must　not　on　that　account　forget　expressly　to　vindicate　for
mechanism　the　right　and　import　of　a　general　logical　category。　It　would　be；　therefore；　a　mistake　to
restrict　it　to　the　special　physical　department　from　which　it　derives　its　name。　There　is　no　harm　done；
for　example；　in　directing　attention　to　mechanical　actions；　such　as　that　of　gravity；　the　lever；　etc。；
even　in　departments；　notably　in　physics　and　in　physiology；　beyond　the　range　of　mechanics　proper。
It　must　however　be　remembered　that　within　these　spheres　the　laws　of　mechanism　cease　to　be　final
or　decisive；　and　sink；　as　it　were；　to　a　subservient　position。　To　which　may　be　added　that　in　Nature；
when　the　higher　or　organic　functions　are　in　any　way　checked　or　disturbed　in　their　normal
efficiency；　the　otherwise　subordinate　category　of　mechanism　is　immediately　seen　to　take　the　upper
hand。　Thus　a　sufferer　from　indigestion　feels　pressure　on　the　stomach；　after　partaking　of　certain
food　in　slight　quantity；　whereas　those　whose　digestive　organs　are　sound　remain　free　from　the
sensation；　although　they　have　eaten　as　much。　The　same　phenomenon　occurs　in　the　general　feeling
of　heaviness　in　the　limbs；　experienced　in　bodily　indisposition。　Even　in　the　world　of　Mind；
mechanism　has　its　place；　though　there；　too；　it　is　a　subordinate　one。　We　are　right　in　speaking　of
mechanical　memory；　and　all　sorts　of　mechanical　operations；　such　as　reading；　writing；　playing　on
musical　instruments；　etc。　In　memory；　indeed；　the　mechanical　quality　of　the　action　is　essential：　a
circumstance　of　which　the　neglect　has　not　unfrequently　caused　great　harm　in　the　training　of　the
young；　from　the　misapplied　zeal　of　modern　educationalists　for　the　freedom　of　intelligence。　It　would
betray　bad　psychology；　however；　to　have　recourse　to　mechanism　for　an　explanation　of　the　nature
of　memory；　and　to　apply　mechanical　laws　straight　off　to　the　soul。　The　mechanical　feature　in
memory　lies　merely　in　the　fact　that　certain　signs；　tones；　etc。；　are　apprehended　in　their　purely
external　association；　and　then　reproduced　in　this　association；　without　attention　being　expressly
directed　to　their　meaning　and　inward　association。　To　become　acquainted　with　these　conditions　of
mechanical　memory　requires　no　further　study　of　mechanics；　nor　would　that　study　tend　at　all　to
advance　the　special　inquiry　of　psychology。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　196

The　want　of　stability　in　itself　which　allows　the　object　to　suffer　violence；　is
possessed　by　it　（see　preceding　§）　only　in　so　far　as　it　has　a　certain　stability。　Now
as　the　object　is　implicitly　invested　with　the　character　of　notion；　the　one　of　these
characteristics　is　not　merged　into　its　other；　but　the　object；　through　the　negation　of
itself　（its　lack　of　independence）；　closes　with　itself；　and　not　till　it　so　closes；　is　it
independent。　Thus　at　the　same　time　in　distinction　from　the　outwardness；　and
negativing　that　outwardness　in　its　independence；　does　this　independence　form　a
negative　unity　with　self　…　Centrality　（subjectivity）。　So　conceived；　the　other　itself
has　direction　and　reference　towards　the　external。　But　this　external　object　is
similarly　central　in　itself；　and　being　so；　is　no　less　only　referred　towards　the　other
centre；　so　that　it　no　less　has　its　centrality　in　the　other。　This　is　（2）　Mechanism
with　Affinity　（with　bias；　or　'difference'）；　and　may　be　illustrated　by　gravitation；
appetite；　social　instinct；　etc。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　197

This　relation；　when　fully　carried　out；　forms　a　syllogism。　In　that　syllogism　the
immanent　negativity；　as　the　central　individuality　of　an　object　（abstract　centre）
relates　itself　to　non…independent　objects；　as　the　other　extreme；　by　a　mean　which
unites　the　centrality　with　the　non…independence　of　the　objects　（relative　centre）。
This　is　（3）　Absolute　Mechanism。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　198

The　syllogism　thus　indicated　（I　…　P　…　U）　is　a　triad　of　syllogisms。　The　wrong
individuality　of　non…independent　objects；　in　which　formal　Mechanism　is　at　home；
is；　by　reason　of　that　non…independence；　no　less　universality；　though　it　be　only
external。　Hence　these　objects　also　form　the　mean　between　the　absolute…and　the
relative　centre　（the　form　of　syllogism　being　U　…　I　…　P）：　for　it　is　by　this　want　of
independence　that　those　two　are　ke