history of philosophy-第112章
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under the image of a line；” as shown by the following scheme：
＋ ＋
A = B A = B
A = A
“in which the same identity is posited in each direction； but with A or B preponderating in
opposite directions。” （18） If we go into details； the main points from an elementary point of view
are the following。
The first potency is that the first quantitative difference of the Absolute； or “the first relative
totality is matter。 Proof： A = B is not anything real either as relative identity or as relative duplicity。
As identity A = B； in the individual as in the whole； can be expressed only by the line；〃 — the first
dimension。 “But in that line A is posited throughout as existent；” i。e。 it is at the same time related
to B。 “Therefore this line presupposes A = B as relative totality throughout； relative totality is
therefore the first presupposition； and if relative identity exists； it exists only through relative
totality；〃 — this is duplicity； the second dimension。 “In the same way relative duplicity
presupposes relative identity。 Relative identity and duplicity are contained in relative totality； not
indeed actu； but yet potentia。 Therefore the two opposites must mutually extinguish each other in
a third” dimension。 “Absolute identity as the immediate basis of the reality of A and B in matter； is
the force of gravitation。 If A preponderates we have the force of attraction； if B preponderates we
have that of expansion。 The quantitative positing of the forces of attraction and expansion passes
into the infinite； their equilibrium exists in the whole； not in the individual。” （19） From matter as the
first indifference in immediacy Schelling now passes on to further determinations。
The second potency （A2） is light； this identity itself posited as existent； in so far as A = B； A2 is
also posited。 The same identity； “posited under the form of relative identity；” i。e。 of the polarity
which we find appearing “in A and B； is the force of cohesion。 Cohesion is the impression made
on matter by the self…hood” of light “or by personality； whereby matter first emerges as particular
out of the universal identity； and raises itself into the realm of form。” Planets； metals and other
bodies form a series which under the form of dynamic cohesion expresses particular relations of
cohesion； in which on the one hand contraction preponderates； and on the other hand expansion。
Those potencies appear with Schelling as north and south； east and west polarity： their
developments further appear as north…west； south…east； &c。 He counts as the last potency
Mercury； Venus； the Earth； &c。 He continues： “Cohesion outside of the point of indifference I term
passive。 Towards the negative side” （or pole） “fall some of the metals which stand next to iron；
after them the so…called precious metals；” then the “diamond； and lastly carbon； the greatest
passive cohesion。 Towards the positive side； again； some metals fall； in which the cohesive nature
of iron gradually diminishes；” i。e。 approaches disintegration； and lastly “disappears in nitrogen。”
Active cohesion is magnetism； and the material universe is an infinite magnet。 The magnetic
process is difference in indifference； and indifference in difference； and therefore absolute identity
as such。 The indifference point of the magnet is the “neither nor” and the “as well as” ； the poles
are potentially the same essence； only posited under two factors which are opposed。 Both poles
depend “only upon whether ＋ or — preponderates” ； they are not pure abstractions。 “In the total
magnet the empirical magnet is the indifference point。 The empirical magnet is iron。 All bodies are
mere metamorphoses of iron — they are potentially contained in iron。 Every two different bodies
which touch each other set up mutually in each other relative diminution and increase of cohesion。
This mutual alteration of cohesion by means of the contact of two different bodies is electricity； the
cohesion…diminishing factor ＋E is the potency of hydrogen； …E is the potency of oxygen。 “The
totality of the dynamic process is represented only by the chemical process。” （20）
“By the positing of the dynamic totality the addition of light； is directly posited as a product。 The
expression； the total product； therefore signifies light combined with the force of gravitation； by the
positing of the relative totality of the whole potency； the force of gravity is directly reduced to the
mere form of the Being of absolute identity。” This is the third potency （A3）； the organism。（21）
Schelling launched out into too many individual details； if he desired to indicate the construction of
the whole universe。 On the one hand； however； he did not complete this representation； and on the
other hand； he has confined himself mainly to implicit existence； and has mixed therewith the
formalism of external construction according to a presupposed scheme。 In this representation he
advanced only as far as the organism； and did not reach the presentation of the other side of
knowledge； i。e。 the philosophy of spirit。 Schelling began time after time； in accordance with the
idea implied in this construction； to work out the natural universe； and especially the organism。 He
banishes all such meaningless terms as perfection； wisdom； outward adaptability； or； in other
words； the Kantian formula； that a thing appears so and so to our faculty of knowledge； is
transformed by him into this other formula； that such and such is the constitution of Nature。
Following up Kant's meagre attempt at demonstrating spirit in nature； he devoted special attention
to inaugurating anew this mode of regarding nature； so as to recognize in objective existence the
same schematism； the same rhythm； as is present in the ideal。 Hence nature represents itself therein
not as something alien to spirit； but as being in its general aspect； a projection of spirit into an
objective mode。
We have further to remark that Schelling by this theory became the originator of modern Natural
Philosophy； since he was the first to exhibit Nature as the sensuous perception or the expression
of the Notion and its determinations。 Natural Philosophy is no new science； we met with it
continually — in the works of Aristotle； for instance； and elsewhere。 English Philosophy is also a
mere apprehension in thought of the physical； forces； laws of Nature； are its fundamental
determinations。 The opposition of physics and Natural Philosophy is therefore not the opposition
of the unthinking and the thinking view of Nature； Natural Philosophy means； if we take it in its
whole extent； nothing else than the thoughtful contemplation of Nature； but this is the work of
ordinary physics also； since its determinations of forces； laws； &c。； are thoughts。 The only
difference is that in physics thoughts are formal thoughts of the understanding； whose material and
content cannot； as regards their details； be determined by thought itself； but must be taken from
experience。 But concrete thought contains its determination and its content in itself； and merely the
external mode of appearance pertains to the senses。 If； then； Philosophy passes beyond the form
of the understanding； and has apprehended the speculative Notion； it must alter the determinations
of thought； the categories of the understanding regarding Nature。 Kant was the first to set about
this； and Schelling has sought to grasp the Notion of Nature； instead of contenting himself with the
ordinary metaphysics of the same。 Nature is to him nothing but the external mode of existence as
regards the system of thought…forms； just as mind is the existence of the same system in the form
of consciousness。 That for which we have to thank Schelling； therefore； is not that he brought
thought to bear on the comprehension of Nature； but that he altered the categories according to
which thought applied itself to Nature； he introduced forms of Reason； and applied them — as he
did the form of the syllogism in magnetism； for instance — in place of the ordinary categor
