philosophy of right-第6章

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at　pains　to　find　that　out；　and　refused　to　busy　themselves　with　empty　opinion　and
minute　detail；　they　would　adhere　to　and　act　in　accordance　with　substantive　right；
namely　the　commands　of　the　state　and　the　claims　of　society。　But　a　further
difficulty　lies　in　the　fact　that　man　thinks；　and　seeks　freedom　and　a　basis　for
conduct　in　thought。　Divine　as　his　right　to　act　in　this　way　is；　it　becomes　a　wrong；
when　it　takes　the　place　of　thinking。　Thought　then　regards　itself　as　free　only　when
it　is　conscious　of　being　at　variance　with　what　is　generally　recognised；　and　of
setting　itself　up　as　something　original。　

The　idea　that　freedom　of　thought　and　mind　is　indicated　only　by　deviation　from；　or
even　hostility　to　what　is　everywhere　recognised；　is　most　persistent　with　regard　to
the　state。　The　essential　task　of　a　philosophy　of　the　state　would　thus　seem　to　be
the　discovery　and　publication　of　a　new　and　original　theory。　

When　we　examine　this　idea　and　the　way　it　is　applied；　we　are　almost　led　to　think
that　no　state　or　constitution　has　ever　existed；　or　now　exists。　We　are　tempted　to
suppose　that　we　must　now　begin　and　keep　on　beginning　afresh　for　ever。　We　are
to　fancy　that　the　founding　of　the　social　order　has　depended　upon　present　devices
and　discoveries。　As　to　nature；　philosophy；　it　is　admitted；　has　to　understand　it　as　it
is。　The　philosophers'　stone　must　be　concealed　somewhere；　we　say；　in　nature
itself；　as　nature　is　in　itself　rational。　Knowledge　must；　therefore；　examine；
apprehend　and　conceive　the　reason　actually　present　in　nature。　Not　with　the
superficial　shapes　and　accidents　of　nature；　but　with　its　eternal　harmony；　that　is　to
say；　its　inherent　law　and　essence；　knowledge　has　to　cope。　But　the　ethical　world　or
the　state；　which　is　in　fact　reason　potently　and　permanently　actualised　in
self…consciousness；　is　not　permitted　to　enjoy　the　happiness　of　being　reason　at　all。　

Footnote　There　are　two　kinds　of　laws；　laws　of　nature　and　laws　of　right。　The　laws　of　nature　are
simply　there；　and　are　valid　as　they　are。　They　cannot　be　gainsaid；　although　in　certain　cases　they　may
be　transgressed。　In　order　to　know　laws　of　nature；　we　must　get　to　work　to　ascertain　them。　for　they
are　true；　and　only　our　ideas　of　them　can　be　false。　Of　these　laws　the　measure　is　outside　of　us。　Our
knowledge　adds　nothing　to　them；　and　does　not　further　their　operation。　Only　our　knowledge　of
them　expands。　The　knowledge　of　right　is　partly　of　the　same　nature　and　partly　different。　The　laws　of
right　also　are　simply　there；　and　we　have　to　become　acquainted　with　them。　In　this　way　the　citizen
has　a　more　or　less　firm　hold　of　them　as　they　are　given　to　him；　and　the　jurist　also　abides　by　the
same　standpoint。　But　there　is　also　a　distinction。　In　connection　with　the　laws　of　right　the　spirit　of
investigation　is　stirred　up；　and　our　attention　is　turned　to　the　fact　that　the　laws；　because　they　are
different；　are　not　absolute。　Laws　of　right　are　established　and　handed　down　by　men。　The　inner
voice　must　necessarily　collide　or　agree　with　them。　Man　cannot　be　limited　to　what　is　presented　to
him；　but　maintains　that　he　has　the　standard　of　right　within　himself。　He　may　be　subject　to　the
necessity　and　force　of　external　authority；　but　not　in　the　same　way　as　he　is　to　the　necessity　of
nature；　for　always　his　inner　being　says　to　him　how　a　thing　ought　to　be；　and　within　himself　he　finds
the　confirmation　or　lack　of　confirmation　of　what　is　generally　accepted。　In　nature　the　highest　truth　is
that　a　law　is。　In　right　a　thing　is　not　valid　because　it　is；　since　every　one　demands　that　it　shall　conform
to　his　standard。　Hence　arises　a　possible　conflict　between　what　is　and　what　ought　to　be；　between
absolute　unchanging　right　and　the　arbitrary　decision　of　what　ought　to　be　right。　Such　division　and
strife　occur　only　on　the　soil　of　the　spirit。　Thus　the　unique　privilege　of　the　spirit　would　appear　to
lead　to　discontent　and　unhappiness；　and　frequently　we　are　directed　to　nature　in　contrast　with　the
fluctuations　of　life。　But　it　is　exactly　in　the　opposition　arising　between　absolute　right；　and　that　which
the　arbitrary　will　seeks　to　make　right；　that　the　need　lies　of　knowing　thoroughly　what　right　is。　Men
must　openly　meet　and　face　their　reason；　and　consider　the　rationality　of　right。　This　is　the
subject…matter　of　our　science　in　contrast　with　jurisprudence；　which　often　has　to　do　merely　with
contradictions。　Moreover　the　world　of　today　has　an　imperative　need　to　make　this　investigation　In
ancient　times；　respect　and　reverence　for　the　law　were　universal。　But　now　the　fashion　of　the　time
has　taken　another　turn；　and　thought　confronts　everything　which　has　been　approved。　Theories　now
set　themselves　in　opposition　to　reality；　and　make　as　though　they　were　absolutely　true　and
necessary。　And　there　is　now　more　pressing　need　to　know　and　conceive　the　thoughts　upon　right。
Since　thought　has　exalted　itself　…is　the　essential　form；　we　must　now　be　careful　to　apprehend　right
also　as　thought。　It　would　look　as　though　the　door　were　thrown　open　for　every　casual　opinion；
when　thought　is　thus　made　to　supervene　upon　right。　But　true　thought　of　a　thing　is　not　an　opinion；
but　the　conception　of　the　thing　itself。　The　conception　of　the　thing　does　not　come　to　us　by　nature。
Every　man　has　fingers；　and　may　have　brush　and　colours；　but　he　is　not　by　reason　of　that　a　painter。
So　is　it　with　thought。　The　thought　of　right　is　not　a　thing　which　every　man　has　at　first　hand。　True
thinking　is　thorough　acquaintance　with　the　object。　Hence　our　knowledge　must　be　scientific。　

On　the　contrary；　the　spiritual　universe　is　looked　upon　as　abandoned　by　God；　and　given　over　as　a
prey　to　accident　and　chance。　As　in　this　way　the　divine　is　eliminated　from　the　ethical　world；　truth
must　be　sought　outside　of　it。　And　since　at　the　same　time　reason　should　and　does　belong　to　the
ethical　world；　truth；　being　divorced　from　reason；　is　reduced　to　a　mere　speculation。　Thus　seems　to
arise　the　necessity　and　duty　of　every　thinker　to　pursue　a　career　of　his　own。　Not　that　he　needs　to
seek　for　the　philosophers'　stone；　since　the　philosophising　of　our　day　has　saved　him　the　trouble；　and
every　would…be　thinker　is　convinced　that　he　possesses　the　stone　already　without　search。　But　these
erratic　pretensions　are；　as　it　indeed　happens；　ridiculed　by　all　who；　whether　they　are　aware　of　it　or
not；　are　conditioned　in　their　lives　by　the　state；　and　…find　their　minds　and　wills　satisfied　in　it。　These；
who　include　the　majority　if　not　all；　regard　the　occupation　of　philosophers　as　a　game；　sometimes
playful；　sometimes　earnest；　sometimes　entertaining；　sometimes　dangerous；　but　always　as　a　mere
game。　Both　this　restless　and　frivolous　reflection　and　also　this　treatment　accorded　to　it　might　safely
be　left　to　take　their　own　course；　were　it　not　that　betwixt　them　philosophy　is　brought　into　discredit
and　contempt。　The　most　cruel　despite　is　done　when　every　one　is　convinced　of　his　ability　to　pass
judgment　upon；　and　discard　philosophy　without。　any　special　study。　No　such　scorn　is　heaped　upon
any　other　art　or　science。　

In　point　of　fact　the　pretentious　utterances　of　recent　philosophy　regarding　the　state　have　been
enough　to　justify　anyone　who　cared　to　meddle　with　the　question；　in　the　conviction　that　he　could
prove　himself　a　philosopher　by　weaving　a　philosophy　out　of　his　own　brain。　Notwithstanding　this
conviction；　that　which　passes　for　philosophy　has　openly　announced　that　truth　cannot　be　known。
The　truth　with　regard　to　ethical　ideals；　the　state；　the　government　and　the　constitution　ascends；　so　it
declares；　out　of　each　man's　heart；　feeling　and　enthusiasm。　Such　declarations　have　been　poured
especially　into　the　eager　ears　of　the　young。　The　words　〃God　giveth　truth　to　his　chosen　in　sleep〃
have　been　applied　to　science　；　hence　every　sleeper　has　numbered　himself　amongst　the　chosen。　But
what　he　deals　with　in　sleep　is　only　the　wares　of　sleep。　Mr。　Fries；　one　of　the　leaders　of　this
shallow…minded　host　of　philosophers；　on　a　public　festive　occasion；　now　become　celebrated；　has
not　hesitated　to　give　utterance　to　the　following；　notion　of　the　state　and　constitution：　〃When　a　nation
is　ruled　by　a　common　spirit；　then　from　below；　out　of　the　people；　will　come　life　sufficient　for　the
discharge　of　all　public　business。　Living　associations；　un