science of logic-第2章

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　　　　　　　　　　（b）　Synthetic　Cognition

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　Definition　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2。　Division　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　3。　The　Theorem　

　　　　　B　The　Idea　of　the　Good　

Chapter　3　The　Absolute　Idea







Preface　to　the　First　Edition

The　complete　transformation　which　philosophical　thought　in　Germany　has　undergone　in　the　last
twenty…five　years　and　the　higher　standpoint　reached　by　spirit　in　its　awareness　of　itself；　have　had
but　little　influence　as　yet　on　the　structure　of　logic。

That　which；　prior　to　this　period；　was　called　metaphysics　has　been；　so　to　speak；　extirpated　root
and　branch　and　has　vanished　from　the　ranks　of　the　sciences。　The　ontology；　rational　psychology；
cosmology；　yes　even　natural　theology；　of　former　times…where　is　now　to　be　heard　any　mention　of
them；　or　who　would　venture　to　mention　them？　Inquiries；　for　instance；　into　the　immateriality　of　the
soul；　into　efficient　and　final　causes；　where　should　these　still　arouse　any　interest？　Even　the　former
proofs　of　the　existence　of　God　are　cited　only　for　their　historical　interest　or　for　purposes　of
edification　and　uplifting　the　emotions。　The　fact　is　that　there　no　longer　exists　any　interest　either　in　the
form　or　the　content　of　metaphysics　or　in　both　together。　If　it　is　remarkable　when　a　nation　has
become　indifferent　to　its　constitutional　theory；　to　its　national　sentiments；　its　ethical　customs　and
virtues；　it　is　certainly　no　less　remarkable　when　a　nation　loses　its　metaphysics；　when　the　spirit　which
contemplates　its　own　pure　essence　is　no　longer　a　present　reality　in　the　life　of　the　nation。

The　exoteric　teaching　of　the　Kantian　philosophy　—　that　the　understanding　ought　not　to　go　beyond
experience；　else　the　cognitive　faculty　will　become　a　theoretical　reason　which　itself　generates
nothing　but　fantasies　of　the　brain　—　this　was　a　justification　from　a　philosophical　quarter　for　the
renunciation　of　speculative　thought。　In　support　of　this　popular　teaching　came　the　cry　of　modern
educationists　that　the　needs　of　the　time　demanded　attention　to　immediate　requirements；　that　just　as
experience　was　the　primary　factor　for　knowledge；　so　for　skill　in　public　and　private　life；　practice
and　practical　training　generally　were　essential　and　alone　necessary；　theoretical　insight　being　harmful
even。　Philosophy　＇Wissenschaft＇　and　ordinary　common　sense　thus　co…operating　to　bring　about
the　downfall　of　metaphysics；　there　was　seen　the　strange　spectacle　of　a　cultured　nation　without
metaphysics…like　a　temple　richly　ornamented　in　other　respects　but　without　a　holy　of　holies。
Theology；　which　in　former　times　was　the　guardian　of　the　speculative　mysteries　and　of　metaphysics
（although　this　was　subordinate　to　it）　had　given　up　this　science　in　exchange　for　feelings；　for　what
was　popularly　matter…of…fact；　and　for　historical　erudition。　In　keeping　with　this　change；　there
vanished　from　the　world　those　solitary　souls　who　were　sacrificed　by　their　people　and　exiled　from
the　world　to　the　end　that　the　eternal　should　be　contemplated　and　served　by　lives　devoted　solely
thereto…not　for　any　practical　gain　but　for　the　sake　of　blessedness；　a　disappearance　which；　in
another　context；　can　be　regarded　as　essentially　the　same　phenomenon　as　that　previously
mentioned。　So　that　having　got　rid　of　the　dark　utterances　of　metaphysics；　of　the　colourless
communion　of　the　spirit　with　itself；　outer　existence　seemed　to　be　transformed　into　the　bright　world
of　flowers…and　there　are　no　black　flowers；　as　we　know。

Logic　did　not　fare　quite　so　badly　as　metaphysics。　？？this　prejudice　has　long　since　vanished；　and
the　spirit　of　practicality　certainly　did　not　intend　for　logic　a　better　fate　than　was　suffered　by　the　sister
science。

Nevertheless；　probably　for　the　sake　of　a　certain　formal　utility；　it　was　still　left　a　place　among　the
sciences；　and　indeed　was　even　retained　as　a　subject　of　public　instruction。　However；　this　better　lot
concerns　only　the　outer　fate　of　logic；　for　its　structure　and　contents　have　remained　the　same
throughout　a　long　inherited　tradition；　although　in　the　course　of　being　passed　on　the　contents　have
become　ever　more　diluted　and　attenuated；　logic　shows　no　traces　so　far　of　the　new　spirit　which　has
arisen　in　the　sciences　no　less　than　in　the　world　of　actuality。　However；　once　the　substantial　form　of
the　spirit　has　inwardly　reconstituted　itself；　all　attempts　to　preserve　the　forms　of　an　earlier　culture
are　utterly　in　vain；　like　withered　leaves　they　are　pushed　off　by　the　new　buds　already　growing　at
their　roots。

Even　in　the　philosophical　sphere　this　ignoring　of　the　general　change　is　beginning　gradually　to　come
to　an　end。　Imperceptibly；　even　those　who　are　opposed　to　the　new　ideas　have　become　familiar
with　them　and　have　appropriated　them；　and　if　they　continue　to　speak　slightingly　of　the　source　and
principles　of　those　ideas　and　to　dispute　them；　still　they　have　accepted　their　consequences　and　have
been　unable　to　defend　themselves　from　their

influence；　the　only　way　in　which　they　can　give　a　positive　significance　and　a　content　to　their　negative
attitude　which　is　becoming　less　and　less　important；　is　to　fall　in　with　the　new　ways　of　thinking。　On
the　other　hand；　it　seems　that　the　period　of　fermentation　with　which　a　new　creative　idea　begins　is
past。　In　its　first　manifestation；　such　an　idea　usually　displays　a　fanatical　hostility　toward　the
entrenched　systematisation　of　the　older　principle；　usually　too；　it　is　fearful　of　losing　itself　in　the
ramifications　of　the　particular　and　again　it　shuns　the　labour　required　for　a　scientific　elaboration　of
the　new　principle　and　in　its　need　for　such；　it　grasps　to　begin　with　at　an　empty　formalism。　The
challenge　to　elaborate　and　systematise　the　material　now　becomes　all　the　more　pressing。　There　is　a
period　in　the　culture　of　an　epoch　as　in　the　culture　of　the　individual；　when　the　primary　concern　is　the
acquisition　and　assertion　of　the　principle　in　its　undeveloped　intensity。　But　the　higher　demand　is　that
it　should　become　systematised　knowledge。

Now　whatever　may　have　been　accomplished　for　the　form　and　content　of　philosophy　in　other
directions；　the　science　of　logic　which　constitutes　metaphysics　proper　or　purely　speculative
philosophy；　has　hitherto　still　been　much　neglected。　What　it　is　exactly　that　I　understand　by　this
science　and　its　standpoint；　I　have　stated　provisionally　in　the　Introduction。

The　fact　that　it　has　been　necessary　to　make　a　completely　fresh　start　with　this　science；　the　very
nature　of　the　subject　matter　and　the　absence　of　any　previous　works　which　might　have　been　utilised
for　the　projected　reconstruction　of　logic；　may　be　taken　into　account　by　fair…minded　critics；　even
though　a　labour　covering　many　years　has　been　unable　to　give　this　effort　a　greater　perfection。　The
essential　point　of　view　is　that　what　is　involved　is　an　altogether　new　concept　of　scientific　procedure。

Philosophy；　if　it　would　be　a　science；　cannot；　as　I　have　remarked　elsewhere；　borrow　its　method
from　a　subordinate　science　like　mathematics；　any　more　than　it　can　remain　satisfied　with　categorical
assurances　of　inner　intuition；　or　employ　arguments　based　on　grounds　adduced　by　external
reflection。　On　the　contrary；　it　can　be　only　the　nature　of　the　content　itself　which　spontaneously
develops　itself　in　a　scientific　method　of　knowing；　since　it　is　at　the　same　time　the　reflection　of　the
content　itself　which　first　posits　and　generates　its　determinate　character。　？

The　understanding　determines；　and　holds　the　determinations　fixed；　reason　is　negative　and
dialectical；　because　it　resolves　the　determinations　of　the　understanding　into　nothing；　it　is　positive
because　it　generates　the　universal　and　comprehends　the　particular　therein。

Just　as　the　understanding　is　usually　taken　to　be　something　separate　from　reason　as　such；　so　too
dialectical　reason　is　usually　taken　to　be　something　distinct　from　positive　reason。　But　reason　in　its
truth　is　spirit　which　is　higher　than　either　merely　positive　reason；　or　merely　intuitive　understanding。　

It　is　the　negative；　that　which　constitutes　the　quality　alike　of　dialectical　reason　and　of　understanding；
it　negates　what　is　simple；　thus　positing　the　specific　difference　of　the　understanding；　it　equally
resolves　it　and　is　thus　dialectical。

But　it　does　not　stay　in　th