shorter logic-第38部分

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at　the　nature　of　quantity　as　an　indifferent　and　external　character　of　being；　we　are　disposed　to
answer　these　questions　in　the　negative。　And　yet；　as　we　must　admit；　this　indifferent　increase　and
diminution　has　its　limit：　a　point　is　finally　reached；　where　a　single　additional　grain　makes　a　heap　of
wheat；　and　the　bald…tail　is　produced；　if　we　continue　plucking　out　single　hairs。　These　examples　find
a　parallel　in　the　story　of　the　peasant　who；　as　his　ass　trudged　cheerfully　along；　went　on　adding
ounce　after　ounce　to　its　load；　till　at　length　it　sunk　under　the　unendurable　burden。　It　would　be　a
mistake　to　treat　these　examples　as　pedantic　futility；　they　really　turn　on　thoughts；　an　acquaintance
with　which　is　of　great　importance　in　practical　life；　especially　in　ethics。　Thus　in　the　matter　of
expenditure；　there　is　a　certain　latitude　within　which　a　more　or　less　does　not　matter；　but　when　the
Measure；　imposed　by　the　individual　circumstances　of　the　special　case；　is　exceeded　on　the　one　side
or　the　other；　the　qualitative　nature　of　Measure　（as　in　the　above　examples　of　the　different
temperature　of　water）　makes　itself　felt；　and　a　course；　which　a　moment　before　was　held　good
economy；　turns　into　avarice　or　prodigality。　The　same　principles　may　be　applied　in　politics；　when
the　constitution　of　a　state　has　to　be　looked　at　as　independent　of；　no　less　than　as　dependent　on；　the
extent　of　its　territory；　the　number　of　its　inhabitants；　and　other　quantitative　points　of　the　same　kind。
If　we　look；　e。g。　at　a　state　with　a　territory　of　ten　thousand　square　miles　and　a　population　of　four
millions　we　should；　without　hesitation；　admit　that　a　few　square　miles　of　land　or　a　few　thousand
inhabitants　more　or　less　could　exercise　no　essential　influence　on　the　character　of　its　constitution。
But　on　the　other　hand；　we　must　not　forget　that　by　the　continual　increase　or　diminishing　of　a　state；
we　finally　get　to　a　point　where；　apart　from　all　other　circumstances；　this　quantitative　alteration　alone
necessarily　draws　with　it　an　alteration　in　the　quality　of　the　constitution。　The　constitution　of　a　little
Swiss　canton　does　not　suit　a　great　kingdom；　and；　similarly；　the　constitution　of　the　Roman　republic
was　unsuitable　when　transferred　to　the　small　imperial　towns　of　Germany。　
？



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§109

In　this　case；　when　a　measure　through　its　quantitative　nature　has　gone　in　excess　of
its　qualitative　character；　we　meet　what　is　at　first　an　absence　of　measure；　the
Measureless。　But　seeing　that　the　second　quantitative　ratio；　which　in　comparison
with　the　first　is　measureless；　is　none　the　less　qualitative；　the　measureless　is　also　a
measure。　These　two　transitions；　from　quality　to　quantum；　and　from　the　latter
back　again　to　quality；　may　be　represented　under　the　image　of　an　infinite
progression…as　the　self…abrogation　and　restoration　of　measure　in　the　measureless。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§109n

Quantity；　as　we　have　seen；　is　not　only　capable　of　alteration；　i。e。　of　increase　or　diminution：　it　is
naturally　and　necessarily　a　tendency　to　exceed　itself。　This　tendency　is　maintained　even　in　measure。
But　if　the　quantity　present　in　measure　exceeds　a　certain　limit；　the　quality　corresponding　to　it　is　also
put　in　abeyance。　This　however　is　not　a　negation　of　quality　altogether；　but　only　of　this　definite
quality；　the　place　of　which　is　at　once　occupied　by　another。　This　process　of　measure；　which
appears　alternately　as　a　mere　change　in　quantity；　and　then　as　a　sudden　revulsion　of　quantity　into
quality；　may　be　envisaged　under　the　figure　of　a　nodal　（knotted）　line。　Such　lines　we　find　in　Nature
under　a　variety　of　forms。　We　have　already　referred　to　the　qualitatively　different　states　of
aggregation　water　exhibits　under　increase　or　diminution　of　temperature。　The　same　phenomenon　is
presented　by　the　different　degrees　in　the　oxidation　of　metals。　Even　the　difference　of　musical　notes
may　be　regarded　as　an　example　of　what　takes　place　in　the　process　of　measure　the　revulsion　from
what　is　at　first　merely　quantitative　into　qualitative　alteration。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§110

What　really　takes　place　here　is　that　the　immediacy；　which　still　attaches　to　measure
as　such；　is　set　aside。　In　measure；　at　first；　quality　and　quantity　itself　are　immediate；
and　measure　is　only　their　'relative'　identity。　But　measure　shows　itself　absorbed
and　superseded　in　the　measureless：　yet　the　measureless；　although　it　be　the
negation　of　measure；　is　itself　a　unity　of　quantity　and　quality。　Thus　in　the
measureless　the　measure　is　still　seen　to　meet　only　with　itself。　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§111

Instead　of　the　more　abstract　factors；　Being　and　Nothing；　some　and　other；　etc。；　the
Infinite；　which　is　affirmation　as　a　negation　of　negation；　now　finds　its　factors　in
quality　and　quantity。　These　（a）　have　in　the　first　place　passed　over　quality　into
quantity　（§　98）；　and　quantity　into　quality　（§　105）；　and　thus　are　both　shown　up　as
negations。　（p）　But　in　their　unity；　that　is；　in　measure；　they　are　originally　distinct；
and　the　one　is　only　through　the　instrumentality　of　the　other。　And　（；y）　after　the
immediacy　of　this　unity　has　turned　out　to　be　self…annulling；　the　unity　is　explicitly
put　as　what　it　implicitly　is；　simple　relation…to…self；　which　contains　in　it　being　and
all　its　forms　absorbed。　Being　or　immediacy；　which　by　the　negation　of　itself　is　a
mediation　with　self　and　a　reference　to　self…which　consequently　is　also　a　mediation
which　cancels　itself　into　reference　to…self；　or　immediacy…is　Essence。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　111n
The　process　of　measure；　instead　of　being　only　the　wrong　infinite　of　an　endless　progression；　in　the
shape　of　an　ever…recurrent　recoil　from　quality　to　quantity　and　from　quantity　to　quality；　is　also　a　true
infinity　of　coincidence　with　self　in　other。　In　measure；　quality　and　quantity　originally　confront　each
other；　like　some　and　other。　But　quality　is　implicitly　quantity　and　conversely　quantity　is　implicitly
quality。　In　the　process　of　measure；　therefore；　these　two　pass　into　each　other：　each　of　them
becomes　what　it　already　was　implicitly：　and　thus　we　get　Being　thrown　into　abeyance　and
absorbed；　with　its　several　characteristics　negatived。　Such　Being　is　Essence。　Measure　is　implicitly
Essence；　and　its　process　consists　in　realising　what　it　is　implicitly。　The　ordinary　consciousness
conceives　things　as　being；　and　studies　them　in　quality；　quantity；　and　measure。　These　immediate
characteristics；　however；　soon　show　themselves　to　be　not　fixed　but　transient；　and　Essence　is　the
result　of　their　dialectic。　

In　the　sphere　of　Essence　one　category　does　not　pass　into　another；　but　refers　to　another　merely。　In
Being；　the　forms　of　reference　is　purely　due　to　our　reflection　on　what　takes　place：　but　it　is　the
special　and　proper　characteristic　of　Essence。　In　the　sphere　of　Being；　when　somewhat　becomes
another；　the　somewhat　has　vanished。　Not　so　in　Essence：　here　there　is　no　real　other；　but　only
diversity；　reference　of　the　one　to　its　other。　The　transition　of　Essence　is　therefore　at　the　same　time
no　transition：　for　in　the　passage　of　different　into　different；　the　different　does　not　vanish：　the　different
terms　remain　in　their　relation。　When　we　speak　of　Being　and　Nought；　Being　is　independent；　so　is
Nought。　The　case　is　otherwise　with　the　Positive　and　the　Negative。　No　doubt　these　possess　the
characteristic　of　Being　and　Nought。　But　the　Positive　by　itself　has　no　sense；　it　is　wholly　in　reference
to　the　negative。　And　it　is　the　same　with　the　negative。　In　the　sphere　of　Being　the　reference　of　one
term　to　another　is　only　implicit；　in　Essence　on　the　contrary　it　is　explicit。　And　this　in　general　is　the
distinction　between　the　forms　of　Being　and　Essence：　in　Being　everything　is　immediate；　in　Essence
everything　is　relative。　




Second　Subdivision　of　The　Logic；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIII。　ESSENCE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　112
The　terms　in　Essence　are　always　mere　pairs　of　correlatives；　and　yet　not
absolutely　reflected　in　themselves：　hence　in　essence　the　actual　unity　of　the　notion
is　not　yet　realised；　but　only　postulated　by　reflection。　Essence　…　which　is　Being
coming　into　mediation　with　itself　through　the　negativity　of　itself　…　is
self…relatedness；　only　in　so　far　as　it　is　relation　to　an　Other　…　this　Other　however
coming　to　view　at　first　not　as　something　which　is；　but　as　postulated　and
hypothesised。　

Being　has　not　vanished：　but；　firstly；　Essence；　as　simple　self…relation；　is　Being；　and
secondly　as　regards　its　one…sided　characteristic　of　immediacy；　Being　is　deposed　to
a　mere　negative；　to　a　seeming　or　reflected　light　…　Essence　accordingly　is　Being
thus　reflecting　light　into　itself。　

The　Absolute　is　the　Essence。　This　is　the　same　definition　as　the　previous　one　that
the　Absolute　is　Being；　in　so　far　as　Being　likewise　is　simple　self…relation。　But　it　is　at
the　same　time　higher；　because　Essence　is　Being　that　has　gone　into　itself：　that　is　to
say；　the　simple　self…relation　（in　Being）　is　expressly　put　as　negation　of　the　negative
is　immanent　self…mediation。　Unfortunately；　when　the　Absolute　is　defined　to　be
Essence；　the　negativity　which　this　implies　is　often　taken　only　to　mean　the
withdrawal　of　all　determinate　predicates。　This　negative　action　of　withdrawal　or
abstraction　thus　falls　outside　of　the　Essence　…　which　is　thus　left　as　a　mere　result
apart　from　its　premises　…　the　caput　mortuum　of　abstraction。　But　as　this　negativity；
instead　of　being　external　to　Being；　is　its　own　dialectic；　the　truth　of　the　latter；　viz。；
Essence；　will　be　Being　as　retired　within　itself　…　immanent　Being。　

That　reflection；　or　light　thrown　into　itself；　constitutes　the　distinction　between
Essence　and　immediate　Being；　and　is　the　peculiar　characteristic　of　Essence　itself。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　112n

Any　mention　of　Essence　implies　that　we　distinguish　it　from　Being：　the　latter　is　immediate；　and；
compared　with　the　Essence；　we　look　upon　it　as　mere　seeming。　But　this　seeming　is　not　an　utter
nonentity　and　nothing　at　all；　but　Being　superseded　and　put　by。　The　point　of　view　given　by　the
Essence　is　in　general　the　standpoint　of　'Reflection'。　This　word　'reflection'　is　originally　applied；　when
a　ray　of　light　in　a　straight　line　impinging　upon　the　surf