《哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)》philosophy of history(英文版)-第35章

thought　it　has　no　objectivity；　that　is　its　basis。　The　highest　point　in　the　development　of　a　people　is
this；　—　to　have　gained　a　conception　of　its　life　and　condition；　—　to　have　reduced　its　laws；　its　ideas
of　justice　and　morality　to　a　science；　for　in　this　unity　＇of　the　objective　and　subjective＇　lies　the　most
intimate　unity　that　Spirit　can　attain　to　in　and　with　itself。　In　its　work　it　is　employed　in　rendering　itself
an　object　of　its　own　contemplation；　but　it　cannot　develop　itself　objectively　in　its　essential　nature；
except　in　thinking　itself。　
§　89
At　this　point；　then；　Spirit　is　acquainted　with　its　principles　—　the　general　character　of　its　acts。　But　at
the　same　time；　in　virtue　of　its　very　generality；　this　work　of　thought　is　different　in　point　of　form　from
the　actual　achievements　of　the　national　genius；　and　from　the　vital　agency　by　which　those
achievements　have　been　performed。　We　have　then　before　us　a　real　and　an　ideal　existence　of　the
Spirit　of　the　Nation。　If　we　wish　to　gain　the　general　idea　and　conception　of　what　the　Greeks　were；
we　find　it　in　Sophocles　and　Aristophanes；　in　Thucydides　and　Plato。　In　these　individuals　the　Greek
spirit　conceived　and　thought　itself。　This　is　the　profounder　kind　of　satisfaction　which　the　Spirit　of　a
people　attains；　but　it　is　“ideal；”　and　distinct　from　its　“real”　activity。　
§　90
At　such　a　time；　therefore；　we　are　sure　to　see　a　people　finding　satisfaction　in　the　idea　of　virtue；
putting　talk　about　virtue　partly　side　by　side　with　actual　virtue；　but　partly　in　the　place　of　it。　On　the
other　hand　pure；　universal　thought；　since　its　nature　is　universality；　is　apt　to　bring　the　Special　and
Spontaneous　—　Belief；　Trust；　Customary　Morality　—　to　reflect　upon　itself；　and　its　primitive
simplicity；　to　show　up　the　limitation　with　which　it　is　fettered；　—　partly　suggesting　reasons　for
renouncing　duties；　partly　itself　demanding　reasons；　and　the　connection　of　such　requirements　with
Universal　Thought；　and　not　finding　that　connection；　seeking　to　impeach　the　authority　of　duty
generally；　as　destitute　of　a　sound　foundation。　
§　91
At　the　same　time　the　isolation　of　individuals　from　each　other　and　from　the　Whole　makes　its
appearance；　their　aggressive　selfishness　and　vanity；　their　seeking　personal　advantage　and
consulting　this　at　the　expense　of　the　State　at　large。　That　inward　principle　in　transcending　its
outward　manifestations　is　subjective　also　in　form　—　viz。；　selfishness　and　corruption　in　the　unbound
passions　and　egotistic　interests　of　men。　
§　92
Zeus；　therefore；　who　is　represented　as　having　put　a　limit　to　the　devouring　agency　of　Time；　and
staid　this　transience　by　having　established　something　inherently　and　independently　durable　—　Zeus
and　his　race　are　themselves　swallowed　up；　and　that　by　the　very　power　that　produced　them　—　the
principle　of　thought；　perception；　reasoning；　insight　derived　from　rational　grounds；　and　the
requirement　of　such　grounds。　
§　93
Time　is　the　negative　element　in　the　sensuous　world。　Thought　is　the　same　negativity；　but　it　is　the
deepest；　the　infinite　form　of　it；　in　which　therefore　all　existence　generally　is　dissolved；　first　finite
existence；　—　determinate；　limited　form：　but　existence　generally；　in　its　objective　character；　is
limited；　it　appears　therefore　as　a　mere　datum　—　something　immediate　—　authority；　—　and　is　either
intrinsically　finite　and　limited；　or　presents　itself　as　a　limit　for　the　thinking　subject；　and　its　infinite
reflection　on　itself　＇unlimited　abstraction＇。
§　94
But　first　we　must　observe　how　the　life　which　proceeds　from　death；　is　itself；　on　the　other　hand；　only
individual　life；　so　that；　regarding　the　species　as　the　real　and　substantial　in　this　vicissitude；　the
perishing　of　the　individual　is　a　regress　of　the　species　into　individuality。　The　perpetuation　of　the　race
is；　therefore；　none　other　than　the　monotonous　repetition　of　the　same　kind　of　existence。　Further；　we
must　remark　how　perception；　—　the　prehension　of　being　by　thought；　—　is　the　source　and
birthplace　of　a　new；　and　in　fact　higher　form；　in　a　principle　which　while　it　preserves；　dignifies　its
material。　For　Thought　is　that　Universal　…　that　Species　which　is　immortal；　which　preserves　identity
with　itself。　The　particular　form　of　Spirit　not　merely　passes　away　in　the　world　by　natural　causes　in
Time；　but　is　annulled　in　the　automatic　self…mirroring　activity　of　consciousness。　Because　this
annulling　is　an　activity　of　Thought；　it　is　at　the　same　time　conservative　and　elevating　in　its　operation。
While　then；　on　the　one　side；　Spirit　annuls　the　reality；　the　permanence　of　that　which　it　is；　it　gains　on
the　other　side；　the　essence；　the　Thought；　the　Universal　element　of　that　which　it　only　was　＇its
transient　conditions＇。　Its　principle　is　no　longer　that　immediate　import　and　aim　which　it　was
previously；　but　the　essence　of　that　import　and　aim。　
§　95
The　result　of　this　process　is　then　that　Spirit；　in　rendering　itself　objective　and　making　this　its　being　an
object　of　thought；　on　the　one　hand　destroys　the　determinate　form　of　its　being；　on　the　other　hand
gains　a　prehension　of　the　universal　element　which　it　involves；　and　thereby　gives　a　new　form　to
its　inherent　principle。　In　virtue　of　this；　the　substantial　character　of　the　National　Spirit　has　been
altered；　—　that　is；　its　principle　has　risen　into　another；　and　in　fact　a　higher　principle。　
§　96
It　is　of　the　highest　importance　in　apprehending　and　prehending　History　to　have　and　to
understand　the　thought　involved　in　this　transition。　The　individual　traverses　as　a　unity　various　grades
of　development；　and　remains　the　same　individual；　in　like　manner　also　does　a　people；　till　the　Spirit
which　it　embodies　reaches　the　grade　of　universality。　In　this　point　lies　the　fundamental；　the　Ideal
necessity　of　transition。　This　is　the　soul　—　the　essential　consideration　—　of　the　philosophical
prehension　of　History。