第 4 节
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mathematical science of the understanding derives from its presupposed determinations; and
according to the method of the understanding; without concepts。 However; since mathematics is
the science of the finite determinations of magnitude; which remain fixed in their finitude and valid;
and should not change in transit; thus it is essentially a science of the understanding。 And since it
has the ability to express spatial figures and numbers; which gives it an advantage over other
sciences of this kind; it ought to retain this ability for itself and to avoid contamination by either
concepts; like time; which are heterogeneous to it; or empirical purposes。 It therefore remains
open for the concept to establish a more fundamental consciousness than has hitherto been shown;
both in terms of the leading principles of the understanding and in terms of order and its necessity
in arithmetical operations; as well as in the theses of geometry。…If one wanted to treat the forms of
space and the unit philosophically; they would lose on these grounds their particular significance; a
philosophy of them would become a matter of logic; or would even assume the character of
another concrete philosophical science; according to the ways one imparted a more concrete
significance to the concepts。…
It would; however; be a superfluous and thankless task to try to use such an unmanageable and
inadequate medium as spatial figures and numbers for the expression of thoughts; and to treat them
violently for this purpose。 For the specific concept would always be related only externally to
them。 The simple elementary figures and numbers can in any case be used as symbols; which;
however; are a subordinate and poor expression for thoughts。 The first attempts of pure thought
took recourse to such aids: the Pythagorean system of numbers is the famous example of this。 But
with richer concepts these means became completely unsatisfactory; since their external
juxtaposition and contingent combination are not at all appropriate to the nature of the concept;
and make it altogether ambiguous which of the many possible relationships in complex numbers
and figures should be adhered to。 Besides; the fluid character of the concept is dissipated in such
an external medium; in which each determination falls into the indifferent being outside the others。
This ambiguity could only be removed by an explanation。 The essential expression of the thought is
in that case this explanation; and this symbolising is an empty superfluity。
Other mathematical determinations; such as infinity and its relationships; the infinitesimal; factors;
powers; and so ' on; have their true concepts in philosophy itself。 It is awkward to want to take
and derive these from mathematics; where they are employed in a nonconceptual; often
meaningless way; rather; they must await their justification and significance from philosophy。 The
truly philosophical science of mathematics as theory of magnitude would be the science of
measures; but this already presupposes the real particularity of things; which is only at hand in
concrete nature。
§ 203。
(5) Space and time constitute the idea in and for itself; with space the real or immediately
objective side and time the purely subjective side。 Space is in itself the contradiction of indifferent
being outside of others and undifferentiated continuity; and thereby the pure negativity of itself and
the transition into time。 Space converts into the individuality of the place。 Time is; equally; since its
moments held together in unity suspend themselves immediately; the immediate convergence into
indifference; into undifferentiated being apart from one another; or into space; so that its place is
precisely in that way immediate as sheer indifferent spatiality。 This disappearance and regeneration
of space in time and of time in space is motion;…a becoming; which; however; is itself just as much
immediately the identically existing unity of both; or matter。
The transition from ideality to reality; from abstraction to concrete existence; in this case from
space and time to reality; which appears as matter; is incomprehensible to the understanding; and
always converts therefore externally for the understanding; and as a given entity。 The usual
conception is to take space and time as empty and to be filled with matter from the outside。 In this
way material things are; on the one hand; to be taken as indifferent to space and time; and on the
other hand to be taken at the same time as essentially spatial and temporal。
What is usually said of matter is: (a) that it is composite; this refers to its identity with space。
Insofar as abstractions are made from time and from all form generally; it is asserted that matter is
eternal and immutable。 In fact; this follows immediately; but such a matter is also only an untrue
abstraction。 (b) It is said that matter is impenetrable and offers resistance; is tangible; visible; and
so on。 These predicates mean nothing else than that matter exists; partly for specific forms of
perception; in general for an other; but partly just as much for itself Both of these are
determinations which belong to matter precisely because it is the identity of space and time; of
immediate being apart from itself or of becoming。
The transition of ideality into reality is demonstrated therefore in the familiar mechanical
phenomena; namely; that ideality can take the place of reality and vice versa; and only the usual
thoughtlessness of the representation and of the understanding are to blame that; for them; their
identity does not derive from the interchangeability of both。 In connection with the lever; for
example; distance can be posited in the place of mass and vice versa; and a quantum of the ideal
moment produces the same effect as the corresponding real moment。
Similarly; velocity; in the magnitude of motion; the quantitative relationship of space and time;
represents mass; and conversely; the same real effect emerges if the mass is increased and the
velocity proportionately decreased。 By itself a brick does not kill a person; but produces this
effect only though the velocity it achieves; in other words; the person is killed through space and
time。
It is force; a category of reflection fixed by the understanding; which presents itself here as the
ultimate; and therefore prevents understanding and lets it seem superfluous to inquire further after
the concept。 But this at least appears without thought; namely; that the effect of force is something
real and appealing to the senses; and in force there is realised that which is in its expression;
indeed; it appears that force achieves precisely this force of its expression through the relationship
of its ideal moments; of space and time。
Further; it is also in keeping with this nonconceptual reflection that 〃forces' are seen as implanted in
matter; and as originally external to it; so that this very identity of time…and space; which vaguely
appears in the reflective category of force; and which in truth constitutes the essence of matter; is
posited as something alien to it and contingent; something introduced into it from outside。
II
Inorganic Physics
A。 Mechanics … B。 Elementary Physics … C。 The Physics of Individuality
§ 204。
Matter in itself holds itself apart from itself through the moment of its negativity; diversity; or
abstract separation into parts; it has repulsion。 Its being apart from itself is just as essential;
however; because these differences are one and the same: the negative unity of this existence apart
from itself as being for itself; and thus continuous。 Matter therefore has attraction。 The unity of
these moments is gravity。
Kant has; among other things; through the attempt at a “construction” of matter in his
metaphysical elements of the natural sciences; the merit of having started towards a concept of
matter; after it had been attributed merely to the deadness of the understanding and its
determinations had been conceived as the relations of attributes。 With this attempt Kant revived
the concept of the philosophy of nature; which is nothing other than the comprehension of nature
or; what is the same; the knowledge of the concept in nature。 But in so doing he assumed that the
reflective categories of attraction and repulsion were readymade; and further; he presupposed that
the category of the reflection itself out of which matter should emerge; is readymade。 This
confusion is a necessary consequence of Kant's procedure; because the former abstract moments
can not be conceptualised without their identity; moreover; because the observation of these
opposing determinations suspends itself immediately in their identity; there is the danger that they
will appear; like attraction; as a mere continuity。 I have demonstrated in detail the confusion which
dominates Kant's exposition in my system of Logic; vol。 1; part 1; pp。 119ff。
§ 205。
Matter; as having gravity; is only: (1) matter existing in itself or general。 But this conce