past　one。
  §　263。
  The　powers　of　this　process；　which　nature　leaves　behind　as　independent　entities　beyond　earth；　are
  the　connection　and　the　position　of　the　earth　in　the　solar　system；　its　solar；　lunar；　and　cometary　life；
  the　inclination　of　its　axis　to　the　orbit　and　the　magnetic　axis。　Standing　in　closer　relation　to　these　axes
  and　their　polarisation　is　the　distribution　of　sea　and　land：　the　compact　spreading　of　land　in　the　north；
  the　division　and　sharp　tapering　of　the　parts　towards　the　south；　the　further　separation　into　an　old
  and　a　new　world；　and　the　further　division　of　the　former　into　continents　distinguished　from　one
  another　and　from　the　new　world　by　their　physical；　organic；　and　anthropological　character；　to
  which　an　even　younger　and　more　immature　continent　is　joined；　—　mountain　ranges；　and　so　on。
  §　264。
  The　physical　organisation　of　the　earth　shows　a　series　of　stages　of　granitic　activity；　involving　a　core
  of　mountains　in　which　the　trinity　of　determinations　is　displayed；　and　leads　through　other　forms
  which　are　partly　transitions　and　modifications；　though　its　totality　remains　the　existing　foundation；
  only　more　unequal　and　unformed　within　itself　This　is　partly　also　an　elaboration　of　its　moments　into
  a　more　determinate　difference　and　more　abstract　mineral　moments；　such　as　metals　and　fossil
  objects　generally；　until　it　loses　itself　in　mechanical　stratifications　and　alluvial　terrains　lacking　any
  immanent　formative　development。
  §　265。
  This　crystal　of　life；　the　inanimate　organism　of　the　earth　which　has　its　concept　in　the　sidereal
  connection　but　possesses　its　own　process　as　a　presupposed　past；　is　the　immediate　subject　of　the
  meteorological　process；　which　as　an　organised　whole　is　in　its　complete　determinateness。　In　this
  objective　subject　the　formerly　elementary　process　is　now　objective　and　individual；　—　the
  suspension　of　immediacy　takes　place；　through　which　general　individuality　now　emerges　for　itself
  and　life　becomes　vital　or　real。　The　first　real　vitality；　which　the　fructified　earth　brings　forth；　is
  vegetable　nature。
  B。
  Vegetable　Nature
  §　266。
  The　generality　and　individuality　of　life　are　still　immediately　identical　in　immediate　vitality。
  Consequently　the　process　by　which　the　plant　differentiates　itself　into　distinct　parts　and　sustains
  itself　is　one　in　which　it　comes　out　of　itself　and　falls　into　pieces　as　several　individuals；　for　which　the
  whole　plant　is　more　the　basis　than　a　subjective　unity。　A　further　consequence　is　that　the
  differentiation　of　the　organic　parts　is　only　a　superficial　metamorphosis；　and　one　part　can　easily　pass
  into　the　function　of　the　other。
  §　267。
  The　process　of　shaping　and　reproduction　of　the　single　individual　coincides　in　this　way　with　the
  process　of　genus　formation。　And　because　self…like　generality；　the　subjective　unit　of　individuality；
  does　not　separate　itself　from　real　particularisation　but　is　only　submerged　in　it；　the　plant　does　not
  move　from　its　place；　nor　is　it　a　selfinterrupting　individualisation；　but　a　continually　flowing
  self…nourishment。　It　does　not　relate　itself　to　individualised　inorganic　nature；　but　to　the　general
  elements。　Nor　is　it　capable　of　feeling　and　animal　warmth。
  §　268。
  Insofar；　however；　as　life　is　essentially　the　concept　which　realises　itself　only　through　self…division
  and　reunification；　the　plant　processes　also　diverge　from　each　other。　（1）　But　their　inner　process　of
  formation　is　to　be　seen　partly　as　the　positive；　merely　immediate　transformation　of　nourishment
  supplies　into　the　specific　nature　of　plants。　On　the　one　hand；　and　for　the　sake　of　essential　simplicity；
  this　is　the　division　into　abstract　generality　of　an　implicitly　inseparable　individuality；　as　into　the
  negative　of　vitality；　becoming　wood。　But　on　the　other　hand；　on　the　side　of　individuality　and　vitality；
  this　is　the　process　specifying　itself　in　an　outward　direction。
  §　269。
  （2）　This　is　the　unfolding　of　the　parts　as　organs　of　different　elementary　relations；　the　division　partly
  into　the　relation　to　earth　and　into　the　air　and　water　process　which　mediates　them。　Since　the　plant
  does　not　hold　itself　back　in　inner；　subjective　generality　against　outer　individuality；　it　is　equally　torn
  out　of　itself　by　light；　from　which　it　takes　the　specific　confirmation　and　individualisation　of　itself
  knotted　and　multiplied　into　a　multiplicity　of　individuals。
  §　270。
  Since；　however；　the　reproduction　of　the　individual　vegetable　as　a　singularity　is　not　the　subjective
  return　into　itself　a　feeling　of　self　but　inwardly　becomes　wooden；　the　production　of　the　self　of　the
  plant　consequently　moves　in　an　outward　direction。　The　plant　brings　forth　its　light　as　its　own　self　in
  the　blossom；　in　which　the　neutral　colour　green　is　determined　as　a　specific　coloration；　or；　too；　light
  is　produced　as　a　white　colour；　purified　from　the　dark。
  §　271。
  Since　the　plant　in　this　way　offers　itself　as　a　sacrifice；　this　exteriorisation　is　at　the　same　time　the
  concept　realised　by　the　process；　the　plant；　which　has　produced　itself　as　a　whole；　but　which　in　the
  process　has　come　into　opposition　with　itself。　This；　the　highest　point　of　the　process；　is　therefore　the
  beginning　of　the　process　of　sexual　differentiation　which　occurs　in　the　process　of　genus　formation。
  §　272。
  （3）　The　process　of　genus　formation；　as　distinct　from　the　processes　of　formation　and　reproduction
  of　the　individual；　is　an　excess　in　the　actuality　of　plant　nature；　because　those　processes　also　directly
  involve　a　dissolution　into　many　individuals。　But　in　the　concept　the　process　is；　like　subjectivity　which
  has　converged　with　itself　that　generality　in　which　the　plant　suspends　the　immediate　individuality　of
  its　organic　life；　and　thereby　grounds　the　transition　into　the　higher　organism。
  C。
  The　Animal　Organism
  §　273。
  Organic　individuality　exists　as　subjectivity　insofar　as　its　individuality　is　not　merely　immediate
  actuality　but　also　and　to　the　same　extent　suspended；　exists　as　a　concrete　moment　of　generality；
  and　in　its　outward　process　the　organism　inwardly　preserves　the　unity　of　the　self　This　is　the　nature
  of　the　animal　which；　in　the　reality　and　externality　of　individuality；　is　equally；　by　contrast；
  immediately　and　inwardly　self…reflected　individuality；　inwardly　existing　subjective　generality。
  §　274。
  The　animal　has　contingent　self…movement　because　its　subjectivity　is；　like　light　and　fire；　ideality　torn
  from　gravity；　—　a　free　time；　which；　as　removed　at　the　same　time　from　real　externality；　determines
  its　place　on　the　basis　of　inner　chance。　Bound　up　with　this　is　the　animal's　possession　of　a　voice　in
  which　its　subjectivity；　existing　in　and　for　itself　dominates　the　abstract　ideality　of　time　and　space；
  and　manifests　its　self…movement　as　a　free　vibration　within　itself。　It　has　animal　warmth；　as　a
  permanent　preservation　of　the　shape；　interrupted　intussusception；　but　primarily　feeling；　as　the
  individuality　which　in　its　determinacy　is　immediately　general　for　itself　and　really　selfdifferentiating
  individuality。
  §　275。
  The　animal　organism；　as　living　generality；　is　the　concept　which　passes　through　its　three
  determinations；　each　of　which　is　in　itself　the　same　total　identity　of　substantial　unity　and；　at　the　same
  time　and　as　determined　for　itself　by　the　form；　is　the　transition　into　others；　so　that　the　totality　results
  from　this　process。　It　is　only　as　this　selfreproducing　entity；　not　as　an　existing　one；　that　the　animal
  organism　is　living。
  §　276。
  The　animal　organism　is　therefore：　（a）　a　simple；　general　being　in　itself　in　its　externality；　whereby　real
  determinacy　is　immediately　taken　up　as　particularity　into　the　general；　and　is　thereby　the
  unseparated　identity　of　the　subject　with　itself；　—　sensibility；　—　（b）　particularity；　as　excitability　from
  the　outside　and；　on　the　other　hand；　the　counter…effect　coming　from　the　outward　movement　of　the
  subject；　—　irritability；　—　（c）　the　unity　of　these　moments；　the　negative　return　to　itself　through　the
  relation　of　externality；　and　thereby　the　generation　and　positing　of　itself　as　an　individual；　—
  reproduction。　Inwardly；　this　is　the　reality　and　foundation　of　the　first　moments；　and　outwardly；　this
  is　the　articulation　of　the　organism　and　its　armament。
  §　277。
  These　three　moments　of　the　concept　have　their　reality　in　three　systems；　namely；　the　nervous
  system；　the　circulatory　system；　and　the　digestive　system。　The　first　is　in　the　systems　of　the　bones
  and　sensory　apparatus；　whereas　the　second　turns　outwardly　on　two　sides　in　the　lungs　and　the
  muscles。　The　digestive　system　is；　however；　as　a　system　of　glands　with　skin　and　cellular　tissue；
  i