第 15 节
作者:京文      更新:2021-02-19 21:41      字数:9321
  the Epicureans; Lipsius wished to be a Stoic; and so on。 The sense of opposition was so great;
  ancient philosophy and Christianity … from or in which no special philosophy had developed … were
  so diverse; that no philosophy peculiar to itself could develop in Christianity。 What was or could
  be had as philosophy; either in conformity with or in opposition to Christianity; was a certain
  ancient philosophy which was thus taken up anew。 But mummies when brought amongst living
  beings cannot there remain。 Mind had for long possessed a more substantial life; a more profound
  Notion of itself; and hence its thought had higher needs than such as could be satisfied by these
  philosophies。 A revival such as this is then to be regarded only as the transitory period in which we
  learn to know the forms which are implied and which have gone before; and as the renewal of
  former struggles through the steps necessary in development。 Such reconstructions and repetitions
  in a distant time of principles which have become foreign to Mind; are in history transitory only;
  and formed in a language which is dead。 Such things are translations only and not originals; and
  Mind does not find satisfaction excepting in knowledge of its own origination。
  When modern times are in the same way called upon to revert to the standpoint of an ancient
  philosophy (as is recommended specially in regard to the philosophy of Plato) in order to make
  this a means of escaping from the complications and difficulties of succeeding times; this reversion
  does not come naturally as in the first case。 This discreet counsel has the same origin as the
  request to cultivated members of society to turn back to the customs and ideas of the savages of
  the North American forests; or as the recommendation to adopt the religion of Melchisedec which
  Fichte (6) has maintained to be the purest and simplest possible; and therefore the one at which
  we must eventually arrive。 On the one hand; in this retrogression the desire for an origin and for a
  fixed point of departure is unmistakable; but such must be sought for in thought and Idea alone and
  not in an authoritatively given form。 On the other hand; the return of the developed; enriched Mind
  to a simplicity such as this…which means to an abstraction; an abstract condition or thought is to be
  regarded only as the escape of an incapacity which cannot enjoy the rich material of development
  which it sees before it; and which demands to be controlled and comprehended in its very depths
  by thought; but seeks a refuge in fleeing from the difficulty and in mere sterility。
  From what has been said it is quite comprehensible how so many of those who; whether induced
  by some special attraction such as this; or simply by the fame of a Plato or ancient philosophy in
  general; direct their way thereto in order to draw their own philosophy from these sources; do not
  find themselves satisfied by the study; and unjustifiably quit such altogether。 Satisfaction is found in
  them to a certain extent only。 We must know in ancient philosophy or in the philosophy of any
  given period; what we are going to look for。 Or at least we must know that in such a philosophy
  there is before us a definite stage in the development of thought; and in it those forms and
  necessities of Mind which lie within the limits of that stage alone are brought into existence。 There
  slumber in the Mind of modern times ideas more profound which require for their awakening other
  surroundings and another present than the abstract; dim; grey thought of olden times。 In Plato; for
  instance; questions regarding the nature of freedom; the origin of evil and of sin; providence; &c。;
  do not find their philosophic answer。 On such subjects we certainly may in part take the ordinary
  serious views of the present time; and in part philosophically set their consideration altogether
  aside; or else consider sin and freedom as something negative only。 But neither the one plan nor
  the other gives freedom to Mind if such subjects have once been explicitly for it; and if the
  opposition in self…consciousness has given it the power of sinking its interests therein。 The case is
  similar with regard to questions regarding the limits of knowledge; the opposition between
  subjectivity and objectivity which had not yet come up in Plato's age。 The independence of the
  within itself and its explicit existence was foreign to him; man had not yet gone back within himself;
  had not yet set himself forth as explicit。 The subject was indeed the individual as free; but as yet he
  knew himself only as in unity with his Being。 The Athenian knew himself to be free; as such; just as
  the Roman citizen would; as ingenuus。 But the fact that man is in and for himself free; in his
  essence and as man; free born; was known neither by Plato; Aristotle; Cicero; nor the Roman
  legislators; even though it is this conception alone which forms the source of law。 In Christianity the
  individual; personal mind for the first time becomes of real; infinite and absolute value; God wills
  that all men shall be saved。 It was in the Christian religion that the doctrine was advanced that all
  men are equal before God; because Christ has set them free with the freedom of Christianity。
  These principles make freedom independent of any such things as birth; standing or culture。 The
  progress made through them is enormous; but they still come short of this; that to be free
  constitutes the very idea of man。 The sense of this existent principle has been an active force for
  centuries and centuries; and an impelling power which has brought about the most tremendous
  revolutions; but the conception and the knowledge of the natural freedom of man is a knowledge
  of himself which is not old。
  Introduction
  B。  Relation of Philosophy to Other
  Departments of Knowledge。
  The History of Philosophy has to represent this science in that form of time and individualities from
  which its outward form has resulted。 Such a representation has; however; to shut out from itself
  the external history of the time; and to take into account only the general character of the people
  and time; and likewise their circumstances as a whole。 But as a matter of fact; the history of
  Philosophy does present this character; and that indeed in the highest possible degree; its
  connection with it is of the closest kind; and the particular appearance presented by a philosophy
  belonging to one special period; is only a particular aspect or element in the character。 Because of
  this inward correspondence we have partly to consider more closely the particular relation borne
  by a philosophy to its historical surroundings; and partly; but pre…eminently; what is proper to
  itself; from which alone; after separating everything related however closely; we can fix our
  standpoint。 This connection; which is not merely external but essential; has thus two sides; which
  we must consider。 The first is the distinctly historical side; the second is the connection with other
  matters … the connection of Philosophy with Religion; for instance; by which we at once obtain a
  deeper conception of Philosophy itself。
  1。 The Historical Side of This Connection。
  It is usually said that political affairs and such matters as Religion are to be taken into consideration
  because they have exercised a great influence on the Philosophy of the time; and similarly it exerts
  an influence upon them。 But when people are content with such a category as 〃great influence〃
  they place the two in an external relationship; and start from the point of view that both sides are
  for themselves independent。 Here; however; we must think of this relationship in another category;
  and not according to the influence or effect of one upon the other。 The true category is the unity of
  all these different forms; so that it is one Mind which manifests itself in; and impresses itself upon
  these different elements。
  a。 Outward and historical conditions imposed upon Philosophy。
  It must be remarked in the first place; that a certain stage is requisite in the intellectual culture of a
  people in order that it may have a Philosophy at all。 Aristotle says; 〃Man first begins to
  philosophize when the necessities of life are supplied〃 (Metaphysics; I。 2); because since
  Philosophy is a free and not self…seeking activity; cravings of want must have disappeared; a
  strength; elevation and inward fortitude of mind must have appeared; passions must be subdued
  and consciousness set far advanced; before what is universal can be thought of。 Philosophy may
  thus be called a kind of luxury; in so far as luxury signifies those enjoyments and pursuits which do
  not belong to external necessity as such。 Philosophy in this respect seems more capable of being
  dispensed with than anything else; but that depends on what is called indispensable。 From the
  point of view of mind; Philosophy may even be said to be that which is most essential。
  b。 The commencement in History of an intellectual necessity for
  Philosophy。
  However much Philosophy; as the thought and conception of the Mind of a particular time; is a
  priori; it is at the same time just as really a result; since the thought