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哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)-第13部分

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and of general culture mankind have bee better; whether their morality has been increased; —
morality being regarded in a subjective aspect and view; as founded on what the agent holds to be
right and wrong; good and evil; not on a principle which is considered to be in and for itself right
and good; or a crime and evil; or on a particular religion believed to be the true one。 

                                   § 74

We may fairly decline on this occasion the task of tracing the formalism and error of such a view;
and establishing the true principles of morality; or rather of social virtue in opposition to false
morality。 For the History of the World occupies a higher ground than that on which morality has
properly its position; which is personal character — the conscience of individuals; — their particular
will and mode of action; these have a value; imputation; reward or; punishment proper to
themselves。 What the absolute aim of Spirit requires and acplishes; — what Providence does;
— transcends the obligations; and the liability to imputation and the ascription of good or bad
motives; which attach to individuality in virtue of its social relations。 They who on moral grounds;
and consequently with noble intention; have resisted that which the advance of the Spiritual Idea
makes necessary; stand higher in moral worth than those whose crimes have been turned into the
means — under the direction of a superior principle — of realising the purposes of that principle。
But in such revolutions both parties generally stand within the limits of the same circle of transient
and corruptible existence。 Consequently it is only a formal rectitude — deserted by the living Spirit
and by God — which those who stand upon ancient right and order maintain。 The deeds of great
men; who are the Individuals of the World's History; thus appear not only justified in view of that
intrinsic result of which they were not conscious; but also from the point of view occupied by the
secular moralist。 But looked at from this point; moral claims that are irrelevant; must not be
brought into collision with world…historical deeds and their acplishment。 The Litany of private
virtues — modesty; humility; philanthropy and forbearance — must not be raised against them。 The
History of the World might; on principle; entirely ignore the circle within which morality and the so
much talked of distinction between the moral and the politic lies — not only in abstaining from
judgments; for the principles involved; and the necessary reference of the deeds in question to
those principles; are a sufficient judgment of them — but in leaving Individuals quite out of view
and unmentioned。 What it has to record is the activity of the Spirit of Peoples; so that the
individual forms which that spirit has assumed in the sphere of outward reality; might be left to the
delineation of special histories。 

                                   § 75

The same kind of formalism avails itself in its peculiar manner of the indefiniteness attaching to
genius; poetry; and even philosophy; thinks equally that it finds these everywhere。 We have here
products of reflective thought; and it is familiarity with those general conceptions which single out
and name real distinctions without fathoming the true depth of the matter; — that we call Culture。 It
is something merely formal; inasmuch as it aims at nothing more than the analysis of the subject;
whatever it be; into its constituent parts; and the prehension of these in their logical definitions
and forms。 It is not the free universality of conception necessary for making an abstract principle
the object of consciousness。 Such a consciousness of Thought itself; and of its forms isolated from
a particular object; is Philosophy。 This has; indeed; the condition of its existence in culture; that
condition being the taking up of the object of thought; and at the same time clothing it with the
form of universality; in such a way that the material content and the form given by the intellect are
held in an inseparable state; — inseparable to such a degree that the object in question …which; by
the analysis of one conception into a multitude of conceptions; is enlarged to an incalculable
treasure of thought — is regarded as a merely empirical datum in whose formation thought has bad
no share。 

                                   § 76

But it is quite as much an act of Thought — of the Understanding in particular — to embrace in one
simple conception object which of itself prehends a concrete and large significance (as Earth;
Man; …Alexander or Caesar) and to designate it by one word; — as to resolve such a conception
— duly to isolate in idea the conceptions which it contains; and to give them particular names。 And
in reference to the view which gave occasion to what has just been said; thus much will be clear;
— that as reflection produces what we include under the general terms Genius; Talent; Art;
Science; — formal culture on every grade of intellectual development; not only can; but must grow;
and attain a mature bloom; while the grade in question is developing itself to a State; and on this
basis of civilisation is advancing to intelligent reflection and to general forms of thought; — as in
laws; so in regard to all else。 In the very association of men in a state; lies the necessity of formal
culture — consequently of the rise of the sciences and of a cultivated poetry and art generally。 The
arts designated “plastic;” require besides; even in their technical aspect; the civilised association
of men。 The poetic art — which has less need of external requirements and means; and which has
the element of immediate existence; the voice; as its material — steps forth with great boldness and
with matured expression; even under the conditions presented by a people not yet united in a
political bination; since; as remarked above; language attains on its own particular ground a
high intellectual development; prior to the mencement of civilisation。 

                                   § 77

Philosophy also must make its appearance where political life exists; since that in virtue of which
any series of phenomena is reduced within the sphere of culture; as above stated; is the Form
strictly proper to Thought; and thus for philosophy; which is nothing other than the consciousness
of this form itself — the Thinking of Thinking;… the material of which its edifice is to be constructed;
is already prepared by general culture。 If in the development of the State itself; periods are
necessitated which impel the soul of nobler natures to seek refuge from the Present in ideal
regions; — in order to find in them that harmony with itself which it can no longer enjoy in the
discordant real world; where the reflective intelligence attacks all that is holy and deep; which had
been spontaneously inwrought into the religion; laws and manners of nations; and brings them
down and attenuates them to abstract godless generalities; — Thought will be pelled to
bee Thinking Reason; with the view of effecting in its own element; the restoration of its
principles from the ruin to which they had been brought。 

                                   § 78

We find then; it is true; among all world…historical peoples; poetry; plastic art; science; even
philosophy; but not only is there a diversity in style and bearing generally; but still more remarkably
in subject…matter; and this is a diversity of the most important kind; affecting the rationality of that
subject…matter。 It is useless for a pretentious aesthetic criticism to demand that our good pleasure
should not be made the rule for the matter — the substantial part of their contents — and to
maintain that it is the beautiful form as such; the grandeur of the fancy; and so forth; which fine art
aims at; and which must be considered and enjoyed by a liberal taste and cultivated mind。 A
healthy intellect does not tolerate such abstractions; and cannot assimilate productions of the kind
above referred to。 Granted that the Indian Epopees might be placed on a level with the Homeric;
on account of a number of those qualities of form — grandeur of invention and imaginative power;
liveliness of images and emotions; and beauty of diction; yet the infinite difference of matter
remains; consequently one of substantial importance and involving the interest of Reason which is
immediately concerned with the consciousness of the Idea of Freedom; and its expression in
individuals。 There is not only a classical form; but a classical order of subject…matter; and in a
work of art form and subject…matter are so closely united that the former can only be classical to
the extent to which the latter is so。 With a fantastic; indeterminate material — the Rule is the
essence of Reason …the form bees measureless and formless; or mean and contracted。 In the
same way; in that parison of the various systems of philosophy of which we have already
spoken; the only point of importance is overlooked; namely the character of that Unity which is
found alike in the Chinese; the Eleatic; and the Spinozistic philosophy — the distinction between
the recognition of that Unity as abstract and as concrete — concrete to the extent of being a unity
in and by itself — a unity synonymous with Spirit。 But that co…ordination proves that it recognises
only such an abstract unity; so that while it gives judgment respecting philosophy it is ignorant of
that very point which constitutes the interest of philosophy。 

                                   § 79

But there are also spheres which; amid all the variety that is presented in the substantial content of
a particular form of culture; remain the same。 The difference above mentioned in art; science;
philosophy; concerns the thinking Reason and Freedom; which is the self…consciousness of the
former; and which has the same one root with Thought。 As it is not the brute; but only the man that
thinks; he only — and only because he is a thinking being — has Freedom。 His consciousness
imports this; that the individual prehends itself as a person; that is; recognises itself in its single
existence as possessing universality; — as capable of abstraction from; and of surrendering all
speciality; and; therefore; as inherently infinite。 Consequently those spheres of intelligence which lie
beyond the limits of this consciousness are a mon ground among those substantial distinctions。
Even morality; which is so intimately connected with the consciousness of freedom; can be very
pure while that consciousness is still wanting; as far; that is to say; as it expresses duties and rights
only as objective mands; or even as far as it remains satisfied with the merely formal elevation
of the soul — the surrender of the sensual; and of all sensual motives — in a purely negative;
self…denying fashion。 The Chinese morality — since Europeans have bee acquainted with it
and with the writings of Confucius — has obtained the greatest praise and proportionate attention
from those who are familiar with the Christian morality。 There is a similar acknowledgment of the
sublimity with which the Indian religion and poetry; (a statement that must; however; be limited to
the higher kind); but especially the Indian philosophy; expatiate upon and demand the removal and
sacrifice of sensuality。 Yet both these nations are; it must be confessed; entirely wanting in the
essential consciousness of the Idea of Freedom。 To the Chinese their moral laws are just like
natural laws; — external; positive mands; — claims established by force; — pulsory duties
or rules of courtesy towards each other。 Freedom; through which alone the essential;
determinations of Reason bee moral sentiments; is wanting。 Morality is a political affair; and its
laws are administered by officers of government and legal tribunals。 Their treatises upon it (which
are not law books; but are certainly addressed to the subjective will and individual disposition)
read; — as do the moral writings of the Stoics — like a string of mands stated as necessary for
realising the goal of happiness; so that it seems to be left free to men; on their part; to adopt such
mands; — to observe them or not; while the conception of an abstract subject; “a wise man”
'Sapiens' forms the culminating point among the Chinese; as also among the Stoic moralists。 Also
in the Indian doctrine of the renunciation of the sensuality of desires and earthly interests; positive
moral freedom is not the object and end; but the annihilation of consciousness — spiritual and even
physical privation of life。 

                                   § 80

It is the concrete spirit of a people which we have distinctly to recognise; and since it is Spirit it
can only be prehended spiritually; that is; by thought。 It is this alone which takes the lead in all
the deeds and tendencies of that people; and which is occupied in realising itself; — in satisfying its
ideal and being self…conscious; — for its great business is self…production。 But for spirit; the
highest attainment is self…knowledge; an advance not only to the intuition; but to the thought —
the clear conception of itself。 This it must and is also destined to acplish; but the
acplishment is at the same time its dissolution。; and the rise of another spirit; another
world…historical people; another epoch of Universal History。 This transition and connection leads
us to the connection of the whole — the idea of the World's History as such — which we have now
to consider more closely; and of which we have to give a representation。 

                                   § 81

History in general is therefore the development of Spirit in Time; as Nature is the development of
the Idea in Space。 

                                   § 82

If then we cast a glance over the World's History generally; we see a vast picture of changes and
transactions; of infinitely manifold forms of peoples; states; individuals; in unresting succession。
Everything that can enter into and interest the soul of man — all our sensibility to goodness;
beauty; and greatness — is called into play。 On every hand aims are adopted and pursued; which
we recognise; whose acplishment we desire — we hope and fear for them。 In all these
occurrences and changes we behold human action and suffering predominant; everywhere
something akin to ourselves; and therefore everywhere something that excites our interest for or
against。 Sometimes it attracts us by beauty; freedom; and rich variety; sometimes by energy such
as enables even vice to make itself interesting。 Sometimes we see the more prehensive mass
of some general interest advancing with parative slowness and subsequently sacrificed to an
infinite plication of trifling circumstances; and so dissipated into atoms。 Then; again; with a vast
expenditure of power a trivial result is produced; while from what appears unimportant a
tremendous issue proceeds。 On every hand there is the motliest throng of events drawing us within
the circle of its interest; and when one bination vanishes another immediately appears in its
place。 

                                   § 83

The general thought — the 
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