philosophy of nature-第11部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
and impenetrability reveal themselves here to be raised to immateriality。 Furthermore； oxygen and
hydrogen have a determination so dependent upon the individuality of the body that the
components of oxygen are determined in oxides； as a base in general； and； in the opposite
direction； as an acid； just as； by contrast； the acidic determination in hydrochloric acid reveals itself
as hydrogenation。
§ 254。
In contrast to the solid indifference of the particular corporeality stands physical brittleness； the
being of particularity grasped together in the unity of selfhood （brass represents the totality； as the
unification of sulphur and metal）。 This brittleness is the real possibility of combustion； the reality of
which is itself the self…devouring being for itself fire； and remains an external entity。 Fire mediates
the inner difference of the combustible body through the physical element of abstract negativity；
air； with a being as posited or reality； and enhances it to acidity。 Air； however； decomposes in its
negative principle into this； oxygen； and a dead positive residuum； nitrogen。
§ 255。
The chemical elements are： nitrogen； the abstraction of indifference； oxygen； the element of
self…subsistent difference； the burning element； hydrogen； the element belonging to the opposition
or self…subsistent indifference； the combustible element； and carbon； as the abstraction of their
individual element。
§ 256。
（2） The two products of the abstract processes； acids and bases or alkalis； are now no longer
merely but actually diverse； and （concentrated acids and alkalis enhanced caustically） are therefore
incapable of subsisting for themselves。 In a state of restlessness they suspend themselves； and are
posited as identical to their opposites。 This unity； in which their concept is realised； is the neutral
body； salt。
§ 257。
（3） In salt the concrete and shaped body is the product of its process。 The relation of such diverse
bodies to each other involves to some extent the more precise particularisation of the bodies； from
which 〃elective affinities〃 derive。 In general； however； these processes are for themselves more
real； since the extremes occurring in them are not abstract bodies。 More specifically； they are the
dissolved particles of the neutral bodies into abstractions； the processes from which they are
produced； retrogressions back to oxides and acids； and further； both immediately and in abstract
forms； back to the indifferent bases； which manifest themselves in this way as products。
Empirical chemistry deals mainly with the particularity of the products； which are then ordered
according to superficial and abstract determinations。 Metals； oxygen nitrogen and many other
bodies； earth； sulphur； phosphorous appear in this order together； just as chaotically； the more
abstract and the more real processes are posited on the same level。 If a scientific form is to come
from this mixture； then each product should be determined according to the level of the process
from which it results and which gives it its particular significance。 It is just as essential to distinguish
the levels of the abstraction or the reality of the process。 Animal and vegetable substances belong
in any case to an entirely different order； and so little of their nature can be comprehended through
the description of the chemical process that much more is destroyed than saved； and only the
course of its death is grasped。 These substances； however； should serve to work against that
metaphysics dominant in both chemistry and physics； namely； the thought or empty idea of the
unchangeability of matter； its composition and subsistence in matter。 We see admitted in general；
however； that chemical substances lose those attributes in combination which they demonstrate
separately。 Nevertheless the idea remains that these substances are the same things with the
attributes as without； and as things with these attributes they are not only products of the process。
An important step towards simplification of the particularities in the elective affinities is the law
discovered by Richter and Guiton Morveau； which states that neutral compounds suffer no change
regarding their state of solution when they are mixed in solution and the acids exchange bases with
each other。 The quantitative scale of acids and alkalis has been constructed on the basis of this
law； according to which each individual acid has a particular relation for its saturation to each
alkali； so that； however； for every other acid whose quantitative unity is only different from the
others； now the alkalis have among each other the same relation to their saturation as to the other
acids； and similarly； acids display a constant relation among each other and relative to all the
different alkali。
Since； moreover； the chemical process has its determination in the concept； the empirical
conditions of a particular form； as for example electricity； are not as fixed as sensory
determinations and not as abstract moments as is represented for example by an elective affinity。
Berthollet； in his famous work Statique chimique； has brought together and investigated the
circumstances which produce changes in the results of chemical action； results often attributed only
to the conditions of the affinity； which are taken as constant and fixedly determined laws。 He says：
〃The superficiality which these explanations bring into science is prominently regarded as
progress。〃
§ 258。
The chemical process is； to be sure； in general terms； life； for the individual body in its immediacy
is suspended and brought forth by the process； so that the concept no longer remains an inner
necessity； but becomes manifest。 But the body also achieves a mere appearance； and not
objectivity。 This process is finite and transient； because the individual body has immediate
individuality； and therefore a limited particularity； so that the process has immediate and contingent
conditions。 Fire and differentiation are extinguished in the neutral body； and it does not break apart
sufficiently in itself to divide。 Similarly； difference exists at first in indifferent independence； but
does not stand for itself in relation to the other； nor does it activate itself
Certain chemical phenomena have led chemists to apply the determination of purposiveness in
explaining them。 An example is the f that an oxide is reduced to a lower degree of oxidation than
that at which it can combine with the acid working on it； and a part of it is more strongly
oxidised…；…here the self…determination of the concept lies in the realisation。
§ 259。
In the chemical process the body thus displays the transiency of its immediate individuality both in
its emergence and its passing away； and presents itself as a moment of generality。 In this immediate
individuality the concept has the reality which corresponds to it； a concrete generality which
derives from particularisation； and at the same time contains in itself the conditions and moments of
the total syllogism which fall apart from each other in the immediate chemical process； — the
organism。
III
Organic Physics
A。 Geological Nature … B。 Vegetable Nature … C。 The Animal Organism
§ 260。
The real totality of the individual body； in which its particularity is made into a product and equally
suspends itself — elevates itself in the process into the first ideality of nature； but an ideality which
is fulfilled； and as self…related negative unity has essentially attained selfhood and become
subjective。 With this accomplished； the idea has entered into existence； initially as an immediate
existence； Life。 This is： （a） as shape； the general image of life； the geological organism； （b） as
particular or formal subjectivity； vegetable nature； （c） as individual； concrete subjectivity； animal
nature。
A。
Geological Nature
§ 261。
The general system of individual bodies is the earth； which in the chemical process initially has its
abstract individuality in particularisation； but as the totality it has an infinite relation to itself as a
general； self…dividing process； … and is； immediately； the subject and its product。 As the immediate
totality； however； presupposed by subjective totality itself the body of the earth is only the shape
of the organism。
§ 262。
The members of this organism do not contain； therefore； the generality of the process within
themselves； they are the particular individuals； and constitute a system whose forms manifest
themselves as members of the unfolding of an underlying idea； whose process of development is a
past one。
§ 263。
The powers of this process； which nature leaves behind as independent entities beyond earth； are
the connection and the
