第一小说网

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第19部分（第4页）

§　92

Zeus；　therefore；　who　is　represented　as　having　put　a　limit　to　the　devouring　agency　of　Time；　and

staid　this　transience　by　having　established　something　inherently　and　independently　durable　—　Zeus

and　his　race　are　themselves　swallowed　up；　and　that　by　the　very　power　that　produced　them　—　the

principle　of　thought；　perception；　reasoning；　insight　derived　from　rational　grounds；　and　the

requirement　of　such　grounds。

§　93

Time　is　the　negative　element　in　the　sensuous　world。　Thought　is　the　same　negativity；　but　it　is　the

deepest；　the　infinite　form　of　it；　in　which　therefore　all　existence　generally　is　dissolved；　first　finite

existence；　—　determinate；　limited　form：　but　existence　generally；　in　its　objective　character；　is

limited；　it　appears　therefore　as　a　mere　datum　—　something　immediate　—　authority；　—　and　is　either

intrinsically　finite　and　limited；　or　presents　itself　as　a　limit　for　the　thinking　subject；　and　its　infinite

reflection　on　itself　＇unlimited　abstraction＇。

§　94

But　first　we　must　observe　how　the　life　which　proceeds　from　death；　is　itself；　on　the　other　hand；　only

individual　life；　so　that；　regarding　the　species　as　the　real　and　substantial　in　this　vicissitude；　the

perishing　of　the　individual　is　a　regress　of　the　species　into　individuality。　The　perpetuation　of　the　race

is；　therefore；　none　other　than　the　monotonous　repetition　of　the　same　kind　of　existence。　Further；　we

must　remark　how　perception；　—　the　prehension　of　being　by　thought；　—　is　the　source　and

birthplace　of　a　new；　and　in　fact　higher　form；　in　a　principle　which　while　it　preserves；　dignifies　its

material。　For　Thought　is　that　Universal　…　that　Species　which　is　immortal；　which　preserves　identity

with　itself。　The　particular　form　of　Spirit　not　merely　passes　away　in　the　world　by　natural　causes　in

Time；　but　is　annulled　in　the　automatic　self…mirroring　activity　of　consciousness。　Because　this

annulling　is　an　activity　of　Thought；　it　is　at　the　same　time　conservative　and　elevating　in　its　operation。

While　then；　on　the　one　side；　Spirit　annuls　the　reality；　the　permanence　of　that　which　it　is；　it　gains　on

the　other　side；　the　essence；　the　Thought；　the　Universal　element　of　that　which　it　only　was　＇its

transient　conditions＇。　Its　principle　is　no　longer　that　immediate　import　and　aim　which　it　was

previously；　but　the　essence　of　that　import　and　aim。

§　95

The　result　of　this　p