第 42 节
作者:桃桃逃      更新:2022-08-21 16:33      字数:9314
  altered; without affecting its quality。 On the other hand; this increase and diminution; immaterial
  though it be; has its limit; by exceeding which the quality suffers change。 Thus the temperature of
  water is; in the first place; a point of no consequence in respect of its liquidity: still with the increase
  of diminution of the temperature of the liquid water; there comes a point where this state of
  cohesion suffers a qualitative change; and the water is converted into steam or ice。 A quantitative
  change takes place; apparently without any further significance: but there is something lurking
  behind; and a seemingly innocent change of quantity acts as a kind of snare; to catch hold of the
  quality。 The antinomy of Measure which this implies was exemplified under more than one garb
  among the Greeks。 It was asked; for example; whether a single grain makes a heap of wheat; or
  whether it makes a bald…tail to tear out a single hair from the horse's tail。 At first; no doubt; looking
  at the nature of quantity as an indifferent and external character of being; we are disposed to
  answer these questions in the negative。 And yet; as we must admit; this indifferent increase and
  diminution has its limit: a point is finally reached; where a single additional grain makes a heap of
  wheat; and the bald…tail is produced; if we continue plucking out single hairs。 These examples find
  a parallel in the story of the peasant who; as his ass trudged cheerfully along; went on adding
  ounce after ounce to its load; till at length it sunk under the unendurable burden。 It would be a
  mistake to treat these examples as pedantic futility; they really turn on thoughts; an acquaintance
  with which is of great importance in practical life; especially in ethics。 Thus in the matter of
  expenditure; there is a certain latitude within which a more or less does not matter; but when the
  Measure; imposed by the individual circumstances of the special case; is exceeded on the one side
  or the other; the qualitative nature of Measure (as in the above examples of the different
  temperature of water) makes itself felt; and a course; which a moment before was held good
  economy; turns into avarice or prodigality。 The same principles may be applied in politics; when
  the constitution of a state has to be looked at as independent of; no less than as dependent on; the
  extent of its territory; the number of its inhabitants; and other quantitative points of the same kind。
  If we look; e。g。 at a state with a territory of ten thousand square miles and a population of four
  millions we should; without hesitation; admit that a few square miles of land or a few thousand
  inhabitants more or less could exercise no essential influence on the character of its constitution。
  But on the other hand; we must not forget that by the continual increase or diminishing of a state;
  we finally get to a point where; apart from all other circumstances; this quantitative alteration alone
  necessarily draws with it an alteration in the quality of the constitution。 The constitution of a little
  Swiss canton does not suit a great kingdom; and; similarly; the constitution of the Roman republic
  was unsuitable when transferred to the small imperial towns of Germany。
  ?
  §109
  In this case; when a measure through its quantitative nature has gone in excess of
  its qualitative character; we meet what is at first an absence of measure; the
  Measureless。 But seeing that the second quantitative ratio; which in comparison
  with the first is measureless; is none the less qualitative; the measureless is also a
  measure。 These two transitions; from quality to quantum; and from the latter
  back again to quality; may be represented under the image of an infinite
  progression…as the self…abrogation and restoration of measure in the measureless。
  §109n
  Quantity; as we have seen; is not only capable of alteration; i。e。 of increase or diminution: it is
  naturally and necessarily a tendency to exceed itself。 This tendency is maintained even in measure。
  But if the quantity present in measure exceeds a certain limit; the quality corresponding to it is also
  put in abeyance。 This however is not a negation of quality altogether; but only of this definite
  quality; the place of which is at once occupied by another。 This process of measure; which
  appears alternately as a mere change in quantity; and then as a sudden revulsion of quantity into
  quality; may be envisaged under the figure of a nodal (knotted) line。 Such lines we find in Nature
  under a variety of forms。 We have already referred to the qualitatively different states of
  aggregation water exhibits under increase or diminution of temperature。 The same phenomenon is
  presented by the different degrees in the oxidation of metals。 Even the difference of musical notes
  may be regarded as an example of what takes place in the process of measure the revulsion from
  what is at first merely quantitative into qualitative alteration。
  §110
  What really takes place here is that the immediacy; which still attaches to measure
  as such; is set aside。 In measure; at first; quality and quantity itself are immediate;
  and measure is only their 'relative' identity。 But measure shows itself absorbed
  and superseded in the measureless: yet the measureless; although it be the
  negation of measure; is itself a unity of quantity and quality。 Thus in the
  measureless the measure is still seen to meet only with itself。
  §111
  Instead of the more abstract factors; Being and Nothing; some and other; etc。; the
  Infinite; which is affirmation as a negation of negation; now finds its factors in
  quality and quantity。 These (a) have in the first place passed over quality into
  quantity (§ 98); and quantity into quality (§ 105); and thus are both shown up as
  negations。 (p) But in their unity; that is; in measure; they are originally distinct;
  and the one is only through the instrumentality of the other。 And (;y) after the
  immediacy of this unity has turned out to be self…annulling; the unity is explicitly
  put as what it implicitly is; simple relation…to…self; which contains in it being and
  all its forms absorbed。 Being or immediacy; which by the negation of itself is a
  mediation with self and a reference to self…which consequently is also a mediation
  which cancels itself into reference to…self; or immediacy…is Essence。
  § 111n
  The process of measure; instead of being only the wrong infinite of an endless progression; in the
  shape of an ever…recurrent recoil from quality to quantity and from quantity to quality; is also a true
  infinity of coincidence with self in other。 In measure; quality and quantity originally confront each
  other; like some and other。 But quality is implicitly quantity and conversely quantity is implicitly
  quality。 In the process of measure; therefore; these two pass into each other: each of them
  becomes what it already was implicitly: and thus we get Being thrown into abeyance and
  absorbed; with its several characteristics negatived。 Such Being is Essence。 Measure is implicitly
  Essence; and its process consists in realising what it is implicitly。 The ordinary consciousness
  conceives things as being; and studies them in quality; quantity; and measure。 These immediate
  characteristics; however; soon show themselves to be not fixed but transient; and Essence is the
  result of their dialectic。
  In the sphere of Essence one category does not pass into another; but refers to another merely。 In
  Being; the forms of reference is purely due to our reflection on what takes place: but it is the
  special and proper characteristic of Essence。 In the sphere of Being; when somewhat becomes
  another; the somewhat has vanished。 Not so in Essence: here there is no real other; but only
  diversity; reference of the one to its other。 The transition of Essence is therefore at the same time
  no transition: for in the passage of different into different; the different does not vanish: the different
  terms remain in their relation。 When we speak of Being and Nought; Being is independent; so is
  Nought。 The case is otherwise with the Positive and the Negative。 No doubt these possess the
  characteristic of Being and Nought。 But the Positive by itself has no sense; it is wholly in reference
  to the negative。 And it is the same with the negative。 In the sphere of Being the reference of one
  term to another is only implicit; in Essence on the contrary it is explicit。 And this in general is the
  distinction between the forms of Being and Essence: in Being everything is immediate; in Essence
  everything is relative。
  Second Subdivision of The Logic;
  VIII。 ESSENCE
  § 112
  The terms in Essence are always mere pairs of correlatives; and yet not
  absolutely reflected in themselves: hence in essence the actual unity of the notion
  is not yet realised; but only postulated by reflection。 Essence … which is Being
  coming into mediation with itself through the negativity of itself … is
  self…relatedness; on