第 20 节
作者:匆匆      更新:2021-02-27 02:11      字数:9318
  deranged simply by the plurality of conflicting qualities in the inorganic sphere a rid still more even
  in the organic world。 But here there is involved not merely a conflict of qualities; for measure here
  is subordinated to higher relationships and the immanent development of measure tends to be
  reduced to the simple form of immediate measure。 The limbs of the animal organism have a
  measure which; as a simple quantum; stands in a ratio to the other quanta of the other limbs; the
  proportions of the human body are the fixed ratio of such quanta。 Natural science is stil1 far from
  possessing an insight into the connection between such quantities and the organic functions on
  which they wholly depend。 But the readiest example of the reduction of an immanent measure to a
  merely externally determined magnitude is motion。 In the celestial bodies it is free motion; a
  motion which is determined solely by the Notion and whose quantitative elements therefore equally
  depend solely on the Notion (see above); but such free motion is reduced by the living creature to
  arbitrary or mechanically regular; i。e。 a wholly abstract; formal motion。
  And in the realm of spirit there is still less to be found a characteristic; free development of
  measure。 It is quite evident; for example; that a republican constitution like that of Athens; or an
  aristocratic constitution tempered by democracy; is suitable only for States of a certain size; and
  that in a developed civil society the numbers of individuals belonging to different occupations stand
  in a certain relations to one another; but all this yields neither laws of measure nor characteristic
  forms of it。 In the spiritual sphere as such there occur differences of intensity of character;
  strength of imagination; sensations; general ideas; and so on; but the determination does not go
  beyond the indefiniteness of strength or weakness。 How insipid and completely empty the
  so…called laws turn out to be which have been laid down about the relation of strength and
  weakness of sensations; general ideas; and so on; comes home to one on reading the psychologies
  which occupy themselves with such laws。
  Chapter 1: Specific Quantity
  A The Specific Quantum
  B Specifying Measure
  (a) The Rule
  (b) Specifying Measure
  (c) Relation of the Two Sides as Qualities
  Remark
  The exposition here of the connection between the qualitative nature of something and its
  quantitative determination has its application in the already indicated example of motion。 First of
  all; in velocity as the direct ratio of space traversed and time elapsed; the magnitude of time is
  taken as denominator while that of space is taken as numerator。 If velocity as such is only a ratio
  of the space and time in a motion; it is immaterial which of the two moments is to be considered as
  amount or as unit。 Space; however; like weight in specific gravity; is an external; real whole as
  such … hence amount … whereas time; like volume; is the ideal; negative factor; the side of unity。
  But here there essentially belongs the more important ratio; that which holds between the
  magnitudes of space and time in free motion; at first; in the still conditioned motion of a falling
  body where the time factor is determined as a root and the space factor as a square; or in the
  absolutely free motion of the celestial bodies where the period of revolution is lower by one power
  than the distance from the sun; the former being a square and the latter a cube。 Fundamental
  relationships of this kind rest on the nature of the interrelated qualities of space and time and on the
  kind of relation in which they stand; either as a mechanical motion; i。e。 as an unfree motion which
  is not determined by the Notion of the moments of space and time; or as the descent of a falling
  body; i。e。 as a conditionally free motion; or as the absolutely free celestial motion。 These kinds of
  motion; no less than their laws; rest on the development of the Notion of their moments; of space
  and time; since these qualities as such (space and time) prove to be in themselves; i。e。 in their
  Notion; inseparable and their quantitative relationship is the being…for…self of measure; is only one
  measure…determination。
  In regard to the absolute relations of measure; it is well to bear in mind that the mathematics of
  nature; if it is to be worthy of the name of science; must be essentially the science of measures … a
  science for which it is true much has been done empirically; but little as yet from a strictly scientific;
  that is; philosophical point of view。 Mathematical principles of natural philosophy…as Newton
  called his work…if they are to fulfil this description in a profounder sense than that accorded to
  them by Newton and by the entire Baconian species of philosophy and science; must contain
  things of quite a different character in order to bring light into these still obscure regions which are;
  however; worthy in the highest degree of consideration。
  It is a great service to ascertain the empirical numbers of nature; e。g。; the distances of the planets
  from one another; but it is an infinitely greater service when the empirical quanta are made to
  disappear and they are raised into a universal form of determinations of quantity so that they
  become moments of a law or of measure … immortal services which Galileo for the descent of
  falling bodies and Kepler for the motion of the celestial bodies; have achieved。 The laws they
  discovered they have proved in this sense; that they have shown the whole compass of the
  particulars of observation to correspond to them。 But yet a still higher proof is required for these
  laws; nothing else; that is; than that their quantitative relations be known from the qualities or
  specific Notions of time and space that are correlated。
  Of this kind of proof there is still no trace in the said mathematical principles of natural philosophy;
  neither is there in the subsequent works of this kind。 It has already been remarked in connection
  with the show of mathematical proofs of certain relationships in nature; a show based on the
  misuse of the infinitely small; that it is absurd to try todemonstrate such proofs on a strictly
  mathematical basis; i。e。 neither empirically nor from the standpoint of the Notion。 These proofs
  presuppose thir theorems; those very laws; from experience; what they succeed in doing is to
  reduce them to abstract expressions and convenient formulae。
  Undoubtedly the time will come when; with a clearer understanding of what mathematics can
  accomplish and has accomplished; the entire; real merit of Newton as against Kepler — the sham
  scaffolding of proofs being discarded — will clearly be seen to be restricted to the said
  transformation of Kepler's formula and to the elementary analytical treatment accorded to it。
  Undoubtedly the time will come when; with a clearer understanding of what mathematics can
  accomplish and has accomplished; he restricted to the said transformation of Kepler's formula and
  to the lem en; ta analytical treatment accorded to it。
  C Being…for…self in Measure
  Chapter 2 Real Measure
  A The Relation of Self…Subsistent Measures
  (a) Combination of Two Measures
  (b) Measure of a Series of Measure Relations
  (c) Elective Affinity
  Remark: Berthollet on Chemical Affinity and Berzelius's Theory of it
  B Nodal Line of Measure Relations
  Remark: Examples of Such Nodal Lines; the Maxim; ‘Nature Does Not
  Make Leaps’
  The system of natural numbers already shows a nodal line of qualitative moments which emerge in
  a merely external succession。 It is on the one hand a merely quantitative progress and regress; a
  perpetual adding or subtracting; so that each number has the same arithmetical relation to the one
  before it and after it; as these have to their predecessors and successors; and so on。 But the
  numbers so formed also have a specific relation to other numbers preceding and following them;
  being either an integral multiple of one of them or else a power or a root。 In the musical scale
  which is built up on quantitative differences; a quantum gives rise to an harmonious relation without
  its own relation to those on either side of it in the scale differing from the relation between these
  again and their predecessors and successors。 While successive notes seem to be at an
  ever…increasing distance from the keynote; or numbers in succeeding each other arithmetically
  seem only to become other numbers; the fact is that there suddenly emerges a return; a surprising
  accord; of which no hint was given by the quality of what immediately preceded it; but which
  appears as an actio in distans; as a connection with something far removed。 There is a sudden
  interruption of the succession of merely indifferent relations which do not alter the preceding
  specific reality or do not even form any such; and although the succession is continued
  quantitatively in the same manner; a specific relation breaks in per saltum。
  Such qualitative nodes and leaps occur in chemical combinations when the mixture proportions are
  progressively altered; at certain points in the scale of mixtures; two substances form products
  exhibiting p