哲学史-philosophy of history(英文版)-第4章

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and　the　charge　consequent　brought　against　speculation；　shall　be　explained　and　confuted。　We　do
not；　however；　propose　to　correct　the　innumerable　special　misrepresentations；　trite　or　novel；　that
are　current　respecting　the　aims；　the　interests；　and　the　modes　of　treating　history；　and　its　relation　to
Philosophy。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　12

The　only　Thought　which　Philosophy　brings　with　it　to　the　contemplation　of　History；　is　the　simple
conception　of　Reason；　that　Reason　is　the　Sovereign　of　the　World；　that　the　history　of　the　world
therefore；　presents　us　with　a　rational　process。　This　conviction　and　intuition　is　a　hypothesis　in　the
domain　of　history　as　such。　In　that　of　Philosophy　it　is　no　hypothesis。　It　is　there　proved　by
speculative　cognition；　that　Reason　—　and　this　term　may　here　suffice　us；　without　investigating　the
relation　sustained　by　the　Universe　to　the　Divine　Being；　—　is　Substance；　as　well　as　Infinite　Power；
its　own　Infinite　Material　underlying　all　the　natural　and　spiritual　life　which　it　originates；　as　also　the
Infinite　Form；　—　that　which　sets　this　Material　in　motion。　On　the　one　hand；　Reason　is　the　substance
of　the　Universe；　viz。　that　by　which　and　in　which　all　reality　has　its　being　and　subsistence。　On　the
other　hand；　it　is　the　Infinite　Energy　of　the　Universe；　since　Reason　is　not　so　powerless　as　to　be
incapable　of　producing　anything　but　a　mere　ideal；　a　mere　intention　—　having　its　place　outside
reality；　nobody　knows　where；　something　separate　and　abstract；　in　the　heads　of　certain　human
beings。　It　is　the　infinite　plex　of　things；　their　entire　Essence　and　Truth。　It　is　its　own　material
which　it　mits　to　its　own　Active　Energy　to　work　up；　not　needing；　as　finite　action　does；　the
conditions　of　an　external　material　of　given　means　from　which　it　may　obtain　its　support；　and　the
objects　of　its　activity。　It　supplies　its　own　nourishment　and　is　the　object　of　its　own　operations。
While　it　is　exclusively　its　own　basis　of　existence；　and　absolute　final　aim；　it　is　also　the　energising
power　realising　this　aim；　developing　it　not　only　in　the　phenomena　of　the　Natural；　but　also　of　the
Spiritual　Universe　—　the　History　of　the　World。　That　this　“Idea”　or　“Reason”　is　the　True；　the
Eternal；　the　absolutely　powerful　essence；　that　it　reveals　itself　in　the　World；　and　that　in　that　World
nothing　else　is　revealed　but　this　and　its　honour　and　glory　—　is　the　thesis　which；　as　we　have　said；
has　been　proved　in　Philosophy　and　is　here　regarded　as　demonstrated。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　13

In　those　of　my　hearers　who　are　not　acquainted　with　Philosophy；　I　may　fairly　presume；　at　least；　the
existence　of　a　belief　in　Reason；　a　desire；　a　thirst　for　acquaintance　with　it；　in　entering　upon　this
course　of　Lectures。　It　is　in　fact；　the　wish　for　rational　insight；　not　the　ambition　to　amass　a　mere　heap
of　acquisitions；　that　should　be　presupposed　in　every　case　as　possessing　the　mind　of　the　learner　in
the　study　of　science。　If　the　clear　idea　of　Reason　is　not　already　developed　in　our　minds；　in　beginning
the　study　of　Universal　History；　we　should　at　least　leave　the　firm；　unconquerable　faith　that　Reason
does　exist　there；　and　that　the　World　of　intelligence　and　conscious　volition　is　not　abandoned　to
chance；　but　must　show　itself　in　the　light　of　the　self…cognisant　Idea。　Yet　I　am　not　obliged　to　make
any　such　preliminary　demand　upon　your　faith。　What　I　have　said　thus　provisionally；　and　what　I　shall
have　further　to　say；　is；　even　in　reference　to　our　branch　of　science；　not　to　be　regarded　as
hypothetical；　but　as　a　summary　view　of　the　whole；　the　result　of　the　investigation　we　are　about　to
pursue；　a　result　which　happens　to　be　known　to　me；　because　I　have　traversed　the　entire　field。　It　is
only　an　inference　from　the　history　of　the　World；　that　its　development　has　been　a　rational　process；
that　the　history　in　question　has　constituted　the　rational　necessary　course　of　the　World　Spirit　—　that
Spirit　whose　nature　is　always　one　and　the　same；　but　which　unfolds　this　its　one　nature　in　the
phenomena　of　the　World's　existence。　This　must；　as　before　stated；　present　itself　as　the　ultimate
result　of　History。　But　we　have　to　take　the　latter　as　it　is。　We　must　proceed　historically　—
empirically。　Among　other　precautions　we　must　take　care　not　to　be　misled　by　professed　historians
who　（especially　among　the　Germans；　and　enjoying　a　considerable　authority）；　are　chargeable　with
the　very　procedure　of　which　they　accuse　the　Philosopher　—　introducing　à　priori　inventions　of
their　own　into　the　records　of　the　Past。　It　is；　for　example；　a　widely　current　fiction；　that　there　was　an
original　primeval　people；　taught　immediately　by　God；　endowed　with　perfect　insight　and　wisdom；
possessing　a　thorough　knowledge　of　all　natural　laws　and　spiritual　truth；　that　there　have　been　such
or　such　sacerdotal　peoples；　or；　to　mention　a　more　specific　averment；　that　there　was　a　Roman
Epos；　from　which　the　Roman　historians　derived　the　early　annals　of　their　city；　&c。　Authorities　of
this　kind　we　leave　to　those　talented　historians　by　profession；　among　whom　（in　Germany　at　least）
their　use　is　not　unmon。　—　We　might　then　announce　it　as　the　first　condition　to　be　observed；　that
we　should　faithfully　adopt　all　that　is　historical。　But　in　such　general　expressions　themselves；　as
“faithfully”　and　“adopt；”　lies　the　ambiguity。　Even　the　ordinary；　the　“impartial”　historiographer；
who　believes　and　professes　that　he　maintains　a　simply　receptive　attitude；　surrendering　himself　only
to　the　data　supplied　him　—　is　by　no　means　passive　as　regards　the　exercise　of　his　thinking　powers。
He　brings　his　categories　with　him；　and　sees　the　phenomena　presented　to　his　mental　vision；
exclusively　through　these　media。　And；　especially　in　all　that　pretends　to　the　name　of　science；　it　is
indispensable　that　Reason　should　not　sleep　—　that　reflection　should　be　in　full　play。　To　him　who
looks　upon　the　world　rationally；　the　world　in　its　turn；　presents　a　rational　aspect。　The　relation　is
mutual。　But　the　various　exercises　of　reflection　—　the　different　points　of　view　—　the　modes　of
deciding　the　simple　question　of　the　relative　importance　of　events　（the　first　category　that　occupies
the　attention　of　the　historian）；　do　not　belong　to　this　place。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　14

I　will　only　mention　two　phases　and　points　of　view　that　concern　the　generally　diffused　conviction
that　Reason　has　ruled；　and　is　still　ruling　in　the　world；　and　consequently　in　the　world's　history；
because　they　give　us；　at　the　same　time；　an　opportunity　for　more　closely　investigating　the　question
that　presents　the　greatest　difficulty；　and　for　indicating　a　branch　of　the　subject；　which　will　have　to　be
enlarged　on　in　the　sequel。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I。　Reason　Governs　the　World

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　15

One　of　these　points　is；　that　passage　in　history；　which　informs　us　that　the　Greek　Anaxagoras　was
the　first　to　enunciate　the　doctrine　that　Understanding　generally；　or　Reason；　governs　the　world。　It　is
not　intelligence　as　self…conscious　Reason；　—　not　a　Spirit　as　such　that　is　meant；　and　we　must　clearly
distinguish　these　from　each　other。　The　movement　of　the　solar　system　takes　place　according　to
unchangeable　laws。　These　laws　are　Reason；　implicit　in　the　phenomena　in　question。　But　neither　the
sun　nor　the　plas；　which　revolve　around　it　according　to　these　laws；　can　be　said　to　have　any
consciousness　of　them。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　16

A　thought　of　this　kind；　—　that　Nature　is　an　embodiment　of　Reason；　that　it　is　unchangeably
subordinate　to　universal　laws；　appears　nowise　striking　or　strange　to　us。　We　are　accustomed　to
such　conceptions；　and　find　nothing　extraordinary　in　them。　And　I　have　mentioned　this　extraordinary
occurrence；　partly　to　show　how　history　teaches；　that　ideas　of　this　kind；　which　may　seem　trivial　to
us；　have　not　always　been　in　the　world；　that　on　the　contrary；　such　a　thought　makes　an　epoch　in　the
annals　of　human　intelligence。　Aristotle　says　of　Anaxagoras；　as　the　originator　of　the　thought　in
question；　that　he　appeared　as　a　sober　man　among　the　drunken。　Socrates　adopted　the　doctrine
from　Anaxagoras；　and　it　forthwith　became　the　ruling　idea　in　Philosophy；　except　in　the　school　of
Epicurus；　who　ascribed　all　events　to　chance。　“I　was　delighted　with　the　sentiment；”　—　Plato
makes　Socrates　say　—　“and　hoped　I　had　found　a　teacher　who　would　show　me　Nature　in　harmony
with　Reason；　who　would　demonstrate　in　each　particular　phenomenon　its　specific　aim；　and　in　the
whole；　the　grand　object　of　the　Universe。　I　would　not　have　surrendered　this　hope　for　a　great　deal。
But　how　very　much　was　I　disappointed；　when；　having　zealously　applied　myself　to　the　writings　of
Anaxagoras；　I　found　that　he　adduces　only　external　causes；　such　as　Atmosphere；　Ether；　Water；
and　the　like。”　It　is　evident　that　the　defect　which　Socrates　plains　of　respecting　Anaxagoras's
doctrine；　does　not　concern　the　principle　itself；　but　the　shorting　of　the　propounder　in　applying　it
to　Nature　in　the　concrete。　Nature　is　not　deduced　from　that　principle：　the　latter　remains　in　fact　a
mere　abstraction；　inasmuch　as　the　former　is　not　prehended　and　exhibited　as　a　development　of
it；　—　an　organisation　produced　by　and　from　Reason。　I　wish；　at　the　very　outset；　to　call　your
attention　to　the　important　difference　between　a　conception；　a　principle；　a　truth　limited　to　an
abstract　form　and　its　determinate　application；　and　concrete　development。　This　distinction　affects
the　whole　fabric　of　philosophy；　and　among　other　bearings　of　it　there　is　one　to　which　we　shall　have
to　revert　at　the　close　of　our　view　of　Universal　History；　in　investigating　the　aspect　of　political　affairs
in　the　most　recent　period。　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　§　17

We　have　next　to　notice　the　rise　of　this　idea　—　that　Reason　directs　the　World　—　in　connection　with
a　further　application　of　it；　well　known　to　us；　—　in　the　form；　viz。　of　the　religious　truth；　that　the
world　is　not　abandoned　to　chance　and　external　contingent　causes；　but　that　a　Providence　controls
it。　I　stated　above；　that　I　would　not　make　a　demand　on　your　faith；　in　regard　to　the　principle
announced。　Yet　I　might　appeal　to　your　belief　in　it；　in　this　religious　aspect；　if；　as　a　general　rule；　the
nature　of　philosophical　science　allowed　it　to　attach　authority　to　presuppositions。　To　put　it　in
another　shape；　—　this　appeal　is　forbidden；　because　the　science　of　which　we　have　to　treat；
proposes　itself　to　furnish　the　proof　（not　indeed　of　the　abstract　Truth　of　the　doctrine；　but）　of　its
correctness　as　pared　with　facts。　The　truth；　then；　that　a　Providence　（that　of　God）　presides　over
the　events　of　the　World　—　consorts　with　the　proposition　in　question；　for　Divine　Providence　is
Wisdom；　endowed　with　an　infinite　Power　which　realises　its　aim；　viz。　the　absolute　rational…design　of
the　World。　Reason　is　Thought　conditioning　itself　with　perfect　freedom。　But　a　difference　—　rather　a
contradiction　—　will　manifest　itself；　between　this　belief　and　our　principle；　just　as　was　the　case　in
reference　to　the　demand　made　by　Socrates　in　the　case　of　Anaxagoras's　dictum。　For　that　belief　is
similarly　indefinite；　it　is　what　is　called　a　belief　in　a　general　Providence；　and　is　not　followed　out　into
definite　application；　or　displayed　in　its　bearing　on　the　grand　total　�