The Science of Knowledge (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 edition. Excerpt: ... to the general. He thus attained a general, but only a collective general, not an infinite general. For finity opens no path to infinity, whereas there is a path from undetermined and undeterminable infinity to finity, by means of the determining power. (Hence, all finite is product of that power.) We, therefore, take the opposite way, and prove that there is given a manifold for empirical consciousness, which proof runs in this wise: the given must be something. As such there must be another, which is also something. When this proof shall be possible, we enter upon the sphere of the particular. The method of the theoretical science of knowledge has been described before, and is simple and easy. The thread of our argument is carried along in accordance with the principle: Nothing appertains to the Ego but what it posits in itself. We make the deduced fact our starting-point, and see how the Ego may proceed to posit it in itself. This positing of the fact is again a fact, and must also be posited by the Ego in itself, and in this manner we continue until we have arrived at the highest theoretical fact, namely, the fact by which the Ego posits itself consciously as determined through the Non-Ego. Thus, the theoretical science of knowledge closes with its fundamental principle, returns into itself, and is completed through itself DEDUCTION OF SENSATION. The conflict of opposite directions of the activity of the Ego, which have been described in the first part, is something distinguishable in the Ego. As sure as this conflict is in the Ego, it must be posited by the Ego in the Ego, and hence must be distinguished. The Ego posits this conflict signifies, firstly: The Ego opposits itself to this conflict. Hitherto, that is, on this stand-point of...