李榮添 : 歷史之理性 -- 黑格爾歷史哲學導論述析 ( Hoffmeister, Nisbet)

李榮添 : 歷史之理性 -- 黑格爾歷史哲學導論述析 ( Hoffmeister, Nisbet)
excerpted from Lectures on the Philosophy of World History : Introduction : Reason in History. Hoffmeister ed. tr. by Nisbet.
( Nisbet, page 58-59 )

page 58.

1.I am interested in something only in so far as it is still out of my reach, or is necessary to some purpose which I have NOT YET fulfilled.

2. Since it is a living, its business is to BRING FORTH, to PRODUCE, and to REALISE itself. This involves an OPPOSITION ( 對立 ) in so far as reality does NOT match its concept, or in so far as its inner concept has not yet become conscious of itself.

page 59.

3. But as soon as the spirit has given itself an objective life, as soon as it has fully worked out its concept and put it into practice completely, it reaches a stage of self-indulgence ( 自我放縱; 任性 )which is NO LONGER activity but an unrestrained self-abandon ( 自我放棄 ).

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