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 68 )
page. 68

1. What means (ways, 方法) does the Idea employ to realise itself?

2. This question of the means whereby freedom creates a world for itself leads us to the phenomenon of history proper.

3. An initial survey of history, however, would indicate that the actions of men are NEEDS, PASSIONS, and INTERESTS, by the attitudes and aims to which these give rise, and by their own character and abilities;

4. we gain the impression that, in this essence of ACTIVITY, these needs, passions, interests, etc., are the sole MOTIVE FORCES.

5. We may well see the ends of reason realised in the virtues of individuals who constitute but a small proportion of the mass of mankind when we compare them with all the other, and the extent to which their virtues are effective is relatively limited.

6. But in many cases, PASSIONS, PRIVATE INTERESTS, and the satisfaction of SELFISH IMPULSES are the most potent force.

7. What makes them powerful is [that] they DO NOT heed any of the RESTRAINTS which justice and morality seek to imposes upon them, and the elemental power of PASSION has a more immediate HOLD over man that artificial and labouriously acquired discipline of order and moderation, justice and morality.

8. . . . and when we are moved to profound pity of the untold miseries of individual human beings -- we can only end with a feeling of sadness at the transience (頃刻; 無常; 短暫; 稍縱即逝 ) of everything.

http://blog.xuite.net/ymf6093/blog/10899299