Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy: Volume 1 (of 3)
Georg Hegel · en
The defect in such a view is that because intellectual substantiality,
while represented as end and aim for the subject, as a condition that
has to be produced in the interest of the subject, even though it be
most objective, is yet only quite abstractly objective; and hence the
essential form of objectivity is wanting to it. That intellectual
substantiality that thus remaining in abstraction, has as its
existence the subjective soul alone. Just as in empty vanity, where
the subjective power of negation alone remains, everything disappears,
this abstraction of intellectual substantiality only signifies
an escape into what is empty and without determination, wherein
everything vanishes. Therefore what remains to be done is to force
forward the real ground of the inwardly self-forming and determining
objectivity—the eternal form within itself, which is what men call
Thought. Just as this Thought in the first place, as subjective, is
mine, because I think, but in the second place is universality which
comprehends intellectual substantiality, it is likewise in the third
place forming activity, the principle of determination. This higher
kind of objectivity that unfolds itself, alone gives a place to the
particular content, allows it to have free scope and receives it
into itself. If in the Oriental view, the particular shakes and is
destined to fall, it still has its place grounded on thought. It is
able to root itself in itself, it is able to stand firm, and this is
the hard European understanding. Such Eastern ideas tend to destroy
it, but it is preserved active in the soil of thought; it cannot exist
when regarded as independent, but must exist only as a moment in the
whole system. In the Eastern Philosophy we have also discovered a
definite content, which is brought under our consideration; but the
consideration is destitute of thought or system because it comes
from above and is outside of the unity. On that side there stands
intellectual substantiality, on this side it appears dry and barren;
the particular thus only has the dead form of simple reason and
conclusion, such as we find in the Scholastics. Based on the ground of
thought, on the other hand, the particular may receive its dues; it may
be regarded and grasped as a moment in the whole organization. The Idea
has not become objective in the Indian Philosophy; hence the external
and objective has not been comprehended in accordance with the Idea.
This is the deficiency in Orientalism.