The Philosophy of Fine Art, volume 1 (of 4): Hegel's Aesthetik
Georg Hegel · en
(_c_) The same defect is apparent on the higher plane of the
_spiritual_ world and its organizations, if we consider such under
the aspect of life as immediately presented. The more extensive and
the richer their configurations are, the more we shall find that the
fundamental object of the inner life of such totalities requires other
means co-operative with such externality for its adequate expression.
Such organizations no doubt appear in immediate reality as organic
wholes in which definite purpose is realized, and the realization of
such purpose is manifested by the mediation of voluntary effort. Every
centre of such a spiritual organism, such as the State or the family,
that is to say each individual organic totality, is in possession of a
_will_ capable of such exercise, and appears in unity with the other
members of the same organism; but the _one_ inner soul of this nexus,
the freedom and reason of the aim of all is not visible in external
reality as such in the absolute freedom of its subjective and universal
principle of life, nor is it thus manifested in every part.
The same thing may be observed in particular actions and events, where
we find a similar organic totality present. The inner motive from which
they proceed is not wholly made visible upon the external surface
of their actual presence. What we do find is a total presentment of
_fact_, whose most fundamental ground of unity and vitality still
remains _hidden from sight._
Finally, when we consider from the same point of view any single
individual we are confronted with the same truth. Every human person
is a self-rounded totality, held together by the central unity of
life. In the immediate envisagement of reality, that is in his life,
action, avoidance of action, desires and impulses, he only appears in
a fragmentary way; none the less it is only from a general survey of
all his actions or sufferings that we are able to form an estimate
of character. The centre of unity which thus concentrates to a point
the entire subject-matter of our extended survey is not as such either
visible or directly apprehended.