The World as Will and Idea — Schopenhauer — John Shaqi
The World as Will and Idea
Schopenhauer · German
If several of the phenomena of will in the lower grades of its
objectification—that is, in unorganised nature—come into conflict because
each of them, under the guidance of causality, seeks to possess a given
portion of matter, there arises from the conflict the phenomenon of a
higher Idea which prevails over all the less developed phenomena
previously there, yet in such a way that it allows the essence of these to
continue to exist in a subordinate manner, in that it takes up into itself
from them something which is analogous to them. This process is only
intelligible from the identity of the will which manifests itself in all
the Ideas, and which is always striving after higher objectification. We
thus see, for example, in the hardening of the bones, an unmistakable
analogy to crystallisation, as the force which originally had possession
of the chalk, although ossification is never to be reduced to
crystallisation. The analogy shows itself in a weaker degree in the flesh
becoming firm. The combination of humours in the animal body and secretion
are also analogous to chemical combination and separation. Indeed, the
laws of chemistry are still strongly operative in this case, but
subordinated, very much modified, and mastered by a higher Idea; therefore
mere chemical forces outside the organism will never afford us such
humours; but
“Encheiresin naturæ nennt es die Chemie,
Spottet ihrer selbst und weiss nicht wie.”
The more developed Idea resulting from this victory over several lower
Ideas or objectifications of will, gains an entirely new character by
taking up into itself from every Idea over which it has prevailed a
strengthened analogy. The will objectifies itself in a new, more distinct
way. It originally appears in _generatio æquivoca_; afterwards in
assimilation to the given germ, organic moisture, plant, animal, man. Thus
from the strife of lower phenomena the higher arise, swallowing them all
up, but yet realising in the higher grade the tendency of all the lower.
Here, then, already the law applies—_Serpens nisi serpentem comederit non
fit draco._