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appears as the middle term for the distinct and independent extremes； always gets broken up into
these very extremes； which only are through this taking place。 Thus the process； which formerly
took the shape of the self…negation of contradictory conceptions； here assumes objective form；
and is a movement of force； the result of which is to bring out the 〃unconditioned universal〃； as
something which is not objective — which is the inner （unperceived） being of things。
Force； as thus determined； since it is taken as force； or as reflected into itself； is the one side of its
notion and meaning；： but a substantiated extreme； and； moreover； the extreme established with the
specific character of oneness。 In virtue of this； the subsistence of the differentiated elements falls
outside it； and is something other than it。 Since of necessity it has； to be this subsistence； i。e。； to
express； externalize itself； its expression takes the form that the other approaches it and incites it。
But； in point of fact； since it must necessarily express itself； it has within itself this other； which to
begin with took up a position as something outside it。 We must withdraw from the position which
sets up force as a one； and its essence — self…expressions — an other approaching it from outside。
Force is rather itself this universal medium for the subsistence of the moments as differentiated
elements； or； in other words； it has expressed or externalized itself； and what was to be something
outside it attracting or inciting it is really force itself。 It thus exists now as the medium of the
differentiated elements which are evolved。 But all the same it is in its very nature one and single；
and has essentially the form of being that in which these subsisting elements are superseded。 This
oneness is in consequence now something other than； external to； force； since force takes its place
as the medium for the elements to exist in； and force therefore has this its essential being outside
itself。 Since； however； it must of necessity be this essential nature； which as yet it is not affirmed to
be； this other comes forward soliciting or inciting it to reflect into self； to turn this pseudo…external
factor into an aspect of itself； in other words； this other cancels its external expression。 In point of
fact； however； it is force itself that is thus reflected into self； that is the sublation of the external
expression。 The oneness vanishes as it appeared； viz。 as something external； force is that very
other； is force thrust back into itself。
What took the character of an external other； and incited force at once to expression and to return
into self； turns out directly to be itself force： for the other shows itself to be universal medium as
well as one and single； and shows this in such a way that each of the forms assumed appears at the
same time to be merely a vanishing moment。 Consequently force； in that there is an other for it；
and it is for an other； has as a whole not yet developed its complete meaning。 There are two
forces present at the same time； the notion of both is no doubt the same notion； but it has passed
out of its unity into duality。 Instead of the opposition continuing to be entirely and essentially a
mere moment； it appears to have escaped from the control of the unity and to have become；
owing to this diremption； two quite independent forces。 We have now to see more precisely what
sort of situation this independence。 introduces。
To begin with； the second force stands towards the force incited in the character of inciting force；
and； moreover； with respect to its content； plays the part of universal medium。 But since that
second force consists essentially in an alternation of these two moments and is itself force； it is
likewise； in point of fact； universal medium only then when it is incited or solicited to being so； and
in the same way； too； it is negative unity； or incites and leads to the retraction of force； only by
being incited thereto。 As a result； this distinction； which took place between one force regarded as
inciting and the other as incited； turns also into one and the same reciprocal interchange of
characteristics。
The interplay of the two forces in this way arises from and consists in the two being thus
determined with opposite characteristics； in their being for one another in virtue of this
determination and in the complete and exchange of their characteristics — a transition direct from
one to the other； whereby alone these determinations； in which the forces seem to appear
independently； have being。 For example； the inciting force is set up as universal medium； and； on
the other hand； the force incited as a force repressed。 But the former is universal medium just by
the very fact of the latter being repressed： that is to say； this latter is really what incites the former；
and makes it the medium it claims to be。 The former gets the character it has only through the
other； and is an inciting force only so far as it is incited by the latter to be so。 And it loses just as
readily this character given to it； for this character passes； or rather has already passed； into the
character of the other。 The former； acting in an external way； takes the part of universal medium；
but only by its having been incited by the other force to do so。 This means； however； that the latter
gives it that position； and is really itself essentially universal medium： it gives the inciting agency
this character just because this other character is essentially its own； i。e。 because it is really its own
self。
To complete our insight into the principle of this process； we may notice； further； that the
distinctions themselves reveal distinction in a twofold manner。 They are； on the one hand；
distinctions of content； since one extreme is force reflected into itself； while the other is a medium
for the constituent elements involved： on the other hand； they appear as distinctions of form； since
one incites and the other is incited； the former being active； the latter passive。 As regards the
distinction of content； they are in fact distinct；； or distinct for us ＇who are analysing the process＇；
as regards distinction of form； however； they are independent； in their relation parting asunder of
themselves； and standing opposed。 In the perception of the movement of force； consciousness
becomes aware that the extremes； in both these aspects； are nothing per se； that rather these
sides； in which their distinction of nature was meant to consist； are merely vanishing moments； an
immediate transition of each into its opposite。 For us； however ＇who are analysing the process＇； it
was also true； as stated above； that per se the distinctions； qua distinctions of content and form；
vanished： and on the side of form； the active； inciting； or independent factor was in its very nature
the same as what； from the side of content； was presented as repressed force； force driven back
into itself； the passive； incited； or related factor was； from the side of form； the same as what； from
the side of content； took shape as universal medium for the many constituent elements。
From this we see that the not