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that embodied form； is； however； in point of fact； no longer a consideration of organic existence。
For both the aspects； which were to be related； are merely taken thereby reflection into indifferent
to one another； and self； the essential nature of organism； is done away with。 What we have done
here is rather to transfer that attempted comparison of inner and outer to the sphere of inorganic
nature。 The notion with its infinity is here merely the inner essence； which lies hidden away within
or falls outside in self…consciousness； and no longer； as in the case of the organism； has its
presence in an object。 This relation of inner and outer has thus still to be considered in its own
proper sphere。
In the first place； that inner element of the form； being the simple individual existence of an
inorganic thing； is the specific gravity。 As a simply existing fact； this can be observed just as much
as the characteristic of number； which is the only one of which it is capable； or properly speaking
can be found by comparing observations； and it seems in this way to furnish one aspect of the law。
The embodied form； colour； hardness； toughness； and an innumerable host of other properties；
would together constitute the outer aspect； and would have to give expression to the characteristic
of the inner； number； so that the one should find its counterpart in the other。
Now because negativity is here taken not in the sense of a movement of the process； but as an
inoperative unity； or as simple self…existence； it appears really as that by which the thing resists the
process； and maintains itself within itself； and in a condition of indifference towards it。 By the fact；
however； that this simple self …existence is an inactive indifference towards an other； specific
gravity appears as one property alongside others； and therewith all necessary relation on its part to
this plurality； or； in other words； all conformity to law； ceases。
The specific gravity in the sense of this simple inner aspect does not contain difference in itself； or
the difference it has is merely non…essential； for its bare simplicity just cancels every distinction of
an essential kind。 This non…essential difference； quantity； was thus bound to find its other or
counterpart in the other aspect； the plurality of properties； since it is only by doing so that it is
difference at all 。 If this plurality itself is held together within the simple form of opposition； and is
determined； say； as cohesion； so that this cohesion is self…existence in otherness； as specific gravity
is pure self…existence； then cohesion here is in the first place this pure conceptually constituted
characteristic as against the previous characteristic。 The mode of framing the law would thus be
what we discussed above； in dealing with the relation of sensibility to irritability。 In the next place；
cohesion； qua conception of selfexistence in otherness； is merely the abstraction of the aspect
opposed to specific gravity； and as such has no existential reality。 For self…existence in otherness is
the process wherein the inorganic would have to express its self…existence as a form of
self…conservation； which on the other hand would prevent it emerging from the process as a
constituent moment of a product。 But this goes directly against its nature； which has no purpose or
universality in it。 Rather； its process is simply the determinate course of action by which its
self…existence； in the sense of its specific gravity； cancels itself。 This determinate action； which in
that case would constitute the true principle implied in its cohesion； is itself however entirely
indifferent to the other notion； that of the determinate quantity of its specific gravity。 If the mode of
action were left entirely out of account； and attention confined to the idea of quantity； we might be
able to think of a feature like this： the greater specific weight； as it is a higher intensiveness of being
（Insichseyn）； would resist entering into the process more than a less specific weight。 But on the
contrary； freedom of self…existence （Fürsichseyn） shows itself only in facility to establish
connexion with everything； and maintain itself throughout this manifold variety。 That intensity
without extension of relations is an abstraction with no substance in it； for extension constitutes the
existence of intensity。 The self…conservation of the inorganic element in its relation lies however； as
already mentioned； outside its nature； since it does not contain the principle of movement within it
or because its being is not absolute negativity and not a notion。
When this other aspect of the inorganic； on the other hand； is considered not as a process； but as
an inactive being； it is ordinary cohesion。 It is a simple sense property standing on one side over
against the free and detached moment of otherness； which lies dispersed into a plurality of
properties indifferent to and apart from one another； and which itself comes under this （cohesion）
as does specific gravity。 The multiplicity of properties together； then； constitutes the other side to
cohesion。 In its case； however； as in the case of the multiplicity； number is the only characteristic
feature。 which not merely does not bring out a relation and a transition from one to another of
these properties； but consists essentially in having no necessary relation； its nature is rather to
make manifest the absence of all conformity to law； for it expresses the determinate character as
one that is non…essential。 Thus we see that a series of bodies； whose difference is expressed as a
numerical difference of their specific weights； by no means runs parallel to a series where the
difference is constituted by the other properties； even if； for purposes of simplification； we select
merely one or some of them。 For； as a matter of fact； it could only be the tout ensemble of the
properties which would have to constitute the other parallel aspect here。 To bring this into orderly
shape and to make it a connected single whole； observation finds at hand the quantitative
determinations of these various properties； on the other hand； however； their differences come to
light as qualitative。 Now； in this collection； what would have to be characterized as positive or
negative； and would be cancelled each by the otherin general； the internal arrangement and
exposition of the equation； which would be very composite；would belong to the notion。 The
notion however is excluded from operating just by the way in which the properties are found lying；
and are to be picked up as mere existent entities。 In this condition of mere being； none is negative
in its relation to another： the one exists just as much as the other； nor does it in any other fashion
indicate its position in the arrangement of the whole。
In the case of a series with concurrent differenceswhether the relation is meant to be that of
simultaneous increase on both sides or of increase in the one and decrease in the otherinterest
centres merely in the last simple expression of this combined whole； which would constitute the
one aspect of the law with specific gravity for the opposite。