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On the contrary； when contrasted with the wealth of the world as pictorially conceived； with the
apparently real content of the other sciences； and compared with the promise of absolute science
to unveil the essential being of this wealth； the inner nature of mind and the world； the truth； then
this science in its abstract shape； in the colourless； cold simplicity of its pure determinations looks
as if it could achieve anything sooner than the fulfilment of its promise and seems to confront that
richness as an empty； insubstantial form。 The first acquaintance with logic confines its significance
to itself alone； its content passes only for a detached occupation with the determinations of
thought； alongside which other scientific activities possess on their own account a matter and
content of their own； on which logic may perhaps have a formal influence； though an influence
which comes only from itself and which if necessary can of course also be dispensed with so far as
the scientific structure and its study are concerned。
The other sciences have on the whole discarded the correct method； that is； a sequence of
definitions； axioms； theorems and their proofs； etc。； so…called natural logic now has its own validity
in the sciences and manages to get along without any special knowledge of the nature of thought
itself。 But the matter and content of these sciences is held to be completely independent of logic
and also has more appeal for sense； feeling； figurate conception； and practical interest of any kind。
At first； therefore； logic must indeed be learnt as something which one understands and sees into
quite well but in which； at the beginning； one feels the lack of scope and depth and a wider
significance。 It is only after profounder acquaintance with the other sciences that logic ceases to be
for subjective spirit a merely abstract universal an reveals itself as the universal which embraces
within itself the wealth of the particular — just as the same proverb； in the mouth of a youth who
understands it quite well； does not possess the wide range of meaning which it has in the mind of a
man with the experience of a lifetime behind him； for who； the meaning is expressed in all its
power。 Thus the value of logic is only apprehended when it is preceded by experience of the
sciences； it then displays itself to mind as the universal truth； not as a particular knowledge
alongside other matters and realities； but as the essential being of all these latter。 ？
Now although the mind is not conscious of this power of logic at the beginning of its study； it none
the less receives within itself through such study the power which leads it into all truth。 The system
of logic is the realm of shadows； the world of simple essentialities freed from all sensuous
concreteness。 The study of this science； to dwell and labour in this shadowy realm； is the absolute
culture and discipline of consciousness。 In logic； consciousness is busy with something remote
from sensuous intuitions and aims； from feelings； from the merely imagined world of figurate
conception。 Considered from its negative aspect； this business consists in holding off the
contingency of ordinary thinking and the arbitrary selection of particular grounds — or their
opposites — as valid。
But above all； thought acquires thereby self…reliance and independence。 It becomes at home in
abstractions and in progressing by means of Notions free from sensuous substrata； develops an
unsuspected power of assimilating in rational form all the various knowledges and sciences in their
complex variety； of grasping and retaining them in their essential character； stripping them of their
external features and in this way extracting from them the logical element； or what is the same
thing； filling the abstract basis of Logic acquired by study with the substantial content of absolute
truth and giving it the value of a universal which no longer stands as a particular alongside other
particulars but includes them all within its grasp and is their essence； the absolutely True。
GENERAL DIVISION OF LOGIC
From what has been said about the Notion of this science and where its justification is to be
found； it follows that the general division of it here can only be provisional； can be given； as it
were； only in so far as the author is already familiar with the science and consequently is
historically in a position to state here in advance the main distinctions which will emerge in the
development of the Notion。
Still； the attempt can be made to promote an understanding beforehand of what is requisite for
such a division； even though in doing so we must have recourse to an application of the method
which will only be fully understood and justified within the science itself。 We must therefore point
out at the start that we are presupposing that the division must be connected with the Notion； or
rather must be implicit in the Notion itself。 The Notion is not indeterminate but is in its own self
determinate； the division； however； expresses this its determinateness as developed； it is the
judgement of the Notion； not a judgement about some object or other picked up from outside；
but the judging； that is； determining； of the Notion in its own self。
The quality of being right…angled； acute…angled or equilateral； according to which triangles are
classified； is not implicit in the determinateness of the triangle itself； that is； not in what is usually
called the Notion of the triangle； just as little as there is implicit in what passes for the Notion of
animal as such； or of the mammal； bird； etc。 the determinations governing the classification into
mammal； bird； etc。； and the subdivision of these classes into other species。 Such determinations
are taken from elsewhere and are annexed to such so…called Notion from outside。 In the
philosophical treatment of classification or division； the Notion itself must show that it is itself the
course of those determinations。
But in the Introduction； the Notion of logic was itself stated to be the result of a preceding science；
and so here； too； it is a presupposition。 In accordance with that result logic was defined as the
science of pure thought； the principle of which is pure knowing； the unity which is not abstract but
a living； concrete unity in virtue of the fact that in it the opposition in consciousness between a
self…determined entity； a subject； and a second such entity； an object； is known to be overcome；
being is known to be the pure Notion in its own self； and the pure Notion to be the true being。
These； then； are the two moments contained in logic。 But now they are known to be inseparable；
not as in consciousness where each also has a separate being of its own； it is solely because they
are at the same time known as distinct （yet not with an independent being） that their unity is not
abstract； dead and inert； but concrete。
This unity also constitutes the logical principle as element； so that the development of the
difference directly present in that principle proceeds only within this element。 For since the
division is； as we have said； the judgement of the No