19

In the demand for the purification of the drives lies the general idea that they are freed from the form of their immediate natural determinacy and from the subjective and contingent nature of their content, and are led back to their substantial essence. The truth of this indeterminate demand is that the drives should be the rational system of the will’s determination; to grasp them as such from the Concept is the content of the science of Right.

The content of this science can be presented in all its individual moments—e.g., Right, property, morality, family, state, etc.—in the form that man has by nature the drive to Right, also the drive to property, to morality, also the drive of sexual love, the drive to sociability, etc. If one wants to have a philosophical guise in a more distinguished manner instead of this form of empirical psychology, this is—according to what has passed and still passes for philosophy in recent times, as noted before—cheaply obtained by saying that man finds in himself as a fact of his consciousness that he wills Right, property, the state, etc. Later, another form of the same content, which appears here in the shape of drives, namely that of duties, will emerge.

DE


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One response to “19”

  1. Hegel (Notes) Avatar
    Hegel (Notes)

    [zu § 19] Form also becomes content.
    To purify — an indeterminate word — not excess, modus — and the like — at first only: not to disturb the others — to subordinate one another mutually.
    α) but one purpose is not of equal rank with another, — to satisfy [them] in an equal way — is an empty word, bare r[easoning]. The drive for fame requires quite different exertion, time, expenditure of spirit — than the other drives —
    β) subordination, — presupposes a preference — essential in itself — according to the concept of the will; for by nature 70 each is; — knows[?] no [?] preference — an end in and for itself

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