progressively altered； at certain points in the scale of mixtures； two substances form products
exhibiting particular qualities。 These products are distinguished from one another not merely by a
more or less； and they are not already present； or only perhaps in a weaker degree； in the
proportions close to the nodal proportions； but are bound up with these nodes themselves。 For
example； different oxides of nitrogen and nitric acids having essentially different qualities are
formed only when oxygen and nitrogen are combined in certain specific proportions； and no such
specific compounds are formed by the intermediate proportions。 Metal oxides； e。g。 the lead
oxides； are formed at certain quantitative points of oxidation and are distinguished by colours and
other qualities。 They do not pass gradually into one another； the proportions lying in between these
nodes do not produce a neutral or a specific substance。 Without having passed through the
intervening stages； a specific compound appears which is based on a measure relation and
possesses characteristic qualities。 Again； water when its temperature is altered does not merely get
more or less hot but passes through from the liquid into either the solid or gaseous states； these
states do not appear gradually； on the contrary； each new state appears as a leap； suddenly
interrupting and checking the gradual succession of temperature changes at these points。 Every
birth and death； far from being a progressive gradualness； is an interruption of it and is the leap
from a quantitative into a qualitative alteration。
It is said； natura non facit saltum ＇there are no leaps in nature＇； and ordinary thinking when it has
to grasp a coming…to…be or a ceasing…to…be； fancies it has done so by representing it as a gradual
emergence or disappearance。 But we have seen that the alterations of being in general are not only
the transition of one magnitude into another； but a transition from quality into quantity and vice
versa； a becoming…other which is an interruption of gradualness and the production of something
qualitatively different from the reality which preceded it。 Water； in cooling； does not gradually
harden as if it thickened like porridge； gradually solidifying until it reached the consistency of ice； it
suddenly solidifies； all at once。 It can remain quite fluid even at freezing point if it is standing
undisturbed； and then a slight shock will bring it into the solid state。
In thinking about the gradualness of the coming…to…be of something； it is ordinarily assumed that
what comes to be is already sensibly or actually in existence； it is not yet perceptible only
because of its smallness。 Similarly with the gradual disappearance of something； the non…being or
other which takes its place is likewise assumed to be really there； only not observable； and there；
too； not in the sense of being implicitly or ideally contained in the first something； but really there；
only not observable。 In this way； the form of the in…itself； the inner being of something before it
actually exists； is transformed into a smallness of an outer existence； and the essential difference；
that of the Notion； is converted into an external difference of mere magnitude。 The attempt to
explain coming…to…be or ceasing…to…be on the basis of gradualness of the alteration is tedious like
any tautology； what comes to be or ceases to be is assumed as already complete and in existence
beforehand and the alteration is turned into a mere change of an external difference； with the result
that the explanation is in fact a mere tautology。 The intellectual difficulty attendant on such an
attempted explanation comes from the qualitative transition from something into its other in general；
and then into its opposite； but the identity and the alteration are misrepresented as the indifferent；
external determinations of the quantitative sphere。
In the moral sphere； in so far as it is considered under the categories of being； there occurs the
same transition from quantity into quality and different qualities appear to be based in a difference
of magnitude。
It is through a more or less that the measure of frivolity or thoughtlessness is exceeded and
something quite different comes about； namely crime； and thus right becomes wrong and virtue
vice。 Thus states； too； acquire through their quantitative difference； other things being assumed
equal； a distinct qualitative character。 With the expansion of the state and an increased number of
citizens； the laws and the constitution acquire a different significance。 The state has its own
measure of magnitude and when this is exceeded this mere change of size renders it liable to
instability and disruption under that same constitution which was its good fortune and its strength
before its expansion。
C The Measureless
Chapter 3： The Becoming of Essence
A Absolute Indifference
B Indifference as an Inverse Ratio of its Factors
Remark： Centripetal and Centrfugal Force
C Transition into Essence
Absolute indifference is the final determination of being before it becomes essence； but it does not
attain to essence。 It reveals itself as still belonging to the sphere of being through the fact that；
determined as indifferent； it still contains difference as an external； quantitative determination； this
is its determinate being； contrasted with which absolute indifference is determined as being only
implicitly the absolute； not the absolute grasped as actuality。 In other words； it is external
reflection which stops short at conceiving the differences in themselves or in the absolute as one
and the same； thinking of them as only indifferently distinguished； not as intrinsically distinct from
one another。 The further step which requires to be made here is to grasp that this reflection of the
differences into their unity is not merely the product of the external reflection of the subjective
thinker； but that it is the very nature of the differences of this unity to sublate themselves； with the
result that their unity proves to be absolute negativity； its indifference to be just as much indifferent
to itself； to its own indifference； as it is indifferent to otherness。
But we are already familiar with this self…sublating of the determination of indifference； in the
development of its positedness； this determination has shown itself to be from every aspect a
contradiction。 It is in itself the totality in which every determination of being is sublated and
contained； it is thus the substrate； but at first only in the one…sided determination of the in…itself；
and consequently the differences； namely； the quantitative difference and the inverse ratio of
factors； are present in it only in an external manner。 As thus the contradiction of itself and its
determinedness； of its implicit determination and its posited determinateness； it is the negative
totality whose determinatenesses have sublated themselves in themselves and in so doing have
sublated this fundamental one…sidedness of theirs； their ＇merely＇ implicit being ＇Ansichsein＇。 The
result is that indifference is now posited as what it in fact is； namely a simple and infinite； negative
relation…to…self； its inherent incompatibility with itself； a repelling of itself from itself。 The process of
determining and being determined is not a transition； nor an external alteration； nor an emergence
of determinations in the indifference； but is its own self…relating which is the negativity of itself； of its
＇merely＇ implicit being。
Now these repelled determinations do not possess themselves； do not emerge as self…subsistent or
external determinations； but first； as moments belonging to the implicit unity； they are not
expelled from it but are borne by it as the substrate and are filled solely by it； secondly； as
determinations which are immanent in the explicated unity； they are only through their repulsion
from themselves。 The being of the determinations is no longer simply 。affirmative as in the entire
sphere of being； but is now a sheer positedness； the determinations having the fixed character and
significance of being related to their unity； each consequently being related to its other and with
negation； this is the mark of their relativity。
Thus we see that being in general and the being or immediacy of the distinct determinatenesses； no
less than the implicit being； has vanished and the unity is being； an immediate presupposed
totality such that it is this simple self…relation only as a result of the sublating of this
presupposition； and this presupposedness and immediate being is itself only a moment of its
repelling； the original self…subsistence and self…Identity is only as the resulting coming together
with itself。 Being； in its determining； has thus determined itself to essence； a being which； through
the sublating of being； is a simple being…with…itself。
VOLUME ONE： THE OBJECTIVE LOGIC
BOOK II。 THE DOCTRINE OF ESSENCE
Reflection … Appearance … Actuality
The truth of being is essence。
Being is the immediate。 Since knowing has for its goal knowledge of the true； knowledge of what
being is in and for itself； it does not stop at the immediate and its determinations； but penetrates it
on the supposition that at the back of this being there is something else； something other than being
itself； that this background constitutes the truth of being。 This knowledge is a mediated knowing
for it is not found immediately with and in essence； but starts from an other； from being； and has a
preliminary path to tread； that of going beyond being or rather of penetrating into it。 Not until
knowing inwardises； recollects itself out of immediate being； does it through this mediation find
essence。 The German language has preserved essence in the past participle ＇gewesen＇ of the verb
to be； for essence is past — but timelessly past — being。
When this movement is pictured as the path of knowing； then this beginning with being； and the
development that sublates it； reaching essence as a mediated result； appears to be an activity of
knowing external to being； and irrelevant to being's own nature。
But this path is the move