properties。
There is still left to consider what the outer side of the organic being is when taken by itself alone；
and how in its case the opposition of its inner and outer is determined； just as at first we
considered the inner of the whole in relation to its own proper outer。
The outer； looked at by itself； is the embodied form and shape （Gestaltung） in general； the system
of life articulating itself in the element of existence； and at the same time essentially the existence of
the organism as it is for an otherobjective reality in its aspect of self…existence。 This other
appears in the first instance as its outer inorganic nature。 If these two are looked at in relation to
a law； the inorganic nature cannot； as we saw before； constitute the aspect of a law beside the
organic being； because the latter exists absolutely for itself； and assumes a universal and free
relation to inorganic nature。
To define more exactly； however； the relation of these two aspects in the case of the organic form；
this form； in which the organism is embodied； is in one aspect turned against inorganic nature；
while in an other it is for itself and reflected into itself。 The real organic being is the mediating
agency； which brings together and unites the self…existence of life ＇its being for itself＇； with the
outer in general； with what simply and inherently is。
The one extreme； self…existence； is； however； the inner in the sense of an infinite 〃one〃； which takes
the moments of the embodied shape itself out of their subsistence and connexion with outer nature
and withdraws these moments back into itself； it is that which； having no content； looks to the
embodied form of the organism to provide its content； and appears there as the process of that
form。 In this extreme where it is mere negativity； or pure individual existence； the organism
possesses its absolute freedom； whereby it is made quite secure and indifferent towards the fact of
its being relative to another and towards the specific character belonging to the moments of the
form of the organism。 This free detachment is at the same time a freedom of the moments
themselves； it is the possibility of their appearing and of being apprehended as existent。 And just as
they are therein detached and indifferent in regard to what is outer； so too are they towards one
another； for the simplicity of this freedom is being or is their simple substance。 This notion or pure
freedom is one and the same life； no matter how varied and diverse the ways in which the shape
assumed by the organism； its 〃being； for another〃； may disport itself； it is a matter of indifference to
this stream of life what sort of mills it drives。
In the first place； we must now note that this notion is not to be taken here； as it was formerly
when we were considering the inner proper； in its character as the process or development of its
moments； we must take it in its form as simple 〃inner〃； which constitutes the purely universal aspect
as against the concrete living reality； it is the element in which the existing members of the organic
shape find their subsistence。 For it is this shape we are considering here； and in it the essential
nature of life appears as the simple fact of subsistence。 In the next place； the existence for another；
the specific character of the real embodied form； is taken up into this simple universality； in which
its nature lies； a specificity that is likewise of a simple universal non…sensuous kind； and can only be
that which finds expression in number。 Number is the middle term of the organic form； which links
indeterminate life with actual concrete life； simple like the former and determinate like the latter。
That which in the case of the former； the inner； would have the sense of number； the outer would
require to express after its manner as multiform realitykinds of life； colour； and so on； in general
as the whole host of differences which are developed as phenomena of life。
If the two aspects of the organic whole…the one being the inner； while the other is the outer； in such
a way that each again has in it an inner and an outerare compared with reference to the inner
both sides have； we find that the inner of the first is the notion； in the sense of the restless activity
of abstraction； the second has for its inner； however； inactive universality； which involves also the
constant characteristic…number。 Hence； if ； because the notion develops its moments in the former；
this aspect made a delusive promise of laws owing to the semblance of necessity in the relation；
the latter directly disclaims doing so； since number shows itself to be the。 determining feature of
one aspect of its laws。 For number is just that entirely inactive； inert； and indifferent characteristic
in which every movement and relational process is extinguished； and which has broken the bridge
leading to the living expression of impulses； manner of life； and whatever other sensuous existence
there is。
This way of considering the embodied organic shape as such and the inner qua inner merely of
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