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general relations to the central body； ceases to be the uniform filling of space； and opposes a
specific being in itself to an abstract being apart from itself
The varying density of matter is often explained by the assumption of pores； … though 〃to explain〃
means in general to refer a phenomenon back to the accepted； familiar determinations of the
understanding； and no conceptions are more familiar than those of 〃composition；〃 〃pieces and their
details；〃 and 〃emptiness。〃 Therefore nothing is clearer than to use the imaginative invention of pores
to comprehend the densification of matter。 These would be empty interstices； though physics does
not demonstrate them； despite its attempt to speak of them as at hand and its claim to be based on
experience and observation。 What is beyond these and is merely assumed is the matter of thought。
It does not occur to physics； however； that it has thoughts； which is true in at least two senses and
here in a third sense： the pores are only imaginative inventions。
An immediate example of the peculiar specification of gravity offered by physics is furnished by the
phenomenon that； when a bar of iron； evenly balanced on its fulcrum； is magnetised； it loses its
equilibrium and shows itself to be heavier at one pole than at the other。…The axioms presupposed
by physics in its mode of representing density are： （1） that equal amounts of equally large material
parts weigh the same；…in this way the formal identity of gravity remains consistent…（2） the measure
of the number of parts is the amount of weight； but （3） also of space； so that bodies of equal
weight occupy equal amounts of space； （4） consequently； when equal weights are found in
different volumes； the equality of the spaces is preserved by the assumption of pores which fill the
space。
Kant has already contrasted intensity to the quantitative determination of the amount； and； instead
of positing that the heavier body contains more particles in a certain space； he has assumed that in
the heavier body the same number of particles fill space to a greater degree。 In this way he created
〃dynamic physics。〃 At least the determination of the intensive quantum would be just as correct as
that of an extensive quantum； but this distinction （cf § 56） is empty and in itself nothing。 Here the
intensive determination of size； however； has this advantage： that it points to the category of
measure and indicates initially a being in itself which as a conceptual determination is an immanent
determinacy of form； and only existent as quantum。 But to distinguish between extensive or
intensive quantum differences； … and dynamic physics goes no further than this…does not express
any reality。
§ 237。
Density is at first only a simple determinacy。 The simple determinacy is； however； essentially a
determination of form as a unity split apart from itself。 Thus it constitutes the principle of
brittleness； the shaping relation of its consistently maintained points。
The previously mentioned particles； molecules of matter； are an external determination of
reflection。 The real significance of the determination of the unit is that it is the immanent form of
shaping。
§ 238。
The brittle is the subjective entity existing for itself but it must deploy the difference of the concept。
The point becomes the line and posits itself as an opposed extreme to the line； the two are held by
their middle term and point of indifference in their antithesis。 This syllogism constitutes the principle
of shaping in its developed determinacy； and is； in this abstract rigour； magnetism。
Magnetism is one of the determinations which inevitably became prominent when thought began to
recognise itself in determinate nature and grasped the idea of a philosophy of nature。 For the
magnet exhibits in a simple； naive way the nature of the concept。 The poles are not particular
things； they do not possess sensory； mechanical reality； but rather an ideal reality； the point of
indifference； in which they have their substance； is the unity in which they exist only as
determinations of the concept； and the polarity is an opposition of only such moments。 The
phenomena revealed by magnetism as merely particular are merely and repeatedly the same
determinations； and not diverse features which could add data to a description。 That the individual
magnetic needle points to the north； and thus to the south as well； is a manifestation of general
terrestrial magnetism： in two such empirical magnets the poles named similarly repel each other；
whereas the poles named differently attract。 And precisely this is magnetism； namely； that the same
or indifferent will split apart and oppose each other in the extreme； and the dissimilar or different
will posit its indifference。 The differently named poles have even been called friendly； and the
similarly named poles have been called hostile。
The statement； however； that all bodies are magnetic has an unfortunate double meaning。 The
correct meaning is that all real； and not merely brittle； figures contain this concept； but the incorrect
meaning is that all bodies also have this principle implicitly in its rigorous abstraction； as magnetism。
It would be an unphilosophical thought to want to show that a form of the concept is at hand in
nature； and that it exists universally in its determinacy as an abstraction。 For nature is rather the
idea in the element of being apart from itself so that； like the understanding； it retains the moments
of the concept as dispersed and depicts them so in reality； but in the higher organic things the
differentiated forms of the concept are unified as the highest concretion。
§ 239。
At the opposite end from magnetism； which as linear spatiality and the ideal contrast of extremes is
the abstract concept of the shape； stands its abstract totality the sphere； the shape of the real
absence of shape； of fluid indeterminacy； and of the indifferent elasticity of the parts。
§ 240。
Between the two actually shapeless extremes contained within magnetism as the abstract concept
of the figure there appears； as an immanent form of juxtaposition distinct from that determined by
gravity； a kind of magnetism transformed into total corporeality； cohesion。
§ 241。
The common understanding of cohesion merely refers to the individual moment of quantitative
strength of the connection between the parts of a body。 Concrete cohesion is the immanent form
and determinacy of this connection； and comprehends both external crystallisations and the
fragmentary shapes or central shapes； crystallisation which displays itself inwardly in transparent
movement。
§ 242。
Through external crystallisation the individual body is sealed off as an individual against others； and
capable of a mechanical process with them。 As an inwardly formed entity the body specifies this
process in terms of its behaviour as a merely general mass。 In terms of its elasticity； hardness；
softness； viscosity； and abilities to extend or to burst； the body retains its individual determinacy in
resistance to external force。
§ 243。
As density； however； is at first only simple determinacy by virtue of the relation of volume to mass；
cohesion is this simplicity as the selfhood of individuality。 The self…preservation of the body during
the vibration from a mechanical force is； therefore； also an emergence of its individual； pure
ideality； its characteristic motion in itself through its whole cohesion。 It is the specific determination
of its ideal externality in itself through its self…identified time。 In this vibration； the product of real
force and external pressure which the body survives in the form of its specified ideality； this simple
form achieves independent existence。
But entities without cohesion — which are inflexible and fluid are without resonance and in their
resistance； which is merely an external vibration； make only a noise。
§ 244。
This individuality； since it is at first here only immediate； can be suspended by mechanical force。
The friction； which brings together that difference of corporeality held apart by cohesion in the
negativity of a temporal moment； causes an initial or concluding selfdestruction of the body to
break forth。 And the body exhibits its specific nature； in the relationship between the inner change
and the suspension of its cohesion； through the capacity for heat。
（b） The Particularisation of Differences
§ 245。
Shaping； the individualisation of the mechanism or of weight； turns into elemental particularisation。
The individual body has the totality of the elements within itself； as the subject of the same the
body contains the elements in the first place as attributes or predicates； but in the second place
these are retained only in immediate individuality； and thus they exist also as materials indifferent