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prejudiced in favour of what is excellent to believe that it can turn itself to practical account； and
make itself acceptable。 But it is not difficult to see that the method of propounding a proposition；
producing reasons for it and then refuting its opposite by reasons too； is not the form in which truth
can appear。 Truth moves itself by its very nature； but the method just mentioned is a form of
knowledge external to its material。 Hence it is peculiar to mathematics and must be left to
mathematics； which； as already indicated； takes for its principle the relation of quantity； a relation
alien to the notion； and gets its material from lifeless space； and the equally lifeless numerical unit。
Or； again； such a method； adopting a freer style； one involving more of arbitrariness and chance；
may have a place in ordinary life； in a conversation； or in supplying matter…of…fact instruction for
the satisfaction of curiosity rather than knowledge； very much as a preface does。 In every…day life
the mind finds its content in different kinds of knowledge； experiences of various sorts； concrete
facts of sense； thoughts； too； and principles； and； in general； in whatever lies ready to hand； or
passes for a solid stable entity； or real being。 The mind follows wherever this leads； sometimes
interrupting the connexion by an unrestrained caprice in dealing with the content； and takes up the
attitude of determining and handling it in quite an external fashion。 It runs the content back to some
touchstone of certainty or other； even though it be but the feeling of the moment； and conviction is
satisfied if it reaches some familiar resting…place。
But when the necessity of the notion banishes from its realm the loose procedure of the
〃raisonnements〃 of conversation； as well as the pedantic style of scientific pomposity； its place； as
we have already mentioned； must not be taken by the disconnected utterance of presageful
surmise and inspiration； and the arbitrary caprice of prophetic utterance； for this does not merely
despise that particular form of scientific procedure； but contemns scientific procedure altogether。
14。 Against schematizing formalism
Now that the triplicity； adopted in the system of Kant — a method rediscovered； to begin with； by
instinctive insight； but left lifeless and uncomprehended — has been raised to its significance as an
absolute method； true form is thereby set up in its true content； and the conception of science has
come to light。 But the use this form has been put to in certain quarters has no right to the name of
science。 For we see it there reduced to a lifeless schema； to nothing better than a mere shadow；
and scientific organization to a synoptic table。 This formalism — about which we spoke before in
general terms； and whose procedure we wish here to state more fully — thinks it has
comprehended and expressed the nature and life of a given form when it proclaims a determination
of the schema to be its predicate。 The predicate may be subjectivity or objectivity； or again
magnetism； electricity； and so on； contraction or expansion； East or West； and such like — a form
of predication that can be multiplied indefinitely； because according to this way of working each
determination； each mode； can be applied as a form or schematic element in the case of every
other； and each will thankfully perform。 the same service for any other。 With a circle of
reciprocities of this sort it is impossible to make out what the real fact in question is； or what the
one or the other is。 We find there sometimes constituents of sense picked up from ordinary
intuition； determinate elements which to be sure should mean something else than they say； at other
times what is inherently significant； viz。 pure determinations of thought…like subject； object；
substance； cause； universality； etc。…these are applied just as uncritically and unreflectingly as in
every…day life； are used much as people employ the terms strong and weak； expansion and
contraction。 As a result that type of metaphysics is as unscientific as those ideas of sense。
Instead of the inner activity and self…movement of its own actual life； such a simple determination
of direct intuition （Anschauung） — which means here sense…knowledge — is predicated in
accordance with a superficial analogy； and this external and empty application of the formula is
called 〃construction〃。 The same thing happens here； however； as in the case of every kind of
formalism。 A man's head must be indeed dull if he could not in a quarter of an hour get up the
theory that there are enervating； innervating； and indirectly enervating diseases and as many cures；
and who could not — since not so long ago instruction of that sort sufficed for the purpose…in as
short a time be turned from being a man who works by rule of thumb into a theoretical physician。
Formalism in the case of speculative Philosophy of Nature （Naturphilosophie） takes the shape of
teaching that understanding is electricity； animals are nitrogen； or equivalent to South or North and
so on。 When it does this； whether as badly as it is here expressed or even concocted with more
terminology； such forceful procedure brings and holds together elements to all appearance far
removed from one another； the violence done to stable inert sense…elements by connecting them in
this way； confers on them merely the semblance of a conceptual unity； and spares itself the trouble
of doing what is after all the important thing — expressing the notion itself； the meaning that
underlies sense…ideas。 All this sort of thing may strike anyone who has no experience with
admiration and wonder。 He may be awed by the profound genius he thinks it displays； and be
delighted at the happy ingenuity of such characterizations； since they fill the place of the abstract
notion with something tangible and sensuous； and so make it more pleasing； and he may
congratulate himself on feeling an instinctive mental affinity for that glorious way of proceeding。 The
trick of wisdom of that sort is as quickly acquired as it is easy to practise。 Its repetition； when
once it is familiar； becomes as boring as the repetition of any bit of sleight…of…hand once we see
through it。 The instrument for producing this monotonous formalism is no more difficult to handle
than the palette of a painter； on which lie only two colours； say red and green； the former for
colouring the surface when we want a historical piece； the latter when we want a bit of landscape。
It would be difficult to settle which is greater in all this； the agreeable ease with which everything in
heaven and earth and under the earth is plastered with that botch of colour； or the conceit that
prides itself on the excellence of its means for every conceivable purpose； the one lends support to
the other。 What results from the use of this method of sticking on to everything in heaven and
earth； to every kind of shape and form； natural and spiritual； the pair of determinations from the
general schema； and filing everything in this manner； is no less than an 〃account as clear as
noonday〃 of the organized whole of the universe。 It is； that is to say； a synoptic index； like a
skeleton with tickets stuck all over it； or like the rows of boxes kept shut and labelled in a grocer's
stall； and is as intelligible as either the one or the other。 It has lost hold of the living nature of
concrete fact； just as in the former case we have merely dry bones with flesh and blood all gone；
and in the latter； there is shut away in those boxes something equally lifeless too。 We have already
remarked that the final outcome of this style of thinking is； at the same time； to paint entirely in one
kind of colour； for it turns with contempt from the distinctions in the schematic table； looks on
them as belonging to the activity of mere reflection； and lets them drop out of sight in the void of
the Absolute； and there reinstates pure identity； pure formless whiteness。 Such uniformity of
colouring in the schema with its lifeless determinations； this absolute identity； and the transition
from one to the other — these are the one as well as the other； the expression of inert lifeless
understanding； and equally an external process of knowledge。
Not only can what is excellent not escape the fate of being thus devitalized and despiritualized and
excoriated of seeing its skin paraded about by lifeless knowledge and the conceit such knowledge
engenders； but rather； such a fate lets us realize the power the 〃excellent〃 exercises over the heart
（Gemüth）； if not over the mind （Geist）。 Moreover； we recognize thereby； too； the constructive
unfolding into universality and determinateness of form which marks the complete attainment of
excellence； and which alone makes it possible that this universality can be turned to superficial
uses。
Science can become an organic system only by the inherent life of the notion。 In science the
determinateness； which was taken from the schema and stuck on to existing facts in external
fashion； is the self directing inner soul of the concrete content。 The movement of what is partly
consists in becoming another to itself； a