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forth universal moments； or simple essential elements； and again by setting forth the realized
essential nature or the form and shape actually assumed。 Those first simple organic properties； to
call them so； are Sensibility； Irritability； and Reproduction。 These properties； at least the two first；
seem indeed to refer not to any and every organism； but merely to the animal organism。 Moreover；
the vegetable level of organic life expresses in point of fact only the bare and simple notion of an
organism； which does not develop and evolve its moments。 Hence in regard to those moments； so
far as observation has to take account of them； we must confine ourselves t the organism which
presents them existing in developed form。
As to these moments； then； they are directly derived from the notion of self…purpose； of a being
whose end is its own self。 For Sensibility expresses in general the simple notion of organic
reflexion into itself； or the universal continuity of this notion。 Irritability； again； expresses organic
elasticity； the capacity to exercise the function of reacting simultaneously with self…reflexion； and
expresses； in contrast to the previous state of being passively and inertly within itself； the condition
of being explicitly actualized…a realization； where that abstract existence for its own sake is an
existence for something else。 Reproduction； however； is the operation of this entire self…reflected
organism； its activity as having its purpose in itself； its activity qua genus； wherein the individual
repels itself from itself； where in procreating it repeats either the organic parts or the whole
individual。 Reproduction； taken in the sense of self…preservation in general； expresses the formal
principle or conception of the organic； or the fact of Sensibility； but it is； properly speaking； the
realized notion of organic existence； or the whole； which either qua individual returns into itself
through the process of producing individual parts of itself； or qua genus does so through the
production of distinct individuals。
The other significance of these organic elements； viz。 as outer； is their embodiment in a given
shape； here they assume the form of actual but at the same time universal parts； or appear as
organic systems。 Sensibility is embodied in the form； for instance； of a nervous system； irritability；
of a muscular system； reproduction； of an intestinal system for the preservation of the individual
and the species。
Laws peculiar to organic life； accordingly； concern a relation of the organic moments； taking
account of their twofold significanceviz。 of being in one respect a part of definite organic
formation or embodiment； and in another respect a continuous universal element of a determinate
kind； running through all those systems。 Thus in giving expression to a law of that sort； a specific
kind of sensibility； e。g。 would find； qua moment of the whole organism； its expression in a
determinately formed nervous system； or it would also be connected with a determinate
reproduction of the organic parts of the individual or with the propagation of the whole； and so on。
Both aspects of such a law can be observed。 The external is in its very conception being for
another； sensibility； e。g。 finds its immediately realized form in the sensitive system； and； qua
universal property； it is in its outer expressions an objective fact as well。 The aspect which is called
〃inner〃 has its own outer〃 aspect； which is distinct from what is in general called the outer。
Both the aspects of an organic law would thus certainly be open to observation； but not the laws
of their relation。 And observation is inadequate to perceive these laws； not because； qua
observation； it is too short…sighted； i。e。 not because； instead of proceeding empirically； we ought to
start from the 〃Idea〃for such laws； if they were something real must； as a matter of fact； be
actual； and must thus be observable； it is rather because the thought of laws of this sort proves to
have no truth at all。
The relation assumed the role of a law in the case where the universal organic property had
formed itself in an organic system into a thing and there found its own embodied image and copy；
so that both were the same reality； present； in the one case； as universal moment； in the other； as
thing。 But besides； the inner aspect is also by itself a relation of several aspects； and hence to begin
with there is presented the idea of a law as a relation of the universal organic activities or
properties to one another。 Whether such a law is possible has to be decided from the nature of
such a property。 Such a property； however； being universal and of a fluid nature； is； on the one
hand； not something restricted like a thing； keeping itself within the distinction of a definite mode of
existence； which is to constitute its shape and form： sensibility goes beyond the nervous system
and pervades all the other systems of the organism。 On the other hand； such a property is a
universal moment； which is essentially undivided； and inseparable from reaction； or irritability； and
reproduction。 For； being reflection into self； it eo ipso already implies reaction。 Merely to be
reflected into itself is to be a passive； or lifeless being； and not ；sensibility； just as actionwhich is
the same as reactionwhen not reflected into self； is not irritability。 Reflexion in action or reaction；
and action or reaction in reflexion； is just that whose unity constitutes the organic being； a unity
which is synonymous with organic reproduction。 It follows from this that in every mode of the
organism's actuality there must be present the same quantity of sensibilitywhen we consider； in
the first instance； the relation of sensibility and irritability to one anotheras of irritability； and that
an organic phenomenon can be apprehended and determined or； if we like； explained； just as
much in terms of the one as of the other。 What one man takes for high sensibility； another may just
as rightly consider high irritability。 and an irritability of the same degree。 If they are called factors；
and this is not to be a meaningless phrase； it is thereby expressly stated that they are moments of
the notion； in other words； the real object； the essential nature of which this notion constitutes；
contains them both alike within it； and if the object is in one way characterized as very sensitive； it
must be also spoken of in the other way as likewise very irritable。
If they are distinguished； as they must be； they are so in their true nature （dem Begriffe； nach）；
and their opposition is qualitative。 But when； besides this true distinction； they are also set down
as different； qua existent and for thought； as they might be if made aspects of the law； then they
appear quantitatively distinct。 Their peculiar qualitative opposition thus passes into quantity； and
hence arise laws of this sort； e。g。 that sensibility and irritability stand in inverse quantitative
relations； so that as the one increases the other diminishes； or better； taking directly the quantity
itself as the content； that the； magnitude of something increases as its smallness diminishes。
Should a specific content be given to this law； however； by saying； for example； that the size of a
hole increases the more we decrease what it is filled with； then this inverse relation might be just as
well changed into a direct relation and expressed in the form that the quantity of a hole increases in
direct ratio to the amount of things we take awaya tautological proposition； whether expressed
as a direct or an inverse relation； so expressed it comes merely to this that a quantity increases as
this quantity increases。 The hole and what fills it and is removed from it are qualitatively opposed；
but the real content there and its specific quantity are in both one and the same； and similarly the
increase of magnitude and decrease of smallness are the same； and their meaningless opposition
runs into a tautology。 In like manner the organic moments are equally inseparable in their real
content； and in their quantity which is the quantity of that reality。 The one decreases only with the
other； and only increases with it； for one has literally a significance only so far as the other is
present。 Or rather； it is a matter of indifference whether an organic phenomenon is considered as
irritability or as sensibility； this is so in general； and likewise when its magnitude is in question： just
as it is indifferent whether we speak of the increase of a hole as an increase of the hole qua
emptiness or as an increase of the filling removed from it。 Or； again； a number； say three； is equally
great； whether I take it positively or negatively； and if I increase the three to four； the positive as
well as the negative becomes four： just as the south pole in the case of a magnet is precisely as
strong as its north pole； or a positive electricity or an acid； is exactly as strong as its negative； or
the base on which it operates。
An organic existence is such a quantum； like the number three or a magnet； etc。 It is that which is
increased or diminished； and if it is increased； then both its factors are