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increased or diminished； and if it is increased； then both its factors are increased； as much as both
poles of the magnet or both kinds of electricity increase if the potential of a magnet or of one of the
electric currents is raised。
That both are just as little different in intension and extension； that the one cannot decrease in
extension and increase in intension； while the other conversely has to diminish its intension and
increase in extensionthis comes from the same notion of an unreal and empty opposition。 The
real intension is absolutely as great as the extension and vice versa。
What really happens in framing a law of this kind is obviously that at the outset irritability and
sensibility are taken to constitute the specifically determinate organic opposition。 This content；
however； is lost sight of and the opposition goes off into a formal opposition of quantitative
increase and diminution； or of different intension and extensionan opposition which has no longer
anything to do with the nature of sensibility and irritability； and no longer expresses it。 Hence this
mere playing at law…making is not confined to organic moments but can be carried on everywhere
with everything and rests in general on want of acquaintance with the logical nature of these
oppositions。
Lastly； if； instead of sensibility and irritability； reproduction is brought into relation with one or
other of them； then there is wanting even the occasion for framing laws of this kind； for
reproduction does not stand in any opposition to those moments； as they are opposed to one
another； and since the making of such laws assumes this opposition； there is no possibility here of
its even appearing to take place。
The law…making just considered implies the differences of the organism； taken in the sense of
moments of its notion； and； strictly speaking； should be an a priori process。 But it essentially
involves this idea； that those differences have the significance of being present as something given；
and the attitude of mere observation has in any case to confine itself merely to their actual
existence。 Organic reality necessarily has within it such an opposition as its notion expresses； and
which can be determined as irritability and sensibility； as these again both appear distinct from
reproduction。 The aspect in which the moments of the notion of organism are here considered；
their Externality； is the proper and peculiar immediate externality of the inner； not the outer which
is the outer embodied form of the whole organism； the inner is to be considered in relation to this
later on。
If； however； the opposition of the moments is apprehended as it is found in actual existence； then
sensibility； irritability； reproduction sink to the level of common properties； which are universals
just as indifferent towards one another as specific weight； colour； hardness； etc。 In this sense it
may doubtless be observed that one organic being is more sensitive； or more irritable； or has a
greater reproductive capacity than another： just as we may observe that the sensibility； etc。； of one
is in kind different from that of another； that one responds differently from another to a given
simulus； e。g。 a horse behaves differently towards oats from what it does towards hay； and a dog
again differently towards both； and so on。 These differences can as readily be observed as that
one body is harder than another； and so on。
But these sense properties； hardness； colour； etc。； as also the phenomena of responding to the
stimulus of oats； of irritability under certain kinds of load； or of producing the number and kind of
youngall such properties and phenomena； when related to one another and compared inter se；
essentially defy the attempt to reduce them to law。 For the characteristic of their being sensuous
facts consists just in their existing in complete indifference to one another； and in manifesting the
freedom of nature emancipated from the control of the notion； rather than the unity of a relationin
exhibiting nature's irrational way of playing up and down the scale of contingent quantity between
the moments of the notion； rather than in these forth these moments themselves。
It is the other aspect； in which tile simple moments of the notion of organism are compared with
the moments of the actual embodiment； that would first furnish the law proper for expressing the
true outer as the copy of the inner。
Now because those simple moments are properties that permeate and pervade the whole； they do
not find such a detached real expression in the organic thing as to form what we call an individual
system with a definite structure （Gestalt）。 Or； again； if the abstract idea of organism is truly
expressed in those three moments merely because they are nothing stable； but moments of the
notion and its process； the organism； on the other hand； qua a definite embodiment； is not
exhaustively expressed in those three determinate systems in the way anatomy analyses and
describes them。 So far as such systems are to be found in their actual reality and rendered
legitimate by being so found； we must also bear in mind that anatomy not only puts before us three
systems of that sort； but a good many others as well。
Further； apart from this； the sensitive system as a whole must mean something quite different from
what is called a nervous system； the irritable system something different from the muscular system；
the reproductive from the intestinal mechanism of reproduction。 In the systems constituting an
embodied form （Gestalt） the organism is apprehended from the abstract side of lifeless physical
existence： so taken； its moments are elements of a corpse and fall to be dealt with by anatomy；
they do not appertain to knowledge and to the living organism。 Qua parts of that sort they have
really ceased to be； for they cease to be processes。 Since the being of an organism consists
essentially in universality； or reflexion into self； the being of its totality； like its moments； cannot
consist in an anatomical system。 The actual expression of the whole； and the externalization of its
moments； are really found only as a process and a movement； running throughout the various parts
of the embodied organism； and in this process what is extracted as an individual system and
fixated so； appears essentially as a fluid moment。 So that the reality which anatomy finds cannot be
taken for its real being； but only that reality as a process； a process in which alone even the
anatomical parts have a significance。
We see； then； that the moments of the 〃inner〃 being of the organism taken separately by
themselves are not capable of furnishing aspects of a law of being； since in a law of that sort they
are predicated of an objective existence； are distinguished from one another； and thus each aspect
would not be able to be equally named in place of the other。 Further； we see that； when placed on
one side； they do not find in the other aspect their realization in a fixed system； for this fixed system
is as little something that could convey truly the general nature of organic existence； as it is the
expression of those moments of the inner life of the organism。 The essential nature of what is
organic； since this is inherently something universal； lies altogether rather in having its moments
equally universal in concrete reality； i。e。 in having them as permeating processes； and not in giving a
copy of the universal in an isolated thing。
In this manner the idea of a law in the case of organic existence slips altogether from our grasp。
The law wants to grasp and express the opposition as static aspects； and to attach as predicates
of them the characteristic which is really their relation to one another。 The inner； to which falls the
universality appearing in the process； and the outer； to which belong the parts of the static
structure of the organism； were to constitute the corresponding sides of the law； but they lose； in
being kept asunder in this way； their organic significance。 And at the bottom of the idea of law lies
just this； that its two aspects should have a subsistence each on its own account indifferent to the
other； and the relation of the two sides should be shared between them； thus appearing as a
twofold characteristic corresponding to that relation。 But really each aspect of the organism
consists inherently in being simple universality； wherein all determinations are dissolved； and in
being the process of this resolution。
If we quite see the difference between this way of framing laws and previous forms； it will clear up
its nature completely。 Turning back to the process of perceiving and that of understanding
（intelligence）； which reflects itself into itself； and by so doing determines its object； we see that
understanding does not there have before itself in its object the relation of these abstract
determinations； universal and individual； essential and external； on the contrary； it is itself the actual
transition； the relational process； and to itself this transition does not become objective。 Here； on
the other hand； the organic unity； i。e。 just the relation of those opposites； is itse