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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 itself the object； and
this relation is a pure process of transition。 This process in its simplicity is directly universality； and
in that universality opens out into different factors； whose relation it is the purpose of the law to
express； the moments of the process take the form of being universal objects of this mode of
consciousness； and the law runs； 〃the outer is an expression of the inner〃。 Understanding has here
grasped the thought of the law itself； whereas formerly it merely looked for laws in a general way；
and their moments appeared before it in the shape of a definite and specific content； and not in the
form of thoughts of laws。
As regards content； therefore； such laws ought not to have place in this connexion which merely
passively accept and put into the form of universality purely existential distinctions； but such laws
as directly maintain in these distinctions the restless activity of the notion as well； and consequently
possess at the same time necessity in the relation of the two sides。 Yet； precisely because that
object； organic unity； directly combines the endless superseding； or the absolute negation of；
existence with inactive passive existence； and because the moments are essentially pure
transitionthere are thus not to be found any such merely existent aspects as are required for the
law。
To get such aspects； intelligence must take its stand on the other moment of the organic relation；
viz。 on the fact that organic existence is reflected into itself。 But this mode of being is so completely
reflected into self that it has no specific character； no determinateness of its own as against
something else； left over。 The immediate sensuous being is directly one with the determinate quality
as such； and hence inherently expresses a qualitative distinction； e。g。 blue against red； acid against
alkaloid； etc。 But the organic being that has returned into itself is completely indifferent towards an
other； its existence is simple universality； and refuses to offer observation any permanent sense
distinctions； or； what is the same thing； shows its essential characteristic to be merely the changing
flux of whatever determinate qualities there are。 Hence； the way distinction qua actually existing
expresses itself is just this； that it is an indifferent distinction； i。e。 a distinction in the form of
quantity。 In this； however； the notion is extinguished and necessity disappears。 If the content；
however； and filling of this indifferent existence； the flux and interchange of sense determinations
are gathered into the simplicity of an organic determination； then this expresses at the same time
the fact that the content does not have that determinateness （the determinateness of the immediate
property and the qualitative feature falls solely within the aspect of quantity； as we saw above。
Although the objective element； apprehended in the form of a determinate character of organic
existence； has thus the notion inherent in it； and thereby is distinguished from the object offered to
understanding； which in apprehending the content of its laws proceeds in a purely perceptive
manner； yet apprehension in the former case falls back entirely into the principle and manner of
mere percipient understanding； for the reason that the object apprehended is used to constitute
moments of a law。 For by this means what is apprehended receives and keeps the character of a
fixed determinate quality； the form of an immediate property or a passive phenomenon； it is；
further； subsumed under the aspect of quantity； and the nature of the notion is suppressed。
The exchange of a merely perceived object for one reflected into itself； of a mere sense character
for an organic； thus loses once more its value； and does so by the fact that understanding has not
yet cancelled the process of framing laws。
If we compare what we find as regards this exchange in the case of a few examples； we see； it
may be； something that perception takes for an animal with strong muscles characterized as an
animal organism of high irritability〃； or； what perception takes to be a condition of great weakness；
characterized as a 〃condition of high sensibility〃； or； if we prefer it； as an abnormal affection〃； and；
moreover； a raising of it to a 〃higher power…expressions which translate sensuous facts into
Teutonized Latin； instead of into terms of the notion。 That an animal has strong muscles may also
be expressed by understanding in the form that the animal 〃possesses a great muscular
force〃great weakness meaning similarly 〃a slight force〃。 Characterization in terms of irritability
has this advantage over determination by reference to 〃force〃； that the latter expresses
indeterminate； the former determinate reflection into self； for the peculiar force characteristic of
muscles is just irritability； and irritability is also a preferable determination to 〃strong muscles〃； in
that； as in the case of force； reflexion into self is at once implied it； it。 In the same way 〃weakness〃；
or 〃slight force〃； organic passivity； is expressed in a determinate manner by sensibility。 But when
this sensibility is so taken by itself and fixed； and the element of quality is in addition bound up with
it； and qua greater or less sensibility is opposed to a greater or less irritability； each is reduced
entirely to the level of sense； and degraded to the ordinary form of a sense property； their principle
of relation is not the notion； but； on the contrary； it is the category of quantity into which the
opposition is now cast； thus becoming a distinction not constituted by thought。 While in this way
the indeterminate nature of the expressions； 〃force〃； 〃strength〃； 〃weakness〃； would indeed be got
rid of； there now arises the equally futile and indeterminate process of dealing with the oppositions
of a higher and lower degree of sensibility and irritability； as they increase and decrease relatively
to one another。 The greater or less sensibility or irritability is no less a sensuous phenomenon；
grasped and expressed without any reference to thought； than strength and weakness are sense
determinations not constituted by thought。 The notion has not taken the place of those
non…conceptual expressions； instead； strength and weakness have been given a filling by a
characteristic which； taken by itself alone； rests on the notion； and has the notion as its content； but
loses entirely this origin and character。
Owing to the form of simplicity and immediacy； then； in which this content is made an element of a
law； and through the element of quantity； which constitutes the principle of distinction for such
determinations； the essential nature； which originally is a notion and is put forward as such； retains
the character of sense perception； and remains as far removed from knowledge （Erkennen） as
when characterized in terms of strength or weakness of force； or through immediate sense
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 de