第一小说网

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第4部分（第3页）

looks　upon　the　world　rationally；　the　world　in　its　turn；　presents　a　rational　aspect。　The　relation　is

mutual。　But　the　various　exercises　of　reflection　—　the　different　points　of　view　—　the　modes　of

deciding　the　simple　question　of　the　relative　importance　of　events　（the　first　category　that　occupies

the　attention　of　the　historian）；　do　not　belong　to　this　place。

§　14

I　will　only　mention　two　phases　and　points　of　view　that　concern　the　generally　diffused　conviction

that　Reason　has　ruled；　and　is　still　ruling　in　the　world；　and　consequently　in　the　worlds　history；

because　they　give　us；　at　the　same　time；　an　opportunity　for　more　closely　investigating　the　question

that　presents　the　greatest　difficulty；　and　for　indicating　a　branch　of　the　subject；　which　will　have　to　be

enlarged　on　in　the　sequel。

I。　Reason　Governs　the　World

§　15

One　of　these　points　is；　that　passage　in　history；　which　informs　us　that　the　Greek　Anaxagoras　was

the　first　to　enunciate　the　doctrine　that　Understanding　generally；　or　Reason；　governs　the　world。　It　is

not　intelligence　as　self…conscious　Reason；　—　not　a　Spirit　as　such　that　is　meant；　and　we　must　clearly

distinguish　these　from　each　other。　The　movement　of　the　solar　system　takes　place　according　to

unchangeable　laws。　These　laws　are　Reason；　implicit　in　the　phenomena　in　question。　But　neither　the

sun　nor　the　plas；　which　revolve　around　it　according　to　these　laws；　can　be　said　to　have　any

consciousness　of　them。

§　16

A　thought　of　this　kind；　—　that　Nature　is　an　embodiment　of　Reason；　that　it　is　unchangeably

subordinate　to　universal　laws；　appears　nowise　striking　or　strange　to　us。　We　are　accustomed　to

such　conceptions；　and　find　nothing　extraordinary　in　them。　And　I　have　mentioned　this　extraordinary

occurrence；　partly　to　show　how　history　teaches；　that　ideas　of　this　kind；　which　may　seem　trivial　to

us；　have　not　always　been　in　the　world；　that　on　the　contrary；　such　a　thought　makes　an　epoch　in　the

annals　of　human　intelligence。　Aristotle　says　of　Anaxagoras；　as　the　originator　of　the　thought　in

question；　that　he　appeared　as　a　sober　man　among　the　drunken。　Socrates　adopted　the　doctrine

from　Anaxagoras；　and　it　forthwith　became　the　ruling　idea　in　Philosophy；　except　in　the　school　of

Epicurus；　who　ascribed　all　events　to　chance。　“I　was　delighted　with　the　sentiment；”　—　Plato

makes　Socrates　say　—　“and　hoped　I　had　found　a　teacher　who　would　show　me　Nature　in　harmony

with　Reason；　who　would　demonstrate　in　each　particular　phenomenon　its　specific　aim；　and　in　the