of iron gradually diminishes；” i。e。 approaches disintegration； and lastly “disappears in nitrogen。”
Active cohesion is magnetism； and the material universe is an infinite magnet。 The magnetic
process is difference in indifference； and indifference in difference； and therefore absolute identity
as such。 The indifference point of the magnet is the “neither nor” and the “as well as” ； the poles
are potentially the same essence； only posited under two factors which are opposed。 Both poles
depend “only upon whether ＋ or — preponderates” ； they are not pure abstractions。 “In the total
magnet the empirical magnet is the indifference point。 The empirical magnet is iron。 All bodies are
mere metamorphoses of iron — they are potentially contained in iron。 Every two different bodies
which touch each other set up mutually in each other relative diminution and increase of cohesion。
This mutual alteration of cohesion by means of the contact of two different bodies is electricity； the
cohesion…diminishing factor ＋E is the potency of hydrogen； …E is the potency of oxygen。 “The
totality of the dynamic process is represented only by the chemical process。” （20）
“By the positing of the dynamic totality the addition of light； is directly posited as a product。 The
expression； the total product； therefore signifies light combined with the force of gravitation； by the
positing of the relative totality of the whole potency； the force of gravity is directly reduced to the
mere form of the Being of absolute identity。” This is the third potency （A3）； the organism。（21）
Schelling launched out into too many individual details； if he desired to indicate the construction of
the whole universe。 On the one hand； however； he did not complete this representation； and on the
other hand； he has confined himself mainly to implicit existence； and has mixed therewith the
formalism of external construction according to a presupposed scheme。 In this representation he
advanced only as far as the organism； and did not reach the presentation of the other side of
knowledge； i。e。 the philosophy of spirit。 Schelling began time after time； in accordance with the
idea implied in this construction； to work out the natural universe； and especially the organism。 He
banishes all such meaningless terms as perfection； wisdom； outward adaptability； or； in other
words； the Kantian formula； that a thing appears so and so to our faculty of knowledge； is
transformed by him into this other formula； that such and such is the constitution of Nature。
Following up Kant's meagre attempt at demonstrating spirit in nature； he devoted special attention
to inaugurating anew this mode of regarding nature； so as to recognize in objective existence the
same schematism； the same rhythm； as is present in the ideal。 Hence nature represents itself therein
not as something alien to spirit； but as being in its general aspect； a projection of spirit into an
objective mode。
We have further to remark that Schelling by this theory became the originator of modern Natural
Philosophy； since he was the first to exhibit Nature as the sensuous perception or the expression
of the Notion and its determinations。 Natural Philosophy is no new science； we met with it
continually — in the works of Aristotle； for instance； and elsewhere。 English Philosophy is also a
mere apprehension in thought of the physical； forces； laws of Nature； are its fundamental
determinations。 The opposition of physics and Natural Philosophy is therefore not the opposition
of the unthinking and the thinking view of Nature； Natural Philosophy means； if we take it in its
whole extent； nothing else than the thoughtful contemplation of Nature； but this is the work of
ordinary physics also； since its determinations of forces； laws； &c。； are thoughts。 The only
difference is that in physics thoughts are formal thoughts of the understanding； whose material and
content cannot； as regards their details； be determined by thought itself； but must be taken from
experience。 But concrete thought contains its determination and its content in itself； and merely the
external mode of appearance pertains to the senses。 If； then； Philosophy passes beyond the form
of the understanding； and has apprehended the speculative Notion； it must alter the determinations
of thought； the categories of the understanding regarding Nature。 Kant was the first to set about
this； and Schelling has sought to grasp the Notion of Nature； instead of contenting himself with the
ordinary metaphysics of the same。 Nature is to him nothing but the external mode of existence as
regards the system of thought…forms； just as mind is the existence of the same system in the form
of consciousness。 That for which we have to thank Schelling； therefore； is not that he brought
thought to bear on the comprehension of Nature； but that he altered the categories according to
which thought applied itself to Nature； he introduced forms of Reason； and applied them — as he
did the form of the syllogism in magnetism； for instance — in place of the ordinary categories of the
understanding。 He has not only shown these forms in Nature； but has also sought to evolve Nature
out of a principle of this kind。
In the “Further Exposition of the System of Philosophy” which the “New Journal for Speculative
Physics” furnishes； Schelling chose other forms； for； by reason of incompletely developed form
and lack of dialectic； he had recourse to various forms one after another； because he found none
of them sufficient。 Instead of the equilibrium of subjectivity and objectivity； he now speaks of the
identity of existence and form； of universal and particular； of finite and infinite； of positive and
negative； and he defines absolute indifference sometimes in one and sometimes in another form of
opposition； just according to chance。 All such oppositions may be employed； but they are only
abstract； and refer to different stages in the development of the logical principle itself。 Form and
essence are distinguished by Schelling in this way； that form； regarded on its own account； is the
particular； or the emerging of difference； subjectivity。 But real existence is absolute form or
absolute knowledge immediately in itself； a self…conscious existence in the sense of thinking
knowledge； just as with Spinoza it had the form of something objective or in thought。 Speculative
Philosophy is to be found in this assertion； not that it asserts an independent philosophy； for it is
purely organization； knowledge is based on the Absolute。 Thus Schelling has again given to
transcendental Idealism the significance of absolute Idealism。 This unity of existence and form is
thus； according to Schelling； the Absolute； or if we regard reality as the universal； and form as the
particular； the Absolute is the absolute unity of universal and particular； or of Being and
knowledge。 The different aspects； subject and object； or universal and particular； are only ideal
oppositions； they are in the Absolute entirely and altogether one。 This unity as form is intellectual
intuition； which posits Thinking and Being as absolutely alike； and as it formally expresses the
Absolute； it becomes at the same time the expression of its essence。 He who has not the power of
imagination； whereby he may represent this unity to himself； is deficient in the organ of Philosophy。
But in this consists the true absoluteness of all and each； that the one is not recognized as universal；
and the other as particular； but the universal in this its determination is recognized as unit of the
universal and particular； and in like manner the particular is recognized as the unity of both。
Construction merely consists in leading back everything determined and particular into the
Absolute； or regarding it as it is in absolute unity； its determinateness is only its ideal moment； but
its truth is really its Being in the Absolute。 These three moments or potencies — that of the passing
of existence （the infinite） into form （the finite）； and of form into existence （which are both relative
unities）； and the third； the absolute unity； thus recur anew in each individual。 Hence Nature； the
real or actual aspect； as the passing of existence into form or of the universal into the particular；
itself again possesses these three unities in itself； and in the same way the ideal aspect does so；
therefore each potency is on its own account once more absolute。 This is the general idea of the
scientific construction of the universe — to repeat in each individual alike the triplicity which is the
scheme of the whole； thereby to show the identity of all things； and in doing so to regard them in
their absolute essence； so that they all express the same unity。（22）
The more detailed explanation is extremely formal： “Existence passes into form — this taken by
itself being the particular （the finite） — by means of the infinite being added to it； unity is received
into multiplicity； indifference into difference。” The other assertion is： “Form passes into existence
by the finite being received into the infinite； difference into indifference。” But passing into and
receiving into are merely sensuous expression