Life

Primarily designates the concrete biological phenomenon (plants, animals), as Hegel treats it in his philosophy of nature (Enc. §337-376). This is to be strictly distinguished from the idea of life, which designates the abstract logical structure of self-organization (the S³ processes), applicable also to non-biological systems (theories, institutions, etc.). This commentary primarily treats the idea of life. The methodological importance of this distinction (logic vs. philosophy of nature) is elaborated in detail in Ch. 19.5. For the logical structure, see therefore: Idea of Life.