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itself there； for pure knowledge and volition is it far more than that atomic point of consciousness。
It is thus the interaction of pure knowledge with itself； pure knowledge qua essential reality is
universal will； while this essence is simply and solely pure knowledge。 Self…consciousness is thus
pure knowledge of essential reality in the sense of pure knowledge。 Furthermore； qua single self it
is merely the form of the subject or concrete real action； a form which by it is known as form。 In
the same way objective reality； 〃being〃； is for it absolutely self…less form； for that objective reality
would be what is not known： this knowledge； however； knows knowledge to be the essential fact。
Absolute freedom has thus squared and balanced the self…opposition of universal and single will。
The self…alienated type of mind； driven to the acme of its opposition； where pure volition and the
purely volitional agent are still kept distinct； reduces that opposition to a transparent form； and
therein finds itself
Just as the realm of the real and actual world passes over into that of belief and insight； absolute
freedom leaves its self…destructive sphere of reality； and passes over into another land of
self…conscious spirit； where in this unreality freedom is taken to be and is accepted as the truth。 In
the thought of this truth spirit refreshes and revives itself （so far as spirit is thought and remains so）；
and knows this being which self…consciousness involves ＇viz。 Thought＇ to be the complete and
entire essence of everything。 The new form and mode of experience that now arises is that of the
Moral Life of Spirit。
1。 Refers primarily to the régime under the French revolutionaries。
2。 The essential principle of anarchy。
3。 Kant's 〃thing in itself〃？
4。 In the sense of abstract autonomy。
C
The Spirit in the condition of being Certain of Itself
Morality
THE ethical order of the community found its destiny consummated and its truth realized in the
spirit that merely passed away within it — the individual self。 This legal person； however； has its
substance and its fulfilment outside the ethical order。 The process of the world of culture and belief
does away with this abstraction of a mere person； and by the completion of the process of
estrangement； by reaching the extremity of abstraction； the self of spirit finds the substance
become first the universal will； and finally its own possession。 Here； then； knowledge seems at last
to have become entirely adequate to the truth at which it aims； for its truth is this knowledge itself。
All opposition between the two sides has vanished； and that； too； not for us （who are tracing the
process）； not merely implicitly； but actually for self…consciousness itself。 That is to say；
self…consciousness has itself got the mastery over the opposition which consciousness involves。
This latter rests on the opposition between certainty of self and the object。 Now； however； the
object for it is the certainty of self； knowledge： just as the certainty of itself as such has no longer
ends of its own； is no longer conditioned and determinate； but is pure knowledge。
Self…consciousness thus now takes its knowledge to be the substance itself。 This substance is； for
it； at once immediate and absolutel mediated in one indivisible unity。 It is immediate — just like the
〃ethical〃 consciousness； it knows and itself does its duty； and is bound to its duty as to its own
nature： but it is not character； as that ethical consciousness was； which in virtue of its immediacy is
a determinate type of spirit； belongs merely to one of the essential features of ethical life； and has
the characteristic of not being conscious explicit knowledge。 It is； again； absolute mediation； like
the consciousness developing itself through culture and like belief； for it is essentially the movement
of the self to transcend the abstract form of immediate existence； and become consciously
universal…and yet to do so neither by simply estranging and rending itself as well as reality； nor by
fleeing from it。 Rather； it is for itself directly and immediately present in its very substance； for this
substance is its knowledge； it is the pure certainty of self become transparently visible。 And just
this very immediacy； which constitutes its own actual reality； is the entire actuality； for the
immediate is being and qua pure immediacy； immediacy purified by thoroughgoing negativity； this
immediacy is pure being； is being in general； is all being。
Absolute essential Being is； therefore； not exhausted by the characteristic of being the simple
essence of thought； it is all actuality； and this actuality exists merely as knowledge。 What
consciousness did not know would have no sense and can be no power in its life。 Into its
self…conscious knowing will； all objectivity； the whole world； has withdrawn。 It is absolutely free in
that it knows its freedom； and just this very knowledge of its freedom is its substance； its purpose；
its sole and only content。
a
The Moral View of the World
（1） The Postulated Harmony of Duty and Reality
SELF…CONSCIOUSNESS knows and accepts duty as the Absolute。 It is bound by that alone；
and this substance is its own pure conscious life； duty cannot； for it； take on the form of something
alien and external。 When thus shut up and confined within itself； however； moral
self…consciousness is not yet affirmed and looked at as consciousness。（1） The object is immediate
knowledge； and being thus permeated purely by the self； is not object。 But； self…consciousness
being essentially mediation and negativity； there is implied in its very conception relation to some
otherness； and thus it is consciousness。 This other； because duty constitutes the sole essential
purpose and object of self…consciousness； is a reality completely devoid of significance for
self…consciousness。 But again because this consciousness is so entirely confined within itself； it
takes up towards this otherness a perfectly free and detached attitude； and the existence of this
other is； therefore； an existence completely set free from self…consciousness； and in like manner
relating itself merely to itself。 The freer self…consciousness becomes； the freer also is the negative
object of its consciousness。 The object is thus a complete world within itself； with an individuality
of its own； an independent whole of laws peculiar to itself； as well as an independent procedure
and an unfettered active realization of those laws。 It is a nature in general； a nature whose laws
and also whose action belong to itself as a being which is not disturbed about the moral
self…consciousness； just as the latter is not troubled about it。
Starting with a specific character of this sort； there is formed and established a moral outlook on
the world which consists in a process of relating the implicit aspect of morality （moralisches
Ansichseyn） and the explicit aspect （moralisches Fürsichseyn）。 This relation presupposes both
thorough reciprocal indifference and specific independence as between nature and moral purposes
and activity； and also； on the other side； a conscious sense of duty as the sole essential fact； and of
nature as entirely devoid of independence and essential significance of its own。 The moral view of
the world； the moral attitude； consists in the development of the moments which are found present
in this relation of such entirely antithetic and conflicting presuppositions。
To begin with； then； the moral consciousness in general is presupposed。 It takes duty to be the
essential reality： itself is actual and active； and in its actuality and action fulfils duty。 But this moral
consciousness； at the same time； finds before it the assumed freedom of nature： it learns by
experience that nature is not concerned about giving consciousness a sense of the unity of its
reality with that of nature； and hence discovers that nature may let it become happy； but perhaps
also may not。 The non…moral consciousness on the other hand finds； by chance perhaps； its
realization where the moral consciousness sees merely an occasion for acting； but does not see
itself obtaining through its action the happiness of performance and of the enjoyment of
achievement。 It therefore finds reason for bewailing a situation where there is no correspondence
between itself and existence； and lamenting the injustice which confines it to having its object
merely in the form of pure duty； but refuses to let it see this object and itself actually realized。
The moral consciousness cannot renounce happiness and drop this element out of its absolute
purpose。 The purpose； which is expressed as pure duty；。 essentially implies retention of individual
self…consciousness and maintenance of its claims。 Individual conviction and knowledge thereof
constituted a fundamental element in morality。 This moment in the objectified purpose； in duty
fulfilled； is the individual consciousness seeing itself as actually realized。 In other words； this
moment is that of enjoyment； which thus lies in th