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duties； has no true reality for self…consciousness。 They can thus have their real truth only in another
consciousness； and are （what they are not for the actual moral self…consciousness） sacred through
a holy law…giver。
But this； too； is again merely a dissembling of the actual fact。 For moral self…consciousness is to
itself the absolute； and duty is simply and solely what it knows to be duty。 It； however； knows only
pure duty as duty： what is not sacred in its view is not per se sacred at all； and what is not per se；
sacred cannot be rendered so by the being that is sacred。 Moral consciousness； further； is not
really serious in allowing something to be made sacred by another consciousness than its own。
For； only that is without qualification sacred in its eyes which is made sacred through its own
action； and is sacred within it。 It is thus just as little in earnest in treating this other being as a holy
being； for this would mean that； within that holy being something was to attain an essential
significance； which； for the moral consciousness； i。e。 in itself； has none。
If the sacred being was postulated； in order that duty might have binding validity within the moral
consciousness； not qua pure duty； but as a plurality of specific duties； then this must again be
dissembled and this other being must be solely sacred in so far as only pure duty has binding
validity within it。 Pure duty has also； in point of fact； binding validity only in another being； not in
the moral consciousness。 Although； within the latter； pure morality seems alone to hold good； still
this must be put in another form； for it is； at the same time； a natural consciousness。 Morality is； in
it； affected and conditioned by sensibility； and thus is not something substantial； but a contingent
result of free will； in it； however； qua pure will； morality is a contingency of knowledge。 Taken by
itself； therefore； morality is in another being； is self…complete only in another reality than the actual
moral consciousness。
This other being； then； is here absolutely complete morality； because in it morality does not stand
in relation to nature and sensibility。 Yet the reality of pure duty is its actualization in nature and
sensibility。 The moral consciousness accounts for its incompleteness by the fact that morality； in its
case； has a positive relation to nature and sensibility； since it holds that an essential moment of
morality is that morality should have simply and solely a negative relation towards nature and
sensibility。 The pure moral being； on the other hand； because far above the struggle with nature
and sense； does not stand in a negative relation to them。 Thus； in point of fact； the positive relation
to them alone remains in its case； i。e。 there remains just what a moment ago passed for the
incomplete； for what was not moral。 Pure morality； however； entirely cut off from actual reality so
as likewise to be even without positive relation to reality； would be an unconscious unreal
abstraction； where the very notion of morality； which consists in thinking of pure duty and in willing
and doing； would be absolutely done away with。 This other being； so purely and entirely moral； is
again； therefore； mere dissemblance of the actual fact； and has to be given up。
In this purely moral being； however； the moments of the contradiction； in which this synthetic
imaginative process is carried on； come closer together。 So； likewise； do the opposites taken up
alternately； now this and also that； and also the other； opposites which are allowed to follow one
after the other； the one being constantly supplanted by the other； without these ideas being brought
together。 So close do they come； that consciousness here has to give up its moral view of the
world and retreat within itself。
It knows its morality as incomplete because it is affected by an opposing sensibility and nature；
which partly perturb morality as such； and partly give rise to a plurality of duties； by which； in
concrete cases of real action； consciousness finds itself embarrassed。 For each case is the
concrete focus of many moral relations； just as an object of perception in general is a thing with
many qualities。 And since the determinate duty is its purpose； it has a content； its content is a part
of the purpose； and so morality is not pure morality。 This latter； then； has its real existence in some
other being。 But such reality means nothing else than that morality is here self…complete； in itself
and for itselffor itself； i。e。 is morality of a consciousness： in itself； i。e。 has existence and
actuality。
In that first incomplete consciousness； morality is not realized and carried out。 It is there something
immanent and implicit； in the sense of a mere thought…entity； for it is associated with nature and
sensibility； with the actuality of ＇external＇ existence and conscious life； which constitutes its content；
and nature and sensibility are morally nothing。 In the second； morality is present as completed； and
not in the form of an unrealized thought…element。 But this completion consists just in the fact that
morality has reality in a consciousness； as well as free reality； objective existence in general； is not
something empty； but filled out； full of content。 That is to say； the completion of morality is placed
in this； that what a moment ago was characterized as morally nothing is found present in morality
and inherent in it。 It is at one time to have validity simply and solely as the unrealized
thought…element； a product of pure abstraction； but； on the other hand； is just as certainly to have
in this form no validity at all： its true nature is to consist in being opposed to reality； detached
altogether therefrom； and empty； and then again to consist in being actual reality。
（3） The Truth of Moral Self…Consciousness
The syncretism； or fusion； of these contradictions； which is expressed in extenso in the moral
attitude of experience； collapses internally； since the distinction on which it rests；viz。 the
conception of something which must be thought and posited as necessary； and is yet at the same
time not essentialpasses into one which does not any longer exist even in words。 What； at the
end； is affirmed to be something with different aspects； both to be nothing and also real； is one and
the very sameexistence and reality。 And what is to be absolute only as something beyond actual
existence and actual consciousness； and at the same time to be only in consciousness and so； qua
beyond； nothing at allthis absolute is pure duty and the knowledge that pure duty is the
essentially real。 The consciousness； which makes this distinction that is no distinction； which
announces actuality to be at once what is nothing and what is real； pronounces pure morality to be
both the ultimate truth and also to be devoid of all true reality … such a consciousness expresses
together in one and the same breath ideas which it formerly separated； and itself proclaims that it is
not in earnest with this characterization and separation of the moments of self and inherent reality。
It shows； on the contrary； that； what it announces as absolute existence apart from consciousness；
it really keeps enclosed within the self of self…consciousness； and that； what it gives out as the
absolute object of thought or absolutely inherent and implicit； it just for that reason takes to be
something which has no truth at all。
It becomes clear to consciousness that placing these moments apart from each other is
〃dis…placing〃 them； is a dissemblance； and it would be hypocrisy were it really to keep to this。
But； being pure moral self…consciousness； it flees from this discordance between its way of
imagining and what constitutes its essential nature； flees from this untruth； which gives out as true
what it holds to be untrue； and； turning away with abhorrence； it hastens back into itself。 The
consciousness； which scorns such a moral idea of the world； is pure Conscience （Gewissen）： it is；
in its inmost being； simply spirit consciously assured or 〃certain〃 （gewiss） of itself； spirit which acts
directly in the light of this assurance； which acts conscientiously （gewissenhaft）； without the
intervention of those ideas； and finds its true nature in this direct immediacy。
While； however； this sphere of dissemblance is nothing else than the development of moral
self…consciousness in its various moments and is consequently its reality； so too this
self…consciousness； by returning into itself； will become； in its inmost nature； nothing else。 This
returning into itself； indeed； simply means that it has come to be conscious that its truth is a
pretended truth； a mere pretence。 As returning into itself it would have to be always giving out this
pretended truth as its real truth； for it would have to express and display itself as an objective idea；
but it would know all the same that this is merely a dissemblance。 It would consequently be； in
point of fact； hypocrisy； and its abhorrence of such dissemblance would be itself the first
expression of hypocrisy。
1。 Verstellung： It is not possible to bring ou