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acquainted to the full and complete extent require with the situation in which its action takes place；
and knows that its pretence of conscientiously weighing and considering all the circumstances is
futile。 This acquaintance with and consideration of all the circumstances； however； are not entirely
absent： but they are merely present as a moment； as something which is only for others： and the
conscientious mind holds its incomplete knowledge to be sufficient and complete； because it is its
own knowledge。
In a similar way the process is constituted in connexion with the universality of the essential
principle； that is； with the characterization of the content as determined through pure
consciousness。 Conscience； when it goes on to act； takes up a relation to the various sides of the
case。 The case breaks up into separate elements； and the relation of pure consciousness towards it
does the same： whereby the multiplicity characteristic of the case becomes a multiplicity of duties。
Conscience knows that it has to select and decide amongst them； for none of them specifically； in
its content； is an absolute duty； only pure duty is so。 But this abstract entity has； in its realization；
come to denote self…conscious ego。 Spirit certain of itself is at rest within itself in the form of
conscience； and its real universality； its duty； lies in its pure conviction concerning duty。 This pure
conviction as such is as empty as pure duty； pure in the sense that nothing within it； no definite
content； is duty。 Action； however； has to take place； the individual must determine to do something
or other； and spirit which is certain of itself； in which the inherent principle has attained the
significance of self…conscious ego； knows it has this determination； this specific content； in the
immediate certainty of its own self。 This certainty； being a determination and a content； is 〃natural〃
consciousness； i。e。 the various impulses and inclinations。
（1） Conscience as the freedom of the self within itself； The Reality of Duty：
conviction
Conscience admits no content as absolute for it； because it is absolute negativity of all that is
definite。 It determines from itself alone。 The circle of the self； however； within which
determinateness as such falls； is so…called 〃sensibility〃： in order to get a content out of the
immediate certainty of self ； there is no other element to be found except sensibility。
Everything that in previous modes of experience was presented as good or bad； law and right； is
something other than immediate certainty of self； it is a universal； which is now a relative entity； an
existence…for…another。 Or； looked at otherwise； it is an object which； while connecting and relating
consciousness with itself； comes between consciousness and its own propel truth； and instead of
that object being the immediacy of consciousness； it rather cuts consciousness off from itself。
For conscience； however； certainty of self is the pure； direct； and immediate truth： and this truth is
thus its immediate certainty of self presented as content； i。e。 its truth is altogether the caprice of the
individual； and the accidental content of his unconscious natural existence ＇his sensibility＇。
This content at the same time passes for essential moral reality； for duty。 For pure duty； as was
found when testing and examining laws；（3） is utterly indifferent to every content； and gets along
with any。 Here it has at the same time the essential form of self…existence； of existing on its own
account： and this form of individual conviction is nothing else than the sense of the emptiness Of
pure duty； and the consciousness that this is merely a moment； that its substantiality is a predicate
which finds its subject in the individual； whose caprice gives pure duty content； can connect every
content with this form； and attach its feeling of conscientiousness to any content。
An individual increases his property in a certain way。 It is a duty that each should see to the
maintenance of himself and family； and no less ensure the possibility of his being serviceable to his
neighbours and of doing good to those standing in need。 The individual is aware that this is a duty；
for this content is directly contained in the certainty he has of himself。 He perceives； further； that he
fulfils this particular duty in this particular case。 Other people possibly consider the specific way he
adopts as fraud： they hold by other sides of the concrete case presented； while he holds firmly to
this particular side of it by the fact of his being conscious that the increase of property is a pure
and absolute duty。
In the same way there is fulfilled by the individual； as a duty； what other people call violence and
wrong…doing — the duty of asserting one's independence against others： and； again； the duty of
preserving one's life； and the possibility of being useful to one's neighbours。 Others call this
cowardice； but what they call courage really violates both these duties。 But cowardice must not be
so stupid and clumsy as not to know that the maintenance of life and the possibility of being useful
to others are duties — so inept as not to be convinced of the dutifulness of its action； and not to
know that dutifulness consists in knowledge。 Otherwise it would commit the stupidity of being
immoral。 Since morality lies in the consciousness of having fulfilled one's duty； this will not be
lacking when the action is what is called cowardice any more than when it is what is called
courage。 As the abstraction called 〃duty〃 is capable of every content； it is quite equal to that of
cowardice。 The agent knows what he does to be duty； and since he knows this； and conviction as
to duty is just dutifulness； he is thus recognized and acknowledged by others。 The act thereby
becomes accepted as valid and has actual existence。
（1） The Universality of Conscience
It is of no avail to object to this freedom — which puts any and every kind of content into this
universal inert receptacle of pure duty and pure knowledge — by asserting that another content
ought to have been put there。 For whatever the content be； each content has upon it the stain of
determinateness from which pure knowledge is free； which pure knowledge can despise just as
readily as it can take up every determinateness in turn。 Every content； through its being
determinate； stands on the same footing with every other； even though it seems to have precisely
the character that the particularity in the content is cancelled。 It may well seem — since in concrete
cases duty breaks regularly into opposition； and； by doing so； sunders the opposites individuality
and universality — that the duty； whose content is the universal as such； contains on that account；
ipso facto； the nature of pure duty； and that thus form and content are here entirely in accord。 On
this view； it might seem that； e。g。 acting for the universal good； for what is the best for all； is to be
preferred to acting for what is the best for the individual。 But this universal duty is precisely what is
present as self…contained actual substance； in the form of ＇established＇ law and right； and holds
good independently of the individual's knowledge and conviction as well as of his immediate
interest。 It is thus precisely that against the form of which morality as a whole is directed。 As
regards its content； however； this too is determinate in character； in so far as the 〃universally best〃
is opposed to the 〃individual best〃。 Consequently； its law is one from which conscience knows
itself to be absolutely free； and it gives itself the absolute privilege to add and pare； to neglect as
well as fulfil it。
Then； again； the above distinction of duty towards the individual and duty towards the universal is
not something fixed and final； when we look at the nature of the opposition in question。 On the
contrary； what the individual does for himself is to the advantage of the universal as well。 The more
he looks after his own good； not only is there the greater possibility of his usefulness to others： his
very reality consists merely in his living and existing in connexion with others。 His individual
enjoyment means ultimately and essentially putting what is his own at the disposal of others； and
helping them to secure their enjoyment。 In fulfilling duty to individuals； and hence duty to self； duty
to the general thus also gets fulfilled。 Weighing； considering； comparing duties； should this appear
here； would take the line of calculating the advantage which the general would get from any given
action。 But there can be no such process； partly because morality would thereby be handed over
to the inevitable contingency characteristic of mere 〃insight〃； partly because it is precisely the
nature of conscience to have done with all this calculating and weighing of duties； and to decide
directly from itself without any such reasons。
In this way； then； conscience acts and maintains itself in the unity of its essential being and its
objective existence for itself； in the unity of pure thought and individuality： it is spirit certain of itself；
wh