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however； is the inner being of things qua inner； which is one and the same with the notion qua
notion。
2。 The Inner Realm
This true being of things has here the characteristic that it does not exist immediately for
consciousness； rather； consciousness takes up a mediated relation to the inner； in the form of
understanding it looks through the intervening play of forces into the real and true background of
things。 The middle term combining the two extremes； understanding and the inner of things； is the
explicitly evolved being of force； which is now and henceforth a vanishing process for
understanding itself。 Hence it is called Appearance （Erscheinung）； for being which is per se
straightway non…being we call a show； a semblance （Schein）。 It is； however； not merely a show；
but appearance； a totality of seeming （Schein）。 This totality as totality or universal is what makes
up the inner world； the play of forces in the sense of its reflection into itself。 There consciousness
has before itself in objective form the things of perception as they truly are； i。e。 as moments
turning； without halt or separate subsistence； directly into their opposite； the 〃one〃 changing
immediately into the universal； the essential becoming at once something unessential； and vice
versa。 This play of forces is consequently the development of the negative； but its true nature is the
positive element； viz。 the universal； the implicit object； the object existing per se。
The being of this object for consciousness is mediated through the movement of appearance； by
which the content of perception and the sensuous objective world as a whole； get merely negative
significance。 There consciousness is turned back upon itself as the truth； but； being consciousness；
it again makes this truth into an inner being of the object； and distinguishes this reflection of things
from its own reflection into self： just as the mediating process likewise is for it still an objective
process。 This inner nature is therefore for it an extreme placed over against it。 But it is on that
account the truth for it； because therein； as in something essentially real； it possesses at the same
time the certainty of its own self； the moment of its own self…existence。 But it is not yet conscious
of this basis ＇its self…existence＇； for the independence； its being on its own account； which should
have the inner world within it； would be nothing else than the negative process。 This negative
process； however； is for consciousness still objective vanishing appearance； and not yet its own
proper self…existence （Fürsichseyn）。 Hence the； inner is no doubt taken to be notion。； but
consciousness does yet know the nature of the notion。
（a） The Supersensible World
（1） The Inner ； Appearance ； Understanding
Within this inner truth； this absolute universal which has got rid of the opposition between universal
and particular； and become the object of understanding； is a supersensible world which henceforth
opens up as the true world； lying beyond the sensuous world which is the world of appearance。
Away remote from the changing vanishing present （Diesseits） lies the permanent beyond
（Jenseits）： an immanent inherent reality （ein Ansich）； which is the first and therefore imperfect
manifestation of Reason； i。e。 it is merely the pure element where the truth finds its abode and its
essential being。
Our object henceforward has thus the form of a syllogistic inference （Schluss）； whose extremes
are the inner being of things and understanding； and its middle term the sphere of appearance。 The
course of this inferential process； however； furnishes the further characterization of what
understanding detects in the。 inner world by the aid of the middle term； and gives rise to the
experience understanding goes through regarding this relation of the terms when joined and united
together。
The inner world is so far for consciousness a bare and simple beyond； because consciousness
does not as yet find itself in it。 It is empty； for it is the nothingness of appearance； and positively the
naked universal。
This type of inwardness suits those who say that the inner being of things cannot be known； （2） but
the reason for the position would have to be taken in some other sense。 Certainly there is no
knowledge to be had of this inner world； as we have it here； not； however； owing to reason being
too short…sighted； or limited； or whatever you care to call it （on this point there is as yet nothing
known at this stage； we have not gone deep enough for that yet）； but on account simply of the
nature of the case； because in the void there is nothing known； or； putting it from the point of view
of the other side； because its very characteristic lies in being beyond consciousness。
（2） The Supersensible as an Appearance
The result is； of course； the same if you place a blind man amid the wealth of the supersensible
world （if it has a wealth； whether this be a content peculiarly its own； or whether consciousness
itself be this content）； and if you place one with sight in absolute darkness； or； if you like； in pure
light； supposing the supersensible world to be this。 The seeing man sees in that pure light as little as
in absolute darkness； and just as much as the blind man in the ample wealth which lay before him。
If there were nothing more to be done with the inner sphere and with our being bound up along
with it by means of the world of appearance； then there would be nothing left but to stop at the
phenomenal world； i。e。 take something for truth about which we know that it is not true。 Or in
order that there may be something in this empty void — which； while it originally came about as a
state devoid of objective； things； has； however； since it is emptiness pure and simple； to be taken
to be also devoid of all mental relations and distinctions of consciousness qua consciousness — in
order that in this complete vacuity； which is even called the holy of holies； the inner sanctuary；
there may yet be something； we should be driven to fill it up with dreamings； appearances；
produced by consciousness itself。 It would have to be content with being treated so badly； for it
would not deserve anything better； since even dreams are something better than its own barren
emptiness。
The inner world； or the supersensible beyond； has； however； arisen： it comes to us out of the
sphere of appearance； and the latter is its mediating agency： in other words； appearance is its
essential nature and； in point of fact； its filling。 The supersensible is the established truth of the
sensible and perceptual。 The truth of the sensible and the perceptual lies； however； in being
appearance。 The supersensible is then appearance qua appearance。 We distort the proper
meaning of this； if we take it to mean that the supersensible is therefore the sensible world； or the
world as it is for immediate sense…certainty； and perception。 For； on the contrary； appearance is
just not the world of sense…knowledge and perception as positively being； but this world as
superseded or established in truth as an inner world。 It is often said that the supersensible is not
appearance； but by appearance is thereby meant not appearance； but rather the sensible world
taken as itself real actuality。
Understanding； which is our object here； finds itself in this position； that； for it； the inner world has
come about to begin with； only as the implicit inherent being； universal and still without a filling。 The
play of forces has simply and solely this negative significance of not being something per se； and its
only positive significance is that of being the mediating agency； but outside understanding。 The
relation of understanding to the inner world through mediation is； however； its own process； by
which the inner world will be found to receive fullness of content。
（3） Law as the True nature of Appearance
The play of forces is what understanding has directly to do with； but the real truth for it is the inner
world bare and simple。 The movement of force is consequently the truth only by being in like
manner something simple。 Regarding this play of forces； however； we saw that its peculiarity lay in
this； that the force which is awakened into activity by another force is just on that account the
inciting agency for this other force； which thereby itself only then becomes an inciting force。 We
have here in this way merely direct and immediate interchange or complete exchange of the
characteristic which constitutes the sole content of what comes before us； viz。 the fact of being
either universal medium or negative unity。 It ceases immediately on its entrance in determinate form
to be what it was on entering： it awakens or incites； by its appearance in determinate shape； the
other side； which thereby gives itself expression； i。e。 the latter is now directly what the first was to
be。 Each of these two sides； the relation of inciting and the relation of the opposed determinate
content； is on its own account an absolute process of permutation and transposition。 But these tw