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merely one single unity。
This bare and simple infinity； or the absolute notion； may be called the ultimate nature of life； the
soul of the world； the universal life…blood； which courses everywhere； and whose flow is neither
disturbed nor checked by any obstructing distinction； but is itself every distinction that arises； as
well as that into which all distinctions are dissolved； pulsating within itself； but ever motionless；
shaken to its depths； but still at rest。 It is self…identical； for the distinctions are tautological； they are
distinctions that are none。 This self…identical reality stands； therefore； in relation solely to itself。 To
itself； which means this is an other； to which the relation points； and relation to itself is； more
strictly； breaking asunder； in other words； that very self…identity is internal distinction。 These
sundered factors have； hence； each a separate being of their own； each is an opposite…of an other；
and thus with each the other is therein ipso facto expressly given； or it is not the opposite of an
other； but only the pure opposite； and thus each is； therefore； in itself the opposite of itself。 Or；
again； each is not an opposite at all； but exists purely for itself； a pure self…identical reality； with no
distinction in it。 This being so； we do not need to ask； still less to treat anxiety over such a question
as philosophy； — or even regard this as a question philosophy cannot answer； — 〃how distinction
or otherness is to come out of this pure essence； how these are to be really got out of it〃。 For the
process of disruption has already taken place； distinction has been excluded from the self…identical
entity； and put on one side so far as it is concerned； what was to have been the self…identical is
thus already one of the sundered elements； instead of being the absolute essential reality。 That the
self…identical breaks asunder means； therefore； just as truly that it supersedes itself as already
sundered； that it cancels itself qua otherness。 The unity which people usually have in mind when
they say distinction cannot come out of unity； is； in point of fact； itself merely one moment of the
process of disruption； it is the abstraction of simplicity； which stands in contrast with distinction。
But in that it is abstraction； is merely one of the two opposed elements； the statement thus already
implies that the unity is the process of breaking asunder； for if the unity is a negative element； an
opposite； then it is put forward precisely as that which contains opposition within it。 The different
aspects of diremption and of becoming self…identical are therefore likewise merely this process of
self…cancelling。 For since the self…identical element； which should first divide itself asunder or pass
into its opposite； is an abstraction； i。e。 is already itself a sundered element； its diremption is eo
ipso a cancelling of what it is； and thus the cancelling of its being sundered。 The process of
becoming self…identical is likewise a process of diremption； what becomes identical with itself
thereby opposes itself to disruption； that is； itself thereby puts itself on one side； in other words； it
becomes really something sundered。
3。 Infinitude
Infinitude； this absolute unrest of pure self…movement； such that whatever is determined in any
way； e。g。； as being； is really the opposite of this determinateness — has from the start been no
doubt the very soul of all that has gone before； but it is in the inner world that it has first come out
explicitly and definitely。 The world of appearance； or the play of forces； already shows its
operation； but it is in the first instance as Explanation that it comes openly forward。 And since it is
at length an object for consciousness； and consciousness is aware of it as what it is； consciousness
is in this way Self…consciousness。 Understanding's function of explaining furnishes in the first
instance merely the description of what self…consciousness is。 Understanding cancels the
distinctions present in Law； distinctions which have already become pure distinctions but are still
indifferent； and puts them inside a single unity； Force。 This identification； however； is at the same
time and immediately a process of diremption； for understanding removes the distinctions and sets
up the oneness of force only by the fact that it creates a new distinction of force and law； which at
the same time； however； is no distinction。 And moreover in that this distinction is at the same time
no distinction； it proceeds further and cancels this distinction again； since it lets force have just the
same constitution as law。 This process or necessity is； however； in this form； still a necessity and a
process of understanding； or the process as such is not the object of understanding； instead；
understanding has as its objects in that process positive and negative electricity； distance； velocity；
force of attraction； and a thousand other things — objects which make up the content of the
moments of the process。 It is just for that reason that there is so much satisfaction in explanation；
because consciousness being there； if we may use such an expression； in direct communion with
itself； enjoys itself only。 No doubt it there seems to be occupied with something else； but in point
of fact it is busied all the while merely with itself。
In the opposite law； as the inversion of the first law； or in internal distinction； infinitude doubtless
becomes itself object of understanding。 But once more understanding fails to do justice to infinity
as such； since understanding assigns again to two worlds； or to two substantial elements； that
which is distinction per se — the self…repulsion of the selfsame； and the self…attraction of unlike
factors。 To understanding the process； as it is found in experience； is here an event that happens；
and the selfsame and the unlike are predicates； whose reality is an underlying substratum。 What is
for understanding an object in a covering veil of sense； now comes before us in its essential form
as a pure notion。 This apprehension of distinction as it truly is； the apprehension of infinitude as
such； is something for us ＇observing the course of the process＇； or is implicit； immanent。 The
exposition of its notion belongs to science。 Consciousness； however； in the way it immediately has
this notion； again appears as a peculiar form or new attitude of consciousness； which does not
recognize its own essential nature in what has gone before； but looks upon it as something quite
different。
In that this notion of infinitude is its object； it is thus a consciousness of the distinction as one which
at the same time is at once cancelled。 Consciousness is for itself and on its own account； it is a
distinguishing of what is undistinguished； it is Self…consciousness。 I distinguish myself from myself；
and therein I am immediately aware that this factor distinguished from me is not distinguished。 I；
the selfsame being； thrust myself away from myself； but this which is distinguished； which is set up
as unlike me； is immediately on its being distinguished no distinction for me。 Consciousness of an
other； of an object in general； is indeed itself necessarily self…consciousness； reflectedness into self；
consciousness of self in its otherness。 The necessary advance from the previous attitudes of
consciousness； which found their true content to be a thing； something other than themselves；
brings to light this very fact that not merely is consciousness of a thing only possible for a
self…consciousness； but that this self…consciousness alone is the truth of those attitudes。 But it is
only for us （who trace this process＇ that this truth is actually present； it is not yet so for the
consciousness immersed in the experience。 Self…consciousness has in the first instance become a
specific reality on its own account （für sich）； has come into being for itself； it is not yet in the form
of unity with consciousness in general。
We see that in the inner being of the sphere of appearance； understanding gets to know in truth
nothing else but appearance itself； not； however； appearance in the shape of a play of forces； but
that play of forces in its absolutely universal moments and in the process of those moments； in fact；
understanding merely experiences itself。 Raised above perception； consciousness reveals itself
united and bound up with the supersensible world through the mediating agency of the realm of
appearance； through which it gazes into this background that lies behind appearance。 The two
extremes； the one that of the pure inner region； the other that of the inner being gazing into this
pure inner region； are now merged together； and as they have disappeared qua extremes； the
middle term； the mediating agency； qua something other than these extremes； has also vanished。
This curtain ＇of appearance＇； therefore； hanging before the inner world is withdrawn； and we have
here the inner being ＇the ego＇ gazing into the inner realm — the vision of the undistinguished
selfsame reality； which repels itself from itself； affirms itself as a divided and distinguished inner
reality； but as one f