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selfsame reality； which repels itself from itself； affirms itself as a divided and distinguished inner
reality； but as one for which at the same time the two factors have immediately no distinction； what
we have here is Self…consciousness。 It is manifest that behind the so…called curtain； which is to hide
the inner world； there is nothing to be seen unless we ourselves go behind there； as much in order
that we may thereby see； as that there may be something behind there which
can be seen。 But it is clear at the same time that we cannot without more ado go straightway
behind there。 For this knowledge of what is the truth of the idea of the realm of appearance and of
its inner being； is itself only a result arrived at after a long and devious process；； in the course of
which the modes of consciousness； 〃meaning〃； 〃perception〃； and 〃understanding〃 disappear。 And it
will be equally evident that to get acquainted with what consciousness knows when it is knowing
itself； requires us to fetch a still wider compass； What follows will set this forth at length。
1。 Cp。 Wissenschaft der Logik； Buch 2； Absch。 2； Kap。 3。
2。 Cp。 Goethe； 〃Im innern der Natur〃； etc。
3。 Cp。 Helmholtz； 〃It is precisely in the purest form of the expression of force…viz。 In mechanical
force which acts on a mass…point…that we find most clearly brought out that a force is merely the
objectified law of action。〃…Lectures and Addresses； v。； Eng。； trans。； Vol。 I。； p。 326。
4。 The primitive procedure of individual vengeance finds its inner meaning revealed in the ethically
justifiable procedure of punishment。 But ethical punishment is really self…punishment （cp。 Plato's
Gorgias）。 Punishment； however； Hegel goes on to say； has an inner meaning of its own too。
B —
SELF…CONSCIOUSNESS （1）
IV
The Truth which Conscious Certainty of
Self Realises
1。 Consciousness In Itself
IN the kinds of certainty hitherto considered； the truth for consciousness is something other than
consciousness itself。 The conception； however； of this truth vanishes in the course of our
experience of it。 What the object immediately was in itself — whether mere being in
sense…certainty； a concrete thing in perception； or force in the case of understanding — it turns out；
in truth； not to be this really； but instead； this inherent nature （Ansich） proves to be a way in which
it is for an other。 The abstract conception of the object gives way before the actual concrete
object； or the first immediate idea is cancelled in the course of experience。 Mere certainty
vanished in favour of the truth。 There has now arisen； however； what was not established in the
case of these previous relationships； viz。 a certainty which is on a par with its truth； for the certainty
is to itself its own object； and consciousness is to itself the truth。 Otherness； no doubt； is also
found there； consciousness； that is； makes a distinction； but what is distinguished is of such a kind
that consciousness； at the same time； holds there is no distinction made。 If we call the movement of
knowledge conception； and knowledge； qua simple unity or Ego； the object； we see that not only
for us ＇tracing the process＇； but likewise for knowledge itself； the object corresponds to the
conception； or； if we put it in the other form and call conception what the object is in itself； while
applying the term object to what the object is qua object or for an other； it is clear that being
〃in…itself〃 and being 〃for an other〃 are here the same。 For the inherent being （Ansich） is
consciousness； yet it is still just as much that for which an other （viz。 what is 〃in…itself〃） is。 And it is
for consciousness that the inherent nature （Ansich） of the object； and its 〃being for an other〃 are
one and the same。 Ego is the content of the relation； and itself the process of relating。 It is Ego
itself which is opposed to an other and； at the same time； reaches out beyond this other； which
other is all the same taken to be only itself。
With self…consciousness； then； we have now passed into the native land of truth； into that kingdom
where it is at home。 We have to see how the form or attitude of self…consciousness in the first
instance appears。 When we consider this new form and type of knowledge； the knowledge of self；
in its relation to that which preceded； namely； the knowledge of an other； we find； indeed； that this
latter has vanished； but that its moments have； at the same time； been preserved； and the loss
consists in this； that those moments are here present as they are implicitly； as they are in
themselves。 The being which 〃meaning〃 dealt with； particularity and the universality of perception
opposed to it； as also the empty； inner region of understanding…these are no longer present as
substantial elements （Wesen）； but as moments of self…consciousness； i。e。 as abstractions or
differences； which are； at the same time； of no account for consciousness itself； or are not
differences at all； and are purely vanishing entities （Wesen）。
What seems to have been lost； then； is only the principal moment； viz。 the simple fact of having
independent subsistence for consciousness。 But； in reality； self…consciousness is reflexion out of the
bare being that belongs to the world of sense and perception； and is essentially the return out of
otherness。 As self …consciousness； it is movement。 But when it distinguishes only its self as such
from itself； distinction is straightway taken to be superseded in the sense of involving otherness。
The distinction is not； and self…consciousness is only motionless tautology； Ego is Ego； I am I。
When for self…consciousness the distinction does not also have the shape of being； it is not
self…consciousness。 For self…consciousness； then； otherness is a fact； it does exist as a distinct
moment； but the unity of itself with this difference is also a fact for self…consciousness； and is a
second distinct moment。 With that first moment； self…consciousness occupies the position of
consciousness； and the whole expanse of the world of sense is conserved as its object； but at the
same time only as related to the second moment； the unity of self…consciousness with itself。 And；
consequently； the sensible world is regarded by self…consciousness as having a subsistence which
is； however； only appearance； or forms a distinction from self…consciousness that per se has no
being。 This opposition of its appearance and its truth finds its real essence； however； only in the
truth — in the unity of self…consciousness with itself。 This unity must become essential to
self…consciousness； i。e。 self…consciousness is the state of Desire in general。 Consciousness has；
qua self…consciousness； henceforth a twofold object — the one immediate； the object of
sense…certainty and of perception； which； however； is here found to be marked by the character of
negation； the second； viz。 itself； which is the true essence； and is found in the first instance only in
the opposition of the first object to it。 Self …consciousness presents itself here as the process in
which this opposition is removed； and oneness or identity with itself established。
2。 Life
For us or implicitly； the object； which is the negative element for self…consciousness； has on its side
returned into itself； just as on the other side…consciousness has done。 Through this reflexion into
self； the object has become Life。 What self…consciousness distinguishes as having a being distinct
from itself； has in it too； so far as it is affirmed to be； not merely the aspect of sense…certainty and
perception； it is a being reflected into itself； and the object of immediate desire is something living。
For the inherent reality （Ansich）； the general result of the relation of the understanding to the inner
nature of things； is the distinguishing of what cannot be distinguished； or is the unity of what is
distinguished。 This unity； however； is； as we saw； just as much its recoil from itself； and this
conception breaks asunder into the opposition of self…consciousness and life： the former is the
unity for which the absolute unity of differences exists； the latter； however； is only this unity itself；
so that the unity is not at the same time for itself。 Thus； according to the independence possessed
by consciousness； is the independence which its object in itself possesses。 Self…consciousness；
which is absolutely for itself； and characterizes its object directly as negative； or is primarily
desire； will really； therefore； find through experience this object's independence。
The determination of the principle of life as obtained from the conception or general result with
which we enter this new sphere； is sufficient to characterize it； without its nature being evolved
further out of that notion。 Its circuit is completed in the following moments。 The essential element
（Wesen） is infinitude as the supersession of all distinctions； the pure rotation on its own axis； itself
at rest while being absolutely restless infinitude； the very self…dependence in