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the unity of self…consciousness； contradicts the unity of thought and form in general。 What is
declared to be a fixed and inherently constant law can be merely a moment of the self…referring；
self…reflecting unity； can come on the scene merely as a vanishing element。 When extricated；
however； by the process of considering them； from the movement imposing this continuous
connexion； and when set out individually and separately； it is not content that they lack； for they
have a specific content； they lack rather form； which is their essential nature。 In point of fact it is
not for the reason that they are to be merely formal and are not to have any content； that these
laws are not the truth of thought； it is rather for the opposite reason。 It is because in their
specificity； i。e。 just as a content with the form removed； they want to pass for something absolute。
In their true nature； as vanishing moments in the unity of thought； they would have to be taken as
knowledge or as thinking process； but not as laws of knowledge。 Observing； however； neither is
nor knows that knowledge itself； observation converts its nature into the shape of an objective
being； i。e。 apprehends its negative character merely as laws of being。
It is sufficient for our purpose here to have indicated the invalidity of the so…called laws of thought
from the consideration of the general nature of the case。 It falls to speculative philosophy to go
more intimately and fully into the matter； and there they show themselves to be what in truth they
are； single vanishing moments； whose truth is simply the whole of the think process； knowledge
itself。
This negative unity of thought exists for its own sake； or rather it is just being for itself and on its
own account； the principle of individuality； and its reality consists in exercising a function； it is an
active consciousness。 Consequently the mental attitude of observation will by the nature of the
case be led on towards this as being the reality of those laws of thought。 Since this connexion is
not a fact for observation； the latter supposes that thought with its laws remains standing separately
on one side； and that； on the other side； it obtains another objective being in what is now the
object observed； viz。 that acting consciousness； which exists for itself in such a way as to cancel
otherness and find its reality in this direct awareness of itself as the negative。
2。 Psychological Laws
In the active practical reality of consciousness； observation thus finds opened up before it a new
field。 Psychology contains the collection of laws in virtue of which the mind takes up different
attitudes towards the different forms of its reality given and presented to it in a condition of
otherness。 The mind adopts these various attitudes partly with a view to receiving these modes of
its reality into itself； and conforming to the habits； customs； and ways of thinking it thus comes
across； as being that wherein mind is reality and as such object to itself； partly with a view to
knowing its own spontaneous activity in opposition to them； to follow the bent of its own
inclinations； affections； and emotions； and carry off thence what is merely of particular and special
moment for itself； and thus make what is objective conform to itself。 In the former it behaves
negatively towards itself as single and individual mind； in the latter negatively towards itself as the
universal being。
In the former aspect independence ＇or self…dependence＇ gives what is met with merely the form of
conscious individuality in general； and as regards the content remains within the general reality
given； in the second aspect； however； it gives the reality at least a certain special modification；
which does not contradict its essential content； or even a modification by which the individual qua
particular reality and peculiar content sets itself against the general reality。 This opposition
becomes a form of wrongdoing when the individual cancels that reality in a merely particular
manner； or when it does so in a manner that is general and thus for all； when it puts another world；
another right； law； and custom in place of those already there。
Observational psychology； which in the first instance states what observation finds regarding the
general forms brought to its notice in the active consciousness； discovers all sorts of faculties；
inclinations； and passions； and since； while narrating what this collection contains； the
remembrance of the unity of self…consciousness is not to be suppressed； observational psychology
is bound to get the length at least of wonderment that such a lot and such a miscellany of things can
happen to be somehow alongside one another in the mind as in a kind of bag； more especially
when they are seen to be not lifeless inert things； but restless active processes。
3。 The Law of Indiviuality
In telling over these various faculties observation keeps to the universal aspect： the unity of these
multifarious capacities is the opposite aspect to this universality； is the actual concrete individuality。
To take up again thus the different concrete individualities； and to describe how one man has more
inclination for this the other for that； how one has more intelligence than the other — all this is；
however； something much more uninteresting than even to reckon up the species of insects；
mosses； and so on。 For these latter give observation the right to take them thus individually and
disconnectedly （begrifflos）； because they belong essentially to the sphere of fortuitous detailed
particulars。 To take conscious individuality on the other hand； as a particular phenomenal entity；
and treat it in so wooden a fashion； is self…contradictory； because the essential nature of
individuality lies in the universal element of mind。 Since； however； the process of apprehending it
causes it at the same time to pass into the form of universality； to apprehend it is to find its law；
and seems in this way to have a rational purpose in view； and a necessary function to fulfil。
The moments constituting the content of the law are on the one hand individuality itself； on the
other its universal inorganic nature； viz。 the given circumstances； situation； habits； customs； religion；
and so forth； from these the determinate individuality is to be understood and comprehended。
They contain something specific； determinate； as well as universal； and are at the same time
something lying at hand； which furnishes material for observation and on the other side expresses
itself in the form of individuality。
The law of this relation of the two sides has now to contain and express the sort of effect and
influence these determinate circumstances exert on individuality。 This individuality； however just
consists both in being the universal； and hence in passively and directly assimilating and blending
with the given universals； the customs； habits； etc。； thus becoming conformed to them； as also in
taking up an attitude of opposition towards them and thus transforming and transmuting them； and
again in behaving towards them in its individual character with complete indifference； neither
allowing them to exert an influence over it； nor setting itself actively against them。 On that account
what is to have an influence on individuality； and what sort of influence it is to have — which；
properly speaking； mean the same thin…depend entirely on individuality itself： to say that by such
and such an influence this individuality has become this specifically determinate individuality means
nothing else than saying it has been this all along。 Circumstances； situation； customs； and so on；
which show themselves on one side as something given； and on the other as within this specific
individuality； reveal merely indeterminate nature of individuality； which is not the point under
consideration。 If these circumstances； style of thought； customs； the whole state of the world； in
short； had not been； then assuredly the individual would not have been what he is； for all the
elements that find a place in this 〃 state of the world 〃 constitute this universal substance。
By the way； however； in which the state of the world has affected in particular any given individual
— and it is such an individual that has to be comprehended — it must itself have assumed a
particular shape on its own account； and have operated upon the individual in the specific
character which it assumed。 Only so could it have made the individual the specific particular
individual he is。 If the external element is so constituted in and for itself as it appears in
individuality； the latter would be comprehended from the nature of the former。 We should have a
double gallery of pictures； one of which would be the reflexion of the other： the one the gallery of
external circumstance completely encompassing； circumscribing； and determining the individual；
the other the same gallery translated into the form in which those circumstances are in the
conscious individual： the former the spherical surface； the latter the centre reflectively representing
that surface within it。