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consciousness possesses reason。 Consciousness； as well as self…consciousness； is in itself properly
reason in an implicit form； but only that consciousness can be said to have reason whose object
has the character of being the category。 From this； however； we must still distinguish the
knowledge of what reason is。
The category； which is the immediate unity of being and self （Seyn und Seinen）； must traverse both
forms； and the conscious attitude of observation is just where the category is set forth in the form
of being。 In its result； consciousness expresses that； whose unconscious implicit certainty it is； in
the shape of a proposition — the proposition which lies in the very notion of reason。 This
proposition is the infinite judgment that the self is a thing — a judgment that cancels and transcends
itself。
Through this result； then； the category gets the added characteristic of being this self…cancelling
opposition。 The 〃pure〃 category； which is present to consciousness in the form of being or
immediacy； is still an unmediated； a merely given object； and the attitude of consciousness is also
direct； has no mediation in it。 That infinite judgment is the moment which is the transition of
immediacy into mediation or negativity。 The given present object is therefore characterized as a
negative object while consciousness in its relation towards it assumes the form of
self…consciousness； or the category； which traversed the form of being in the process of
observation； is now set up in the form of self…existence。 Consciousness no longer seeks to find
itself immediately； but to produce itself by its own activity。 Consciousness itself is the purpose and
end of its own action； as in the process of observation it had to do merely with things。
The other meaning of the result is the one already considered； that of unsystematic （begrifflos）
observation。 This has no other way of understanding and expressing itself than by declaring the
reality of self…consciousness to consist in the skull…bone； just as it appears in the form of a thing of
sense； still retaining its character as an object for consciousness。 In stating this； however； it has no
clear consciousness as to what the statement involves； and does not grasp the determinate
character of the subject and predicate in the proposition and of their relation to one another； still
less does it grasp the proposition in the sense of a self…resolving infinite judgment and a notion。
Rather； in virtue of a deeper…lying self…consciousness of mind； which has the appearance here of
being an innate decency and honesty of nature； it conceals from itself the ignominiousness of such
an irrational crude thought a that of taking a bone for the reality of self…consciousness； and the very
senselessness of introducing all sorts of relations of cause and effect； symbol〃； 〃organ〃； etc。； which
are perfectly meaningless here； and of hiding away the glaring folly of the proposition behind
distinctions derived from them — all this puts a gloss on that thought and whitewashes its naked
absurdity。
Brain…fibres and the like； looked at as forms of the being of mind； are already an imagined； a
merely hypothetical actuality of mind — not its presented reality； not its felt； seen； in short not its
true reality。 If they are present to us； if they are seen； they are lifeless objects； and then no longer
pass for the being of mind。 But its objectivity proper must take an immediate； a sensuous form； so
that in this objectivity qua lifeless — for the bone is lifeless so far as the lifeless is found in the living
being itself — mind is established as actual。
The principle involved in this idea is that reason claims to be all thinghood； even thinghood of a
purely objective kind。 It is this； however； in conceptu： or； only this notion is the truth of reason；
and the purer the notion itself is； the more silly an idea does it become； if its content does not take
the shape of a notion （Begriff） but of a mere presentation or idea （Vorstellung）…if the
self…superseding judgment is not taken with the consciousness of this its infinity； but is taken as a
stable and permanent proposition； the subject and predicate of which hold good each on its own
account； self fixed as self； thing as thing； while one has to be the other all the same。
Reason； essentially the notion； is immediately parted asunder into itself and its opposite； an
opposition which just for that reason is immediately again superseded。 But if it presents itself in this
way as both itself and its opposite； and if it is held fast in the entirely isolated moment of this
disintegration； reason is apprehended in an irrational form； and the purer the moments of this
opposition are； the more glaring is the appearance of this content； which is either alone for
consciousness； or alone expressed ingenuously by consciousness。
The 〃depth〃 which mind brings out from within； but carries no further than to make it a
presentation （Vorstellung）； and let it remain at this level — and the 〃ignorance〃 on the part of this
consciousness as to what it really says； are the same kind of connexion of higher and lower which；
in the case of the living being； nature na？vely expresses when it combines the organ of its highest
fulfilment； the organ of generation； with the organ of urination。 The infinite judgment qua infinite
would be the fulfilment of life that comprehends itself； while the consciousness of the infinite
judgment that remains at the level of presentation corresponds to urination。
1。 Cp。 With Hegel's analysis Erdmann's Psychologische Briefe； Br。 9。
2。 A critic of physiognomy in über Physiognomik； 2Au f。 G？ttingen； 1778； p。 35。
3。 i。e。 the relation of self…consciousness to external reality。
4。 Cp。 There is no art to find the mind's construction in the face。 Macbeth；； Act。 I。 4。
5。 This refers to the claims put forward by Lavater； whose work was entitled Physiognomische
Fragmente zur Bef？rderung der Menschenkenntniss und Menschenliebe。 Leipzig； 1775…8。
6。 〃Everyday Physiognomy〃 would be the familiar procedure of mankind； civilized and uncivilized；
in diving or supposing what is in a man's mind from bodily expressions…e。g。 the tone of his voice；
the lineaments （natural and acquired） of his face； the play of his features； or even in general the
conformation of his body。 The procedure is instinctive； but it also leads to rough and ready
judgments of experience which are used for guidance in everyday social life。
7。 Tim？us； 71； 72。
8。 v。 above； p。 349。
B
The Realisation of Rational Self…Consciousness through its
Own Activity
SELF…CONSCIOUSNESS found the 〃thing〃 in the form of itself； and itself in the form of a thing；
that is to say； self…consciousness is explicitly aware of being in itself the objective reality。 It is no
longer the immediate certainty of being all reality； it is rather a kind of certainty for which the
immediate in general assumes the form of something sublated； so that the objectivity of the
immediate is regarded now merely as something superficial whose inner core and essence is
self…conscious consciousness。
The object； therefore； to which self…consciousness is positively related； is a self…consciousness。
The object has the form and character of thinghood； i。e。 is independent： but self…consciousness has
the conviction that this independent object is not alien to itself； it knows herewith that itself is
inherently （an sich） recognized by the object。 Self…consciousness is mind； which has the assurance
of having； in the duplication of its self…consciousness and in the independence of both； its unity with
its own self。 This certainty has to be brought out now before the mind in all its truth； what
self…consciousness holds as a fact； viz。 that implicitly in itself and in its inner certainty it is； has to
enter into its consciousness and become explicit for it。
What the general stages of this actualization will be can be indicated in a general way by reference
to the road thus far traversed。 Just as reason； when exercised in observation； repeated in the
medium of the category the movement of 〃consciousness〃 as such； namely； sense…certainty； （1）
perception； （2） and understanding； （3） the course of reason here； too； will again traverse the double
movement of 〃self…consciousness〃； and from independence pass over into its freedom。 To begin
with； this active reason is aware of itself merely as an individual〃； and must； being such； demand
and bring forth its reality in an 〃other〃。 Thereafter； however； its consciousness being lifted into
universality； it becomes universal reason； and is consciously aware of itself as reason； as something
already recognized in and for itself； which within its pure consciousness unites all
self…consciousness。 It is the simple ultimate spiritual reality （Wesen）； which； by coming at the same
time to consciousness； is the real substance； into which preceding forms return and in which they
find their ground； so that they are； as contrasted with reference to the latter； merely particular
moments of the process of its coming into being； moments which indeed bre