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he runs the risk of getting wasted and damaged in the struggle； is not the good itself； he fights to
keep and carry that out： what is exposed to the hazard of the contest is merely gifts and capacities
that are indifferent to the issue。 But these； in point of fact； are nothing else than just that universal
from which individuality has been eliminated； and which is to be conserved and actualized by the
struggle。
This universal； however； is at the same time directly realized and ipso facto made actual by the
very notion of the contest； it is the inherent essential nature； the 〃universal〃； and its actualization
means merely that it is at the same time for an other。 The two aspects mentioned above； in each of
which it became an abstraction； are no longer separated； it is in and through the struggle that the
good is simultaneously established in both forms。
The virtuous consciousness； however； enters into conflict with the way of the world as if this were
a factor opposed to the good。 What the conflict brings to light is the universal； not merely as an
abstract universal； but as one animated by individuality； and existing for an other； in other words
the universal in the sense of the actually real good。 Wherever virtue comes to grips with the
world's process； it always hits upon places where goodness is found to exist； the good； as the
inherent nature of the world's process； is inseparably interwoven with all the manifestations of it；
with all the ways in which the world's process makes its appearance； and where it is real the good
has its own existence too。 Virtue thus finds the world's process invulnerable。 All the moments
which virtue was to jeopardize in itself when dealing with the world's process； all the moments
which it was to sacrifice — these are just so many ways in which goodness exists； and
consequently are inviolable relations。 The conflict can； therefore； only be an oscillation between
conserving and sacrificing； or rather there can be no place for either sacrificing one's own or doing
harm to what comes from elsewhere。 Virtue is not merely like the combatant whose sole concern
in the fight is to keep his sword polished； but it has even started the fight simply to preserve its
weapons。 And not merely is it unable to use its own weapons； but it must also preserve intact
those of its enemy； and protect them against its own attack； seeing they are all noble parts of the
good； on behalf of which it entered the field of battle。
This enemy； on the other hand； has as its essential element not the inherent universal； but
individuality。 Its force is thus the negative principle before which nothing stands； nothing is
absolutely sacred； but which can risk and endure the loss of everything and anything。 In so doing it
feels victory to be assured； as much from its very nature as by the contradiction in which its
opponent gets entangled。 What is to virtue implicit and inherent is taken merely as an explicit
objective fact in the case of the world's process。 The latter is detached from every moment which
virtue finds fixed and to which it is fast secured。 The world process has such a moment under its
power and has consequently in its control the tethered knight of virtue bound thereto； by the fact
that this moment is held to be merely one which the world's process can as readily cancel as let
be。 This knight of valour cannot work himself loose from it as he might from a cloak thrown round
him； and get free by leaving it behind； for it is to him the essential element which he cannot give up。
Finally； as to the ambush out of which the inherent good is cunningly and craftily to fall on the rear
of the world process； this hope is vain and foolish from its very nature。 The world process is the
mind sure of itself and ever on the alert； that can never be got at from behind； but fronts
breast…forward every quarter； for it consists in this that everything is an objective element for it；
everything stands before it。 But when the inherent goodness is for its enemy； then it finds itself in
the struggle we have seen； so far； however； as it is not for its enemy； but subsists in itself； it is the
passive instrument of gifts and capacities； material without reality。 If represented as object； it
would be a dormant consciousness； remaining in the background； no one knows where。
Virtue is thus overpowered by the world process； because the abstract unreal essence is in fact
virtue's own purpose； and because its action as regards reality rests on distinctions that are solely a
matter of words。 Virtue wanted to consist in the fact of bringing about the realization of goodness
through sacrificing individilality； but the aspect of reality is itself nothing else than the aspect of
individuality。 The good was meant to be what is implicit and inherent； and opposed to what is； but
the implicit and inherent； taken in its real truth； is simply being itself。 The implicitly inherent element
is primarily the abstraction of essence as against actual reality： but the abstraction is just what is not
true； but a distinction merely for consciousness； this means； however； it is itself what is called
actual； for the actual is what essentially is for an other — or it is being。 But the consciousness of
virtue rests on this distinction of implicitness and explicit being； a distinction without any true
validity。
The world process was supposed to be the perversion of the good； because it took individuality
for its principle。 But this latter is the principle of actual reality； for it is just that mode of
consciousness by which what is implicit and inherent is for an other as well。 The world process
transmutes and perverts the unchangeable； but does so in fact by transforming it out of the
nothingness of abstraction into the being of reality。
The course of the world is； then； victorious over what； in opposition to it； constitutes virtue； it is
victorious over that which took an unreal abstraction to be the essential reality。 But it is not
victorious over something real； but over the production of distinctions that are no distinctions； over
this pompous talk about the best for mankind and the oppression of humanity； about sacrifice for
goodness' sake and the misuse of gifts。 Imaginary idealities and purposes of that sort fall on the ear
as idle phrases； which exalt the heart and leave the reason a blank； which edify but build up
nothing that endures： declamations whose only definite announcement is that the individual who
professes to act for such noble ends and indulges in such fine phrases holds himself for a fine
creature： a swollen enlargement which gives itself and others a mighty size of a head； but big from
inflation with emptiness。
Virtue in the olden time had its secure and determinate significance； for it found the fullness of its
content and its solid basis in the substantial life of the nation； and had for its purpose and end a
concrete good that existed and lay at its hand： it was also for that reason not directed against
actual reality as a general perversity； and not turned against a world process。 The virtue above
considered； however； is removed from that substantial life； and is outside it； a virtue with no
essential being； a virtue merely in idea and in words； and one that is deprived of all that content。
The vacuousness of this rhetorical eloquence in conflict with the world's process would be at once
discovered if it were to be stated what all its eloquent phrases amount to。 They are therefore
assumed to be familiar and well…understood。 The request to say what； then； this 〃well…known〃 is
would be either met by a new swell of phrases； or in reply there would be an appeal to the 〃heart〃
which 〃inwardly〃 tells what they mean — which is tantamount to an admission of inability to say
what the meaning is。
The fatuousness of that style of eloquence seems； too； in a quasi…unconscious manner to have got
the length of being an acknowledged certainty for the cultivated minds of our time； since all interest
in the whole mass of those rhetorical spread…eagle phrases has disappeared — a loss of interest
which is betrayed in the sheer wearisomeness they produce。
The result； then； arising from this opposition； consists in the fact that consciousness lets the idea of
an inherent good； which yet has no actual reality； slip from it like a mere cloak。 Consciousness has
learned in the course of its struggle that the world's process is not so bad as it looked； for the
reality of the world's process is that of the universal。 With the discovery of this it is seen that there
is no way of producing the good through the sacrifice of individuality； the means for doing so have
gone； for individuality is precisely the explicit actualization of what is implicitly and inherently real
（i。e。 the universal）； and the perversion ceases to be looked at as a perversion of goodness； for it is
just the transmuting of the good； qua bare purpose； into actual reality。 The movement of
individuality is the reality of the universal。
In point of fact； however； what as world process stood opposed to the consciousness of the
inherently and implicitly real； has likewise been vanquished and has di