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content； into （objective） existence。 So transferred and set forth； the work （done） lets the moments
now go free； and in the element of factual subsistence they become indifferent to one another。 The
notion and its reality are thus separated into purpose and the original essential nature （Wesenheit）。
It is an accident that the purpose should have a true being； or that the implicit inherent nature
should be made a purpose。 Similarly； again； notion and reality fall apart as transition to actuality
and as purpose； in other words； it is an accident that the means expressing the purpose should
actually be chosen。 While； finally； these inner moments taken together （whether they have some
intrinsic unity or not） — i。e。 the action of the individual — are again accidentally related to actuality
in general： fortune decides equally in favour of a badly determined purpose and badly selected
means； as well as against them。
If； now； consciousness hereby becomes aware in its work of the opposition between willing and
performance； between purpose and means； and again between this inward nature； taken all
together； and actual reality — an opposition which as a whole shows the fortuitous character of the
action of consciousness…still the unity and the necessity of this action are just as much present too。
This latter aspect transcends the former； and experience of the fortuitousness of the action is itself
only a fortuitous experience。 The necessity of the action consists in this； that purpose is directly
related to actuality； and the unity of these is the very notion of action： the act takes place because
action is per se and of itself the essence of actuality。 In the work there is no doubt comes out the
fortuitousness which characterizes accomplishment when contrasted with willing and the process
of performing； and this experience； which seems as if it must be the truth； contradicts that notion of
the act。 Still； if we look at the content of this experience taken in its completeness； that content is
seen to be the transitory work。 What persists is not the transitoriness； rather this is itself actual and
is bound up with the work； and vanishes with it； the negative falls away along with the positive
whose negation it is。
The very notion of substantially and inherently real individuality contains within it this transience of
transitoriness （Verschwinden des Verschwindens）。 For that wherein the work disappears； or
what disappears in the work； is the objective reality； and this same reality was to give experience；
as it was called； its supremacy over the notion which individuality has about itself。 Objective
reality； however； is a moment which itself has no longer independent truth in this mode of
consciousness； it （i。e。 the truth） consists solely in the unity of this consciousness with action； and
the true work is only that unity of action and existence； of willing and performance。 Because of the
certainty fundamental to its actions； consciousness takes the actual reality opposed to that
conscious certainty to be something which itself is only for consciousness。 The opposition cannot
any longer occur for consciousness in this form of its self…existence in contrast to reality； when
consciousness is self…consciousness returned into itself and with all opposition gone。 On the
contrary； the opposition and the negativity manifested in the case of work then affect not only the
content of the work or the content of consciousness as well； but the reality as such； and hence
affect。the opposition present merely in virtue of that reality and in it； and the disappearance of the
work。 In this way consciousness turns from its transitory work back upon itself； and asserts its
own notion and its certainty to be what is permanent and abidino； as opposed to the experience of
the fortuitousness of action。 In point of fact it comes to know its essential principle or notion； in
which the reality is only a moment； something for consciousness； not something in and for itself； it
finds that reality to be a passing moment； of significance therefore merely as being in general；
whose universality is one and the same with action。 This unity； this identity is the true work； it is the
real intent； the fact of the matter （die Sache selbst）； which asserts itself at all costs and is felt to
be the lasting element； independent of 〃fact〃 which is the accident of an individual action as such；
the accident of circumstances； means； and actuality。
The main concern （die Sache selbst） stands opposed to these moments only so far as they claim
to have a value in isolation； but is essentially their unity； because identifying； fusing； actuality with
individuality。 It is； too； an action； and； qua action； pure action in general； and thereby just as much
action of this individual； and this action； because still appertaining to the individual in opposition to
actuality； has the sense of a purpose。 Similarly it is the transition from this specific character to the
opposite： and finally it is a reality which is present objectively for consciousness。 The main intent
thus expresses the essential spiritual substance in which all these moments as independently valid
are cancelled and transcended and so hold good only as universal； and in which the certainty
consciousness has regarding itself is a 〃fact〃 — a real object before consciousness； an object born
of self…consciousness as its own； without ceasing to be a free independent object in the proper
sense。 The 〃thing〃； found at the stage of sense…certainty and perception； now gets its significance
through self…consciousness； and through it alone。 On this rests the distinction between a thing
（Ding） and a fact （Sache）。 A process is gone through here corresponding to what we find in the
case of sense…experience and perception。
Self…consciousness； then； has attained its true conception of itself when this stage of the real intent
is reached； it is the interpenetration of individuality and objectivity： an interpenetration which has
become objective。 In it self…consciousness has arrived at a consciousness of its own substance。 At
the same time； as we find self…consciousness here； it is a consciousness of its substance which has
just arisen； and hence is immediate； and this is the specific way in which we find spirit at the
present stage： it has not yet reached its truly real substance。 The objectified intent takes in this
immediate consciousness the form of bare and simple essence （einfachen Wesen）； which being
universal； contains all its various moments in itself and belongs to them； but； again； is also
indifferent towards them taken as specific moments； and is independent by itself ； and； as this free
and objective simple abstract 〃fact〃； passes for the essentially real （Wesen）。 The various moments
of the original determinateness； the moments of the 〃fact〃 of this particular individual； his purpose；
means； action； and actual reality； are； on the one hand； particular moments for this consciousness；
which it can abandon and give up for the objectified intent； on the other hand； however； they all
have this object as their essential nature； but only in such a way that it； being their abstract
universal； can find itself in each of these different moments and be their predicate。 The objectified
intent is not yet subject； but those moments stand for subject； because they belong to the aspect of
individualness； while the object in mind is only at this stage bare universality。 It is the genus which
finds itself in all these moments as species of itself； and is equally independent of them。
Consciousness is called 〃honest〃； when it has on the one hand attained this idealization
（Idealismus）； which objectified intent expresses； and on the other possesses the truth in it qua this
formal universality。 Consciousness when so characterized is solely concerned with intended
object； and hence occupies itself with its various moments or species。 And when it does not reach
this fact in one of these moments； does not find the real intent in one meaning； it just on that
account lays hold of the fact in another； and consequently always really secures that satisfaction
which should belong to this mode of consciousness by its very nature （seinem Begriffe nach）。
However things turn out； it achieves and secures the objectified intent； for the latter； being this
universal genus of those moments； is the predicate of all。
Should it not bring a purpose into reality； it has at least willed the purpose； i。e。 turns purpose qua
purpose； mere doing which does nothing； into the real intent； and can therefore maintain and feel
consoled that at least there has always been something attempted； something done。 Since the
universal contains within it even the negative or the transitoriness； this too； the self…annihilation of
the work； is itself its doing。 It has stimulated others towards this； and still finds satisfaction in the
disappearance of its reality； just as bad boys enjoy a personal pleasure in getting their ears boxed
because they are the cause of its being done。 Or； again； suppose it has not so much as tried to
carry out the real intent and done nothing at all； then it has not cared； the