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by what is right； and abstaining altogether from what would move or shake it or derive it。 Suppose
a deposit has been made over to me on trust； it is the property of another； and I recognize it
because it is so； and remain immovable in this relation towards it。 But if I keep the deposit for
myself； then； according to the principle I use in testing laws — tautologv…I undoubtedly do not
commit a contradiction； for in that case I do not regard it any longer as the property of another。 To
keep anything which I do not look on as the property； of some one else is perfectly consistent。
Changing the point of view is not contradiction； for what we have to do with is not the point of
view； but the object and content； which is not to contradict itself。 Just as I can — as I do； when I
give something away in a present — alter the view that something is mine into the view that it is the
property of another； without being thereby guilty of a contradiction； so too I can proceed the other
way about。 It is not； then； because I find something not contradicting itself that it is right； but it is
right because it is the right。 That something is the property of another； this lies at the basis of what I
do。 I have not to 〃reason why〃； nor to seek out or hit upon thoughts of all kinds； connexions；
aspects； I have to think neither of giving laws nor of testing them。 By all such thought…processes on
my part I should stultify that relation； since in point of fact I could； if I liked； make the opposite suit
my indeterminate tautological knowledge just as well； and make that the law。 But whether this or
the opposite determination is the right； that is settled just as it stands （an und für sich）。 I might；
for my own part； have made the law whichever I wanted； and neither of them just as well； and am；
by my beginning to test them； thereby already on an immoral track。 That the right is there for me
just as it stands — this places me within the substance of ethical reality： and in this way that
substance is the essence of self…consciousness。 But self…consciousness； again is its actualization
and its existence； its self； and its will。
1。 Sophocles； Antigone
C —
FREE CONCRETE MIND （1）
（BB）
（） VI。 SPIRIT （1）
Spirit
REASON is spirit； when its certainty of being all reality has been raised to the level of truth； and
reason is consciously aware of itself as its own world； and of the world as itself。 The development
of spirit was indicated in the immediately preceding movement of mind； where the object of
consciousness； the category pure and simple； rose to be the notion of reason。 When reason
〃observes〃； this pure unity of ego and existence； the unity of subjectivity and objectivity； of
for…itself…ness and in…itself…ness…this unity is immanent； has the character of implicitness or of being；
and consciousness of reason finds itself。 But the true nature of 〃observation〃 is rather the
transcendence of this instinct of finding its object lying directly at hand； and passing beyond this
unconscious state of its existence。 The directly perceived （angeshcaut） category； the thing simply
〃found〃； enters consciousness as the self…existence of the ego…ego； which now knows itself in the
objective reality； and knows itself there as the self。 But this feature of the category； viz。 of being
for…itself as opposed to being — immanent — within — itself； is equally one…sided； and a moment
that cancels itself。 The category therefore gets for consciousness the character which it possesses
in its universal truth — it is self…contained essential reality （an und für sich seyendes Wesen）。 This
character； still abstract； which constitutes the nature of absolute fact； of 〃fact itself〃； is the
beginnings of 〃spiritual reality〃 （das geistige Wesen）； and its mode of consciousness is here a
formal knowledge of that reality； a knowledge which is occupied with the varied and manifold
content thereof。 This consciousness is still； in point of fact； a particular individual distinct from the
general substance； and either prescribes arbitrary laws or thinks it possesses within its own
knowledge as such the laws as they absolutely are （an und für sich）； and takes itself to be the
power that passes judgment on them。 Or again； looked at from the side of the substance； this is
seen to be the self…contained and self…sufficient spiritual reality； which is not yet a consciousness of
its own self。 The self…contained and self…sufficient reality； however； which is at once aware of
being actual in the form of consciousness and presents itself to itself； is Spirit。
Its essential spiritual being （Wesen） has been above designated as the ethical substance； spirit；
however； is concrete ethical actuality （Wirklichkeit）。 Spirit is the self of the actual consciousness；
to which spirit stands opposed； or rather which appears over against itself； as an objective actual
world that has lost； however； all sense of strangeness for the self； just as the self has lost all sense
of having a dependent or independent existence by itself； cut off and separated from that world。
Being substance and universal self…identical permanent essence （Wesen）； spirit is the immovable
irreducible basis and the starting point for the action of all and every one； it is their purpose and
their goal； because the ideally implicit nature （Ansich） of all self…consciousnesses。 This substance is
likewise the universal product； wrought and created by the action of each and all； and constituting
their unity and likeness and identity of meaning； for it is self…existence （Fürsichseyn）； the self；
action。 Qua substance； spirit is unbending righteous selfsameness； self…identity； but qua for…itself；
self…existent and self…determined （Fürsichseyn）； its continuity is resolved into discrete elements； it
is the self…sacrificing soul of goodness； the benevolent essential nature in which each fulfils his own
special work； rends the continuum of the universal substance； and takes his own share of it。 This
resolution of the essence into individual forms is just the aspect of the separate action and the
separate self of all the several individuals； it is the moving soul of the ethical substance； the resultant
universal spiritual being。 Just because this substance is a being resolved in the self； it is not a lifeless
essence； but actual and alive。
Spirit is thus the self…supporting absolutely real ultimate being （Wesen）。 All the previous modes of
consciousness are abstractions from it： they are constituted by the fact that spirit analyses itself；
distinguishes its moments； and halts at each individual mode in turn。 The isolating of such moments
presupposes spirit itself and requires spirit for its subsistence； in other words； this isolation of
modes only exists within spirit； which is existence。 Taken in isolation they appear as if they existed
as they stand。 But their advance and return upon their real ground and essential being showed that
they are merely moments or vanishing quantities； and this essential being is precisely this movement
and resolution of these moments。 Here； where spirit； the reflexion of these moments into itself； has
become established； our reflexion may briefly recall them in this connexion： they were
consciousness； self…consciousness； and reason。 Spirit is thus Consciousness in general； which
contains sense…certainty； perception and understanding； so far as in analysing its own self it holds
fast by the moment of being a reality objective to itself； and by abstraction eliminates the fact that
this reality is its own self objectified； its own self…existence。 When again it holds fast by the other
abstract moment produced by analysis； the fact that its object is its own self become objective to
itself； is its self…existence； then it is Self…consciousness。 But as immediate consciousness of its
inherent and its explicit being； of its immanent self and its objective self； as the unity of
consciousness and self…consciousness； it is that type of consciousness which has Reason： it is the
consciousness which； as the word 〃have〃 indicates； has the object in a shape which is implicitly
and inherently rational； or is categorized； but in such a way that the object is not yet taken by the
consciousness in question to have the value of a category。 Spirit here is that consciousness from
the immediately preceding consideration of which we have arrived at the present stage。 Finally；
when this reason； which spirit 〃has〃； is seen by spirit to be reason which actually is； to be reason
which is actual in spirit； and is its world； then spirit has come to its truth； it is spirit； the essential
nature of ethical life actually existent。
Spirit； so far as it is the immediate； truth； is the ethical life of a nation： — the individual； which is a
world。 It has to advance to the consciousness of what it is immediately； it has to abandon and
transcend the beautiful simplicity of ethical life； and get to a knowledge of itself by passing through
a series of stages and forms。 The distinction between these