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substance is thus just its relinquishment； and the relinquishment is the substance； i。e。 the spiritual
powers forming themselves into a coherent world and thereby securing their subsistence。
The substance in this way is spirit； self…conscious unity of the self and the essential nature； but both
also take each other to mean and to imply alienation。 Spirit is consciousness of an objective reality
which exists independently on its own account。 Over against this consciousness stands； however；
that unity of the self with the essential nature； consciousness pure and simple over against actual
consciousness。 On the one side actual self…consciousness by its self…relinquishment passes over
into the real world； and the latter back again into the former。 On the other side； however； this very
actuality； both person and objectivity； is cancelled and superseded； they are purely universal。 This
their alienation is pure consciousness； or the essential nature。 The 〃present〃 has directly its
opposite in its 〃beyond〃； which is its thinking and its being thought； just as this again has its
opposite in what is here in the 〃present〃； which is the actuality of the 〃beyond〃 but alienated from
it。
Spirit in this case； therefore； constructs not merely one world； but a twofold world； divided and
self…opposed。 The world of the ethical spirit is its own proper present； and hence every power it
possesses is found in this unity of the present； and； so far as each separates itself from the other；
each is still in equilibrium with the whole。 Nothing has the significance of a negative of
self…consciousness； even the spirit of the departed is in the life…blood of his relative； is present in
the self of the family； and the universal power of government is the will； the self of the nation。 Here；
however； what is present means merely objective actuality； which has its consciousness in the
beyond； each single moment； as an essential entity； receives this； and thereby actuality； from an
other； and so far as it is actual； its essential being is something other than its own actuality。 Nothing
has a spirit self…established and indwelling within it； rather； each is outside itself in what is alien to
it。 The equilibrium of the whole is not the unity which abides by itself； nor its inwardly secured
tranquillity； but rests on the estrangement of its opposite。 The whole is； therefore； like each single
moment； a self…estranged reality。 It breaks up into two spheres： in one kingdom self…consciousness
is actually both the self and its object； and in another we have the kingdom of pure consciousness；
which； being beyond the former； has no actual present； but exists for Faith； is matter of Belief。
Now just as the ethical world passes from the separation of divine and human law； with its various
forms； and its consciousness gets away from the division into knowledge and the absence of
knowledge； and returns into the principle which is its destiny； into the self which is the power to
destroy and negate this opposition； so； too； both these kingdoms of self…alienated spirit will return
into the self。 But if the former； the first self holding good directly； was the single person； this
second； which returns into itself from its self…relinquishment； will be the universal self； the
consciousness grasping the conception； and these spiritual worlds； all of whose moments insist on
having a fixed reality and an un…spiritual subsistence； will be dissolved in the light of pure Insight。
This insight； being the self grasping itself； completes the stage of culture。 It takes up nothing but the
self； and everything as the self； i。e。 it comprehends everything； extinguishes all objectiveness； and
converts everything implicit into something explicit； everything which has a being in itself into what
is for itself。 When turned against belief； against faith； as the alien realm of inner being lying in the
distant beyond； it is Enlightenment （Aufkl？rung）。 This enlightenment completes spirit's
self…estrangement in this realm too； whither spirit in self…alienation turns to seek its safety as to a
region where it becomes conscious of the peace of self…equipoise。 Enlightenment upsets the
household arrangements； which spirit carries out in the house of faith； by bringing in the goods and
furnishings belonging to the world of the Here and Now； a world which that spirit cannot refuse to
accept as its own property； for its conscious life likewise belongs to that world。 In this negative
task pure insight realizes itself at the same time； and brings to light its own proper object； the
〃unknowable absolute Being〃 and utility。（2） Since in this way actuality has lost all substantiality； and
there is nothing more implicit in it； the kingdom of faith； as also that of the real world； is
overthrown； and this revolution brings about absolute freedom；； the stage at which the spirit
formerly estranged has gone back completely into itself； leaves behind this sphere of culture； and
passes over into another region； the land of the inner or subjective moral consciousness
（moralischen Bewusstsein）。
1。 v。 p。 501 ff。
2。 Cp。 Eighteenth century Deism and utilitarianism。
I
The World of Spirit in Self…Estrangement
THE sphere of spirit at this stage breaks up into two regions。 The one is the actual world； that of
self…estrangement； the other is that which spirit constructs for itself in the ether of pure
consciousness raising itself above the first。 This second world； being constructed in opposition and
contrast to that estrangement； is just on that account not free from it； on the contrary； it is only the
other form of that very estrangement； which consists precisely in having a conscious existence in
two sorts of worlds； and embraces both。 Hence it is not self…consciousness of Absolute Being in
and for itself； not Religion； which is here dealt with： it is Belief； Faith； in so far as faith is a flight
from the actual world； and thus is not a self…complete experience （an und für sich）。 Such flight
from the realm of the present is； therefore； directly in its very nature a dual state of mind。 Pure
consciousness is the sphere into which spirit rises： but it is not only the element of faith； but of the
notion as well。 Consequently both appear on the scene together at the same time； and the former
comes before us only in antithesis to the latter。
I。 a
Culture & its Realm of Actual Reality （1）
THE spirit of this world is spiritual essence permeated by a self…consciousness which knows itself
to be directly present as a self…existent particular； and knows that essence as an objective actuality
over against itself。 But the existence of this world； as also the actuality of self…consciousness；
depends on the process that self…consciousness divests itself of its personality； by so doing creates
its world； and treats it as something alien and external； of which it must now take possession。 But
the renunciation of its self…existence is itself the production of the actuality； and in doing so；
therefore； self…consciousness ipso facto makes itself master of this world。
To put the matter otherwise； self…consciousness is only something definite； it only has real
existence； so far as it alienates itself from itself。 By doing so； it puts itself in the position of
something universal； and this its universality is its validity； establishes it； and is its actuality。 This
equality of the self with all selves is； therefore； not the equality that was found in the case of right；
self…consciousness does not here； as there； get immediate validity and acknowledgment merely
because it is； on the contrary； its claim to be valid rests on its having made itself； by that mediating
process of self…alienation； conform to what is universal。 The spiritless formal universality which
characterizes the sphere of right takes up every natural form of character as well as of existence；
and sanctions and establishes them。 The universality which holds good here； however； is one that
has undergone development； and for that reason it is concrete and actual。
（1） Culture as the Estrangement of Natural Existence
The means； then； whereby an individual gets objective validity and concrete actuality here is the
formative process of Culture。 The estrangement on the part of spirit from its natural existence is
here the individual's true and original nature； his very substance。 The relinquishment of this natural
state is； therefore； both his purpose and his mode of existence； it is at the same time the mediating
process； the transition of the thought…constituted substance to concrete actuality； as well as；
conversely； the transition of determinate individuality to its essential constitution。 This individuality
moulds itself by culture to what it inherently is； and only by so doing is it then something per se and
possessed of concrete existence。 The extent（2） of its culture is the measure of its reality and its
power。 Although the self； qua this particular self； knows itself here to be real； yet its concrete
realization consists solely in cancelling and transcending the natural self。 The original
determinateness of its nat