identity with it which； as objective Notion it possesses in and for itself； also a posited identity。
In this consummation in which it has the form of freedom even in its objectivity； the adequate
Notion is the Idea。 Reason； which is the sphere of the Idea； is the self…revealed truth in which
the Notion possesses the realisation that is wholly adequate to it； and is free； inasmuch as it
cognises this its objective world in its subjectivity and its subjectivity in its objective world。
＇The above is reproduced in full； pages 577 to 597。＇
THE DOCTRINE OF THE NOTION
Section One： Subjectivity
The Notion is； in the first instance； formal； the Notion in its beginning or the immediate Notion。
In the immediate unity； its difference or positedness is itself at first simple and only an illusory
being ＇Schein＇； so that the moments of the difference are immediately the totality of the Notion
and are simply the Notion as such。
Secondly； however； because it is absolute negativity； it sunders itself and posits itself as the
negative or as the other of itself； and further； because as yet it is only the immediate Notion； this
positing or differentiation is characterised by the fact that the moments become indifferent to one
another and each becomes for itself； in this partition； its unity is still only an external connection。
As such connection of its moments； which are posited as self…subsistent and indifferent； it is
Judgment。
Thirdly； though the judgment does contain the unity of the Notion that has vanished into its
self…subsistent moments； yet this unity is not posited。 It becomes so through the dialectical
movement of the judgment； through which it has become the Syllogism； the Notion posited in its
completeness； for in the syllogism there is posited not only the moments of the Notion as
self…subsistent extremes； but also their mediating unity。
But since this unity itself as the unifying middle； and the moments as self…subsistent extremes；
are in the first instance immediately opposed to one another； this contradictory relationship that
occurs in the formal syllogism sublates itself； and the completeness of the Notion passes over
into the unity of the totality； the subjectivity of the Notion into its Objectivity。
Chapter 1 The Notion
Understanding is the term usually employed to express the faculty of notions； as so used； it is
distinguished from the faculty of judgment and the faculty of syllogisms； of the formal reason But
it is with reason that it is especially contrasted； in that case； however； it does not signify the faculty
of the notion in general； but of determinate notions； and the idea prevails that the notion is only a
determinate notion。 When the understanding in this signification is distinguished from the formal
faculty of judgment and from the formal reason； it is to be taken as the faculty of the single
determinate notion。 For the judgment and the syllogism or reason are； as formal； only a product of
the understanding since they stand under the form of the abstract determinateness of the Notion。
Here； however； the Notion emphatically does not rank as something merely abstractly
determinate； consequently； the understanding is to be distinguished from reason only in the sense
that the former is merely the faculty of the notion in general。
This universal Notion； which we have now to consider here； contains the three moments：
universality； particularity and individuality。 The difference and the determinations which the
Notion gives itself in its distinguishing； constitute the side which was previously called positedness。
As this is identical in the Notion with being…in…and…for…self； each of these moments is no less the
whole Notion than it is a determinate Notion and a determination of the Notion。
In the first instance； it is the pure Notion or the determination of universality。 But the pure or
universal Notion is also only a determinate or particular Notion； which takes its place alongside
other Notions。 Because the Notion is a totality； and therefore in its universality or pure identical
self…relation is essentially a determining and a distinguishing； it therefore contains within itself the
standard by which this form of its self…identity； in pervading and embracing all the moments； no
less immediately determines itself to be only the universal over against the distinguishedness of the
moments。
Secondly； the Notion is thereby posited as this particular or determinate Notion； distinct from
others。
Thirdly； individuality is the Notion reflecting itself out of the difference into absolute negativity。
This is； at the same time； the moment in which it has passed out of its identity into its otherness；
and becomes the judgment。
A The Universal Notion
The pure Notion is the absolutely infinite； unconditioned and free。 It is here； at the outset of the
discussion which has the Notion for its content； that we must look back once more at its genesis。
Essence is the outcome of being； and the Notion； the outcome of essence； therefore also of
being。 But this becoming has the significance of a self…repulsion； so that it is rather the outcome
which is the unconditioned and original。 Being； in its transition into essence； has become an
illusory being or a positedness； and becoming or transition into an other has become a positing；
and conversely； the positing or reflection of essence has sublated itself and has restored itself as a
being that is not posited； that is original。 The Notion is the interfusion of these moments； namely；
qualitative and original being is such only as a positing； only as a return…into…self； and this pure
reflection…into…self is a sheer becoming…other or determinateness which； consequently； is no less
an infinite； self…relating determinateness。
Thus the Notion is； in the first instance； the absolute self…identity that is such only as the negation
of negation or as the infinite unity of the negativity with itself。 This pure relation of the Notion to
itself； which is this relation by positing itself through the negativity； is the universality of the
Notion。
As universality is the utterly simple determination； it does not seem capable of any explanation；
for an explanation must concern itself with definitions and distinctions and must apply predicates to
its object； and to do this to what is simple； would alter rather than explain it。 But the simplicity
which constitutes the very nature of the universal is such that； through absolute negativity； it
contains within itself difference and determinateness in the highest degree。 Being is simple as
immediate being； for that reason it is only something meant or intended and we cannot say of it
what it is； therefore； it is one with its other； with non…being。 Its Notion is just this； to be a
simplicity that immediately vanishes in its opposite； it is becoming。 The universal； on the contrary；
is that simplicity which； because it is the Notion； no less possesses within itself the richest
content。
First； therefore； it is the simple relation to itself； it is only within itself。 Secondly； however； this
identity is within itself absolute mediation； but it is not something mediated。 The universal that is
mediated； namely； the abstract universal that is opposed to the particular and the individual； this
will be discussed later when we are dealing with the specific notion。 Yet even the abstract
universal involves this； that in order to obtain it we are required to leave out other determinations
of the concrete。 These determinations； simply as such； are negations； equally； too； the omitting
of them is a negating。 So that even with the abstraction； we have the negation of the negation。 But
this double negation is conceived of as though it were external to the abstraction； as though not
only were the other omitted properties of the concrete distinct from the one retained； which is the
content of the abstract universal； but also as though this operation of omitting the other properties
and retaining the one were a process outside the properties themselves。 To such an externality in
face of that movement； the universal has not yet determined itself； it is still within itself that absolute
mediation which is； precisely； the negation of the negation or absolute negativity。
By virtue of this original unity it follows； in the first place； that the first negative； or the
determination； is not a limitation for the universal which； on the contrary； maintains itself therein
and is positively identical with itself。 The categories of being were； as Notions； essentially these
identities of the determinations with themselves in their limitation or otherness； but this identity was
only in itself the Notion； it was not yet manifested。 Consequently； the qualitative determination as
such was lost in its other and had for its truth a determination distinct from itself。 The universal； on
the contrary； even when it posits itself in a determination； remains therein what it is。 It is the soul
＇Seele＇ of the concrete which it indwells； unimpeded and equal to itself in the manifoldness and
diversity of the concrete。 It is not dragged into the process of becoming； but continues itself
through that process undisturbed and possesses the power of unalterable； undying
self…preservation。
But even so； it does not merely show； or have an illusory being； in its other； like the determination
of reflection； this； as a correlate； is not merely self…related but is a positive relating of itself to its
other in which it manifests itself； but； in the first instance； it only shows in it； and this illusory being
of each in the other； or their reciprocal determining； along with their self…dependence； has the form
of an external act。 The universal； on the contrary； is posited as the essential being of its
determination； as the latter's own positive nature。 For the determination that constitutes its
negative is； in the Notion； simply and solely a positedness； in other words； it is； at the same time；
essentially only the negative of the negative； and is only as this identity of the negative with itself；
which is the universal。 Thus the universal is also the substa