standpoint； could not be brought to a successful conclusion。？ Later this standpoint； and with it too
the attempt to develop the content of pure science； was abandoned。
But what is commonly understood by logic is considered without any reference whatever to
metaphysical significance。 This science in its present state has； it must be admitted； no content of a
kind which the ordinary consciousness would regard as a reality and as a genuine subject matter。
But it is not for this reason a formal science lacking significant truth。 Moreover； the region of truth
is not to be sought in that matter which is missing in logic； a deficiency to which the
unsatisfactoriness of the science is usually attributed。 The truth is rather that the insubstantial nature
of logical forms originates solely in the way in which they are considered and dealt with。 When
they are taken as fixed determinations and consequently in their separation from each other and
not as held together in an organic unity； then they are dead forms and the spirit which is their living；
concrete unity does not dwell in them。 As thus taken； they lack a substantial content — a matter
which would be substantial in itself。 The content which is missing in the logical forms is nothing else
than a solid foundation and a concretion of these abstract determinations； and such a substantial
being for them is usually sought outside them。
But logical reason itself is the substantial or real being which holds together within itself every
abstract determination and is their substantial； absolutely concrete unity。 One need not therefore
look far for what is commonly called a matter； if logic is supposed to lack a substantial content；
then the fault does not lie with its subject matter but solely with the way in which this subject
matter is grasped。
In Phenomenology of Mind； I have exhibited consciousness in its movement onwards from the
first immediate opposition of itself and the object to absolute knowing。 The path of this movement
goes through every form of the relation of consciousness to the object and has the Notion of
science of its result。
This Notion therefore （apart from the fact that it emerges within logic itself） needs no justification
here because it has received it in that work； and it cannot be justified in any other way than by this
emergence in consciousness； all the forms of which are resolved into this Notion as into their truth。
To establish or explain the Notion of science ratiocinatively can at most achieve this； that a general
idea of the Notion is presented to our thinking and a historical knowledge of it is produced； but a
definition of science — or more precisely of logic — has its proof solely in the already mentioned
necessity of its emergence in consciousness。 The definition with which any science makes an
absolute beginning。 cannot contain anything other than the precise and correct expression of what
is imagined to be the accepted and familiar subject matter and aim of the science。 That
precisely this is what is imagined is an historical asseveration in respect of which one can only
appeal to such and such as recognised facts； or rather the plea can be advanced that such and
such could be accepted as recognised facts。 There will always be someone who will adduce a
case； an instance； according to which something more and different is to be understood by certain
terms the definition of which must therefore be made more precise or more general and the
science too； must be accommodated thereto。 This again involves argumentation about what should
be admitted or excluded and within what limits and to what extent； but argumentation is open to
the most manifold and various opinions； on which a decision can finally be determined only
arbitrarily。 In this method of beginning a science with its definition； no mention is made of the need
to demonstrate the necessity of its subject matter and therefore of the science itself。
The Notion of pure science and its deduction is therefore presupposed in the present work in so
far as the Phenomenology of Spirit is nothing other than the deduction of it。 Absolute knowing is
the truth of every mode of consciousness because； as the course of the Phenomenology showed；
it is only in absolute knowing that separation of the object from the certainty of itself is
completely eliminated： truth is now equated with certainty and this certainty with truth。
Thus pure science presupposes liberation from the opposition of consciousness。 It contains
thought in so far as this is just as much the object in its own self； or the object in its own
self in so far as it is equally pure thought。 As science； truth is pure self…consciousness in its
self…development and has the shape of the self； so that the absolute truth of being is the known
Notion and the Notion as such is the absolute truth of being。
This objective thinking then； is the content of pure science。 Consequently； far from it being formal；
far from it standing in need of a matter to constitute an actual and true cognition； it is its content
alone which has absolute truth； or； if one still wanted to employ the word matter； it is the veritable
matter — but a matter which is not external to the form； since this matter is rather pure thought and
hance the absolute form itself。 Accordingly； logic is to be understood as the system of pure reason；
as the realm of pure thought。 This realm is truth as it is without veil and in its own absolute nature。
It can therefore be said that this content is the exposition of God as he is in his eternal essence
before the creation of nature and a finite mind。
Anaxagoras is praised as the man who first declared that Nous； thought； is the principle of the
world； that the essence of the world is to be defined as thought。 In so doing he laid the foundation
for an intellectual view of the universe； the pure form of which must be logic。
What we are dealing with in logic is not a thinking about something which exists independently as
a base for our thinking and apart from it； nor forms which are supposed to provide mere signs or
distinguishing marks of truth； on the contrary； the necessary forms and self…consciousness of
thought are the content and the ultimate truth itself。
To get some idea of this one must discard the prejudice that truth must be something tangible。
Such tangibility is； for example； imported even into the Platonic Ideas which are in God's thinking；
as if they are； as it were； existing things but in another world or region； while the world of actuality
exists outside that region and has a substantial existence distinct from those Ideas and only through
this distinction is a substantial reality。 The Platonic Idea is the universal； or more definitely the
Notion of an object； only in its Notion does something possess actuality and to the extent that it is
distinct from its Notion it ceases to be actual and is a non…entity； the side of tangibility and
sensuous self…externality belongs to this null aspect。 But on the other side； one can appeal to the
conceptions of ordinary logic itself； for it is assumed； for example； that the determinations
contained in definitions do not belong only to the knower； but are determinations of the object；
constituting its innermost essence and its very own nature。 Or； if from given determinations others
are inferred； it is assumed that what is inferred is not something external and alien to the object； but
rather that it belongs to the object itself； that to the thought there is a correspondent being。
It is implied generally in the use of forms of the Notion； of judgement； syllogism； definition；
division； etc。； that they are not merely forms of self…conscious thinking but also of the objective
understanding。
Thought is an expression which attributes the determination contained therein primarily to
consciousness。 But inasmuch as it is said that understanding； reason； is in the objective world； that
mind and nature have universal laws to which their life and changes conform； then it is conceded
that the determinations of thought equally have objective value and existence。
The critical philosophy had； it is true； already turned metaphysics into logic but it； like the later
idealism； as previously remarked； was overawed by the object； and so the logical determinations
were given an essentially subjective significance with the result that these philosophies remained
burdened with the object they had avoided and were left with the residue of a thing…in…itself； an
infinite obstacle； as a beyond。 But the liberation from the opposition of consciousness which the
science of logic must be able to presuppose lifts the determinations of thought above this timid；
incomplete standpoint and demands that they be considered not with any such limitation and
reference but as they are in their own proper character； as logic； as pure reason。
Kant moreover considers logic； that is； the aggregate of definitions and propositions which
ordinarily passes for logic； to be fortunate in having attained so early to completion before the
other sciences； since Aristotle； it has not lost any ground； but neither has it gained any； the latter
because to all appearances it seems to be finished and complete。 Now if logic has not undergone
any change since Aristotle — and in fact； judging by modern compendiums of logic the changes
frequently consist mainly in omissions — then surely the conclusion which should be drawn is that it
is all the more in need of a total reconstruction； for spirit； after its labours over two thousand years；
must have attained to a higher consciousness about its thinking and about its own pure； essential
nature。
A comparison of the forms to which spirit has raised itself in the practical and religious sphere and
in every branch of science both physical and mental； with the form presented by logic which is
spirit's consciousness of its own pure essence； reveals so vast a difference that the utter
inadequacy and unworthiness of the latter consciousness in comparison with the higher
consciousness displayed in those other spheres cannot fail to strike the most superficial observer。
In point of fact the need f