is treated as a finite consciousness。
Regarding that Absolute Being； enlightenment itself falls out with itself in the same way as it did
formerly with belief； and is divided between the views of two parties。 One party proves itself to be
victorious by the fact that it breaks up into two parties； for in that fact it shows it possesses within
it the principle it combats； and consequently shows it has abolished the one…sidedness with which
it formerly made its appearance。 The interest which was divided between it and the other； now
falls entirely within it； and forgets the other； because that interest finds lying in it alone the
opposition on which its attention is directed。 At the same time； however； the opposition has been
lifted into the higher victorious element； where it manifests itself in a clarified form。 So that the
schism that arises in one party； and seems a misfortune； demonstrates rather its good fortune。
（1） Pure Thought and Pure Matter
The pure essence itself has in it no distinction； consequently distinction is reached by two such
pure essences being put forward for consciousness to be aware of； or by a twofold consciousness
of the pure reality。 The pure absolute essence is only in pure thought； or rather it is pure thought
itself； and thus absolutely beyond the finite； beyond self…consciousness； and is merely the ultimate
essence in a negative sense。 But in this way it is just being； the negative of self…consciousness。
Being negative of self…consciousness； it is also related to self…consciousness。 It is external being；
which； placed in relation to self…consciousness within which distinctions and determinations fall；
acquires within it the distinctions； of being tasted； seen； and so on； and the relationship is that of
sense…experience and perception。
Taking the point of departure from this sense…existence； into which that negative beyond
necessarily passes； but abstracting from those various ways in which consciousness is related to
sense…existence； there is left pure matter as that in which consciousness weaves and moves
inarticulately within itself。 In dealing with this； the essential point to note is that pure matter is
merely what remains over when we abstract from seeing； feeling； tasting； etc。； i。e。 it is not what is
seen； tasted； felt； and so on； it is not matter that is seen； felt； or tasted； but colour； a stone； a salt；
and so on。 Matter is really pure abstraction； and； being so； we have here the pure essential nature
of thought； or pure thought itself； as the Absolute without predicates； undetermined； having no
distinctions within it。（2）
The one kind of enlightenment calls absolute Being that predicateless Absolute； which exists in
thought beyond the actual consciousness from which this enlightenment started； the other calls it
matter。 If they were distinguished as Nature and Spirit or God； the unconscious inner working and
weaving would have nothing of the wealth of developed life required in order to be nature； while
Spirit or God would have no self…distinguishing consciousness。 Both； as we saw； are entirely the
same notion； the distinction lies not in the objective fact； but purely in the diversity of starting…point
adopted by the two developments of thought； and in the fact that each stops at its own special
point in the thought…process。 If they rose above that； their thoughts would coincide； and they
would find what to the one is； as it professes； a horror； and to the other a folly； is one and the
same thing。 For to the one； absolute Being is in its pure thought； or is immediately for pure
consciousness — is outside finite consciousness； is the negative beyond of finite mind。 If it would
reflect that in part that simple immediacy of thought is nothing else than pure being； that in part；
again； what is negative for consciousness is at the same time related to consciousness — that in the
negative judgment the copula 〃is〃 connects as well as separates the two factors — it would come
to see that this beyond； having the character of an external existence； stands in a relation to
consciousness； and that in so doing it means the same as what is called pure matter。 The missing
moment of presence would then be secured。
The other enlightenment starts from sense…existence； it then abstracts from the sensuous relation of
tasting； seeing； etc。； and turns sense…existence into purely inherent being （Ansich）； absolute matter；
something neither felt nor tasted。 This being has in this way become the inner reality of pure
consciousness； the ultimately simple without predicates； it is the pure notion； qua notion whose
being is implicit； or it is pure thought within itself。 This insight in its conscious activity does not go
through the reverse process of passing from being； which is purely being； to an opposite in
thought； which is the same as mere being； or does not go from the pure positive to the opposite
pure negative； although after all the positive is really pure simply and solely through negation； while
the negative qua pure is self…identical and one within itself； and precisely on that account positive。
Or again； these two have not come to the notion found in Descartes' metaphysics that being and
thought are inherently the same； they have not arrived at the thought that being； pure being； is not a
concrete actual reality； but pure abstraction； and conversely that pure thought； self…identity or inner
essence； is partly the negative of self…consciousness； and consequently is being； and partly； qua
immediate simple entity； is like wise nothing else than being。 Thought is thinghood； or thinghood is
thought。
The real essence is here divided asunder in such a way that； to begin with； it appertains to two
specifically distinct modes of thinking。 In part； the real must hold distinction in itself； in part； just by
so doing； both ways of considering it merge into one； for then the abstract moments； of pure being
and the negative； by which their distinction is expressed； are united in the object with which these
modes of treatment deal。
The universal common to both is the abstraction of pure self…thinking； of pure quivering within the
self。 This simple motion of rotating on its own axis is bound to resolve itself into separate moments；
because it is itself only motion by distinguishing its own moments。 This distinguishing of the
moments leaves the unmoved ＇unity＇ behind as the empty shell of pure being； that is no longer
actual thought； has no more life within it； for qua distinction this process is all the content。 The
process； which thus puts itself outside that unity thereby constitutes； however； the shifting change
— a change that does not return into itself…of the moments of being…in…itself； of being…for…another；
and of being…for…self： it is actual reality in the way this is object for the concrete consciousness of
pure insight…viz。 Utility。
（2） The Sphere of Utility
Bad as utility may look to belief or sentimentality； or even to the abstraction that calls itself
speculation； and deals with the inherent nature in fixed isolation； yet it is that in which pure insight
finds its realization and is itself the object for itself； an object which insight now no longer
repudiates； and which； too； it does not consider as the void or the pure beyond。 For pure insight；
as we saw； is the living notion itself； the self…same pure personality； distinguishing itself within itself
in such a way that each of the distinguished elements is itself pure notion； i。e。 is eo ipso not distinct；
it is simple undifferentiated pure self…consciousness； which is for itself as well as in itself within an
immediate unity。 Its inherent being （Ansichsein） is therefore not fixed and permanent； but at once
ceases； in its distinction； to be something distinctive。 A being of that kind； however； which is
immediately without support and cannot stand of itself； has no being in itself； no inherent existence；
it is essentially for something else； which is the power that consumes and absorbs it。 But this
second moment； opposed to that first one； disappears just as immediately as the first； or； rather；
qua being merely for some other； it is the very process of disappearing； and there is thus affirmed
being that has turned back into itself； being for itself。 This simple being…for…self； however； qua
self…identity； is rather an objective being； or is thereby for an other。
This nature of pure insight in thus unfolding and making explicit its moments； in other words insight
qua object； finds expression in the useful； the profitable。 What is useful is a thing； something that
subsists in itself； this being in itself is at the same time only a pure moment： it is in consequence
absolutely for something else； but is equally for an other merely as it is in itself： these opposite
moments have returned into the indivisible unity of being…for…self。 While； however； the useful
doubtless expresses the notion of pure insight； it is all the same not insight as such； but insight as
conscious presentation； or as object for insight。 It is merely the restless shifting change of those
moments； of which one is indeed Being…returned…into…itself； but merely as being…for…itself； i。e。 as
abstract moment； appearing on one side over against the others。 The useful itself does not consist
in the negative fact of having these moments in their opposition at the same time undivided in one
and the same respect； of having them as a form of thought per se in the way they are qua pure
insight。 The moment of being…for…self is doubtless a phase of usefulness； but not in the sense that it
swamps the other moments； being…per…se and being…for…another； if so； it would be the whole self。
In the useful； pure insight thus possesses as its object its own peculiar notion in the pure moments
constituting its nature； it is the consciousness of this metaphysical principle； but not yet its
conceptual comprehension； it has not yet itself reached the unity of being and notion。 Because the
useful still appears before insight in the form of an object； insight has a world not indeed any longer
a world all by itself and self…contained； but still a world a