knowledge and conviction as to its being duty； by knowledge of self in the deed done。 When the
deed ceases to have this self in it； it ceases to be what is alone its essential nature。 Its existence； if
deserted by this consciousness of self； would be an ordinary reality； and the act would appear to
us a way of fulfilling one's pleasure and desire。 What ought to exist has here essentiality only by its
being known to be individuality giving itself expression。 And its being thus known is what is
acknowledged and recognized by others； and is that which as such ought to have existence。
The self enters existence as self。 The spirit which is certain of itself exists as such for others； its
immediate act is not what is valid and real； what is acknowledged by others is； not the determinate
element； not the inherent being； but solely and simply the self knowing itself as such。 The element
which gives permanence and stability is universal self…consciousness。 What enters this element
cannot be the effect of the act： the latter does not last there； and acquires no permanence： only
self…consciousness is what is recognized and gains concrete reality。
Here again；（4） then； we see Language to be the form in which spirit finds existence。 Language is
self…consciousness existing for others； it is self…consciousness which as such is there immediately
present； and which in its individuality is universal。 Language is self separating itself from itself；
which as the pure ego identical with ego becomes an object to itself； which at once maintains itself
in this objective form as this actual self； and at the same time fuses directly with others and is their
self…consciousness。 The self perceives itself at the same time that it is perceived by others： and this
perceiving is just existence which has become a self。
The content； which language has here obtained； is no longer the self we found in the world of
culture； perverted； perverting； and distraught。 It is spirit which； having returned to itself； is certain
of itself； certain in itself of its truth； or of its own act of recognition； and which is recognized as this
knowledge。 The language of the ethical spirit of society is law； and simple command and
complaint； which is but a tear shed over necessity。 Moral consciousness； on the other hand；
remains dumb； shut up within its inner life； for self has no existence as yet in its case： rather
existence and self there stand as yet only in external relation to each other。 Language； however；
comes forward merely as the mediating element only between self…consciousnesses independent
and recognized； and the existent self means immediately universal recognition； means manifold
recognition and in this very manifoldness simple recognition。 What the language of conscience
contains is the self knowing itself as essential reality。 This alone is what that language expresses；
and this expression is the true realization of 〃doing〃； of action； and is the validation of the act。
Consciousness expresses its conviction： in this conviction alone is the action duty： it holds good as
duty； too； solely by the conviction being expressed。 For universal self…consciousness stands
detached from the specific act which merely exists： the act qua existence means nothing to it： what
it holds of importance is the conviction that the act is a duty； and this appears concretely in
language。
To realize the act means here not translating its content from the form of purpose； or
self…existence； into the form of abstract reality： it means translating it from the form of immediate
certainty of self； which takes its knowledge； its self…existence； to be the essential fact； into the form
of the assurance that consciousness is convinced of its duty； and； being conscience； knows of itself
what duty is。 This assurance thus guarantees that consciousness is convinced of its conviction
being the essential fact。
Whether the assurance； that it acts from conviction of duty； is true； whether it really is duty which
is done — these questions or doubts have no meaning as directed against conscience。 In the case
of the question； whether the assurance is true； it would be assumed that the inner attention is
different from the one put forward； i。e。 that the willing of the individual self can be separated from
duty； from the will of the universal and pure consciousness： the latter will would in that case be a
matter of words； while the former would be strictly the real moving principle of the act。 But such a
distinction between the universal consciousness and the individual self is precisely what has been
cancelled； and the superseding of it constitutes conscience。 Immediate knowledge on the part of
self which is certain of itself is law and duty。 Its intention； by being its own intention； is what is
right。 All that is required is that it should know this； and state its conviction that its knowledge and
will are the right。 The expression of this assurance ipso facto cancels the form of its particularity。 It
recognizes thereby the necessary universality of the self。 In that it calls itself conscience； it calls
itself pure self…knowledge and pure abstract will； i。e。 it calls itself a universal knowledge and will
which acknowledges and recognizes others； is like them — for they are just this pure
self…knowledge and will — and which is on that account also recognized by them。 In the willing of
the self which is certain of itself； in this knowledge of the self as the essential reality； lies the
essence of the right。
When any one says； therefore； he is acting from conscience； he is saying what is true； for his
conscience is the self which knows and wills。 But it is essential he should say so； for this self has to
be at the same time universal self。 It is not universal in the content of the act： for this content is per
se indifferent on account of its being specific and determinate。 The universality lies in the form of
the act。 It is this form which is to be affirmed as real： the form is the self； which as such is actual in
language； pronounces itself to be the truth； and just by so doing acknowledges all other selves； and
is recognized by them。
Conscience； then； in its majestic sublimity above any specific law and every content of duty； puts
whatever content it pleases into its knowledge and willing。 It is moral genius and originality； which
knows the inner voice of its immediate knowledge to be a voice divine； and since in such
knowledge it directly knows existence as well； it is divine creative power； which contains living
force in its very conception。 It is in itself； too； divine worship； 〃service of God〃； for its action is the
contemplation of this its own proper divinity。
This solitary worship； this 〃service of God〃 in solitude of soul； is at the same time essentially
〃service of God〃 on the art of a religious community； and pure inward self…knowledge and
perception of self pass to being a moment of consciousness。（5） Contemplation of itself is its
objective existence； and this objective element is the utterance of its knowledge and will as a
universal。 Through such expression the self becomes established and accepted； and the act
becomes an effective deed； a deed carrying out a definite result。 What gives reality and
subsistence to its deed is universal self…consciousness。 When； however； conscience finds
expression； this puts the certainty of itself in the form of pure self and thereby as universal self。
Others let the act hold as valid； owing to the explicit terms in which the self is thus expressed and
acknowledged to be the essential reality。 The spirit and the substance of their community are； thus；
the mutual assurance of their conscientiousness； of their good intentions； the rejoicing over this
reciprocal purity of purpose； the quickening and refreshment received from the glorious privilege
of knowing and of expressing； of fostering and cherishing； a state so altogether admirable。
So far as this sphere of conscience still distinguishes its abstract consciousness from its
self…consciousness； its life is merely hid in God。 God is indeed immediately present to its mind and
heart； to its self。 But what is revealed； its actual consciousness and the mediating process of this
consciousness； is； to it； something other than that hidden inner life and the immediacy of God's
presence。 But； with the completion of conscience； the distinction between its abstract
consciousness and its self…consciousness is done away。 It knows that the abstract consciousness is
just this self； this individual self…existence which is certain of itself： that the very difference between
the terms is abolished in the immediateness of the relation of the self to the ultimate Being； which；
when placed outside the self； is the abstract essence； and a Being concealed from it。 For a relation
is mediate when the terms related are not one and the same； but each is a different term for the
other； and is one only with the other in some third term： an immediate relation； however； means；
in fact； nothing else than the unity of the terms。 Having risen above the meaningless position of
holding these distinctions； which are not distinctions at all； to be still such； consciousness knows
the immediateness of the presence of ultimate Being within it to be the unity of that Being and its
self： it thus knows itself to be the living inherent reality； and knows its knowledge to be Religion；
which； qua knowledge viewed as an object or knowledge with an objective existence； is the
utterance of the religious communion regarding its own spirit。
We see then； here； self…consciousness withdrawn into the inmost retreats of its being； with all
externality； as such； gone and vanished from it — returned into the intuition of ego as altogether
identical with ego； an intuition where this ego is all that is essential； and all that exists。 It is
swamped in this conception of itself； for it has been driven to the extreme limit of its extreme
positions； and in such a way that the moments distinguished； moments through which it is real or
still consciousness； are not merely for us these bare extremes； rather what it is for itself； and what；
to it； is inherent； and what is