in its inner nature； and finds the objective existence of this inner being in the language of its own
judgment。 It is thus its own self which checks that other's return from the act to the spiritual
objectivity of language； and to spiritual identity； and by its harshness produces the discordance
which still remains。
Now； so far as the spirit which is certain of itself； in the form of a 〃beautiful soul〃； does not possess
the strength to relinquish the self…absorbed uncommunicative knowledge of itself； it cannot attain to
any identity with the consciousness that is repulsed； and so cannot succeed in seeing the unity of its
self in another life； cannot reach objective existence。 The identity comes about； therefore； merely in
a negative way； as a state of being devoid of spiritual character。 The 〃beautiful soul〃； then； has no
concrete reality； it subsists in the contradiction between its pure self and the necessity felt by this
self to externalize itself and turn into something actual； it exists in the immediacy of this rooted and
fixed opposition； an immediacy which alone is the middle term reconciling an opposition which has
been intensified to its pure abstraction； and is pure being or empty nothingness。 Thus the 〃beautiful
soul〃； being conscious of this contradiction in its unreconciled immediacy； is unhinged； disordered；
and runs to madness； wastes itself in yearning； and pines away in consumption。（9） Thereby it gives
up； as a fact； its stubborn insistence on its own isolated self…existence； but only to bring forth the
soulless； spiritless unity of abstract being。
The true； that is to say the self…conscious and actual adjustment of the two sides is necessitated by；
and already contained in the foregoing。 Breaking the hard heart and raising it to the level of
universality is the same process which was expressed in the case of the consciousness that openly
made its confession。 The wounds of the spirit heal and leave no scars behind。 The deed is not the
imperishable element； spirit takes it back into itself； and the aspect of individuality present in it；
whether in the form of an intention or of an existential negativity and limitation； is that which
immediately passes away。 The self which realizes； i。e。 the form of the spirit's act； is merely a
moment of the whole； and the same is true of the knowledge functioning through judgment； and
establishing and maintaining the distinction between the individual and universal aspects of action。
The evil consciousness； above spoken of； affirms this externalization of itself or asserts itself as a
moment； being drawn into the way of express confession by seeing itself in another。 This other；
however； must have its onesided； unaccepted and unacknowledged judgment broken down； just
as the former has to abandon its onesided unacknowledged existence in a state of particularity and
isolation。 And as the former displays the power of spirit over its reality； so this other must manifest
the power of spirit over its constitutive； determinate notion。
The latter； however； renounces the thought that divides and separates； and the harshness of the
self…existence which holds to such thought； for the reason that； in point of fact； it sees itself in the
first。 That which； in this way； abandons its reality and makes itself into a superseded particular
〃this〃 （Diesen）； displays itself thereby as； in fact； universal。 It turns away from its external reality
back into itself as inner essence； and there the universal consciousness thus knows and finds itself。
The forgiveness it extends to the first is the renunciation of self； of its unreal essence； since it
identifies with this essence that other which was real action； and recognizes what was called bad
— a determination assigned to action by thought — to be good； or rather it lets go and gives up this
distinction of determinate thought with its self…existent determining judgment； just as the other
forgoes determining the act in isolation and for its own private behoof。 The word of reconciliation
is the objectively existent spirit； which immediately apprehends the pure knowledge of itself qua
universal essence in its opposite； in the pure knowledge of itself qua absolutely self…confined single
individual — a reciprocal recognition which is Absolute Spirit。
Absolute Spirit enters existence merely at the culminating point at which its pure knowledge about
itself is the opposition and interchange with itself。 Knowing that its pure knowledge is the abstract
essential reality； Absolute Spirit is this knowing duty in absolute opposition to the knowledge
which knows itself； qua absolute singleness of self； to be the essentially real。 The former is the
pure continuity of the universal； which knows the individuality； that knows itself the real； to be
inherently naught； to be evil。 The latter； again； is absolute discreteness； which knows itself absolute
in its pure oneness； and knows the universal is the unreal which exists only for others。 Both aspects
are refined and clarified to this degree of purity； where there is no self…less existence left； no
negative of consciousness in either of them； where； instead； the one element of 〃duty〃 is the
self…identical character of its self…knowledge； and the other element of 〃evil〃 equally has its
purpose in its own inner being and its reality in its own mode of utterance。 The content of this
utterance is the substance that gives this spirit subsistence； the utterance is the assurance of the
certainty of spirit within its own self。
These spirits； both certain of themselves； have each no other purpose than its own pure self； and
no other reality and existence than just this pure self。 But they are still different； and the difference
is absolute； because holding within this element of the pure notion。 The difference is absolute； too；
not merely for us ＇tracing the experience＇； but for the notions themselves which stand in this
opposition。 For while these notions are indeed determinate and specific relatively to one another；
they are at the same time in themselves universal； so that they fill out the whole range of the self；
and this self has no other content than this its own determinate constitution； which neither
transcends the self nor is more restricted than it。 For the one factor； the absolutely universal； is
pure self…knowledge as well as the other； the absolute discreteness of single individuality； and both
are merely this pure self…knowledge。 Both determinate factors； then； are cognizing pure notions
which know qua notions； whose very determinateness is immediately knowing； or； in other words；
whose relationship and opposition is the Ego。 Because of this they are for one another these
absolute opposites； it is what is completely inner that has in this way come into opposition to itself
and entered objective existence； they constitute pure knowledge； which； owing to this opposition；
takes the form of consciousness。 But as yet it is not self…consciousness。 It obtains this
actualization in the course of the process through which this opposition passes。 For this opposition
is really itself the indiscrete continuity and identity of ego=ego； and each by itself inherently cancels
itself just through the contradiction in its pure universality； which； while implying continuity and
identity； at the same time still resists its identity with the other； and separates itself from it。 Through
this relinquishment of separate selfhood； the knowledge； which in its existence is in a state of
diremption； returns into the unity of the self； it is the concrete actual Ego； universal knowledge of
self in its absolute opposite； in the knowledge which is internal to and within the self； and which；
because of the very purity of its separate subjective existence； is itself completely universal。 The
reconciling affirmation； the 〃yes〃； with which both egos desist from their existence in opposition； is
the existence of the ego expanded into a duality； an ego which remains therein one and identical
with itself； and possesses the certainty of itself in its complete relinquishment and its opposite： it is
God appearing in the midst of those who know themselves in the form of pure knowledge。
1。 Viz。 Morality； the first being the Ethical Order of Society； the second the sphere of Culture。
2。 v。 p。 433 ff。
3。 v。 p。 446 ff。
4。 v。 p。 529 ff。
5。 i。e。 into a state which implies distinction and opposition of subject and object。
6。 v。 p。 251 ff。
7。 Cf。 Hegel's remarks on Jacobi's conception of the 〃beautiful soul〃： W。W。； X。； 1； p。 303。
8。 Cp。 with above Philosophy of History； Intro。 （Eng。 Trans。； p。 32 ff。）
9。 This was the actual fate of Novalis； the 〃St。 John of Romanticism〃 （d。 1801； ？ 29）。 Cp。 Hegel's
remarks on Novalis W。W。； X。； 1； p。 201； XVI。； p。 500。
C： Free Concrete Mind
（CC）
VII。 RELIGION
Religion in General
IN the forms of experience hitherto dealt with — which are distinguished broadly as
Consciousness； Self…consciousness； Reason； and Spirit — Religion also； the consciousness of
Absolute Being in general； has no doubt made its appearance。 But that was from the point of view
of consciousness； when it has the Absolute Being for its object。 Absolute Being； however； in its
own distinctive nature； the Self…consciousness of Spirit； has not appeared in those forms。
Even at the plane of Consciousness； viz。 when this takes the shape of 〃Understanding〃； there is a
consciousness of the supersenuous； of the inner being of objective existence。 But the
supersensible； the eternal； or whatever we care to call it； is devoid of selfhood。 It is merely； to
begin with； something universal； which is a long way still from being spirit knowing itself as spirit。
Then there was Self…consciousness； which came to its final shape in the 〃unhappy consciousness〃；
that was merely the pain and sorrow of spirit wrestling to get itself out into objectivity once more；
but not succeeding。 The unity of individual self…consciousness with its unchangeable Being； which
is what this stage arrives at； remains； in c