in the sense of essence or inner reality。 This is found in the case of Moral Self…consciousness。 This
mode of experience knows its knowledge as the absolute essential element； knows no other
objective being than pure will or pure knowledge。 It is nothing but merely this will and this
knowledge。 Any other possesses merely non…essential being； i。e。 being that has no inherent nature
per se； but only its empty husk。 In so far as the moral consciousness； in its view of the world； lets
existence drop out of the self； it just as truly takes this existence back again into its self。 In the form
of conscience； finally； it is no longer this incessant alternation between the placing〃 and the
〃displacing〃 ＇dissembling＇ of existence and self； it knows that its existence as such is this pure
certainty of its own self； the objective element； into which qua acting it puts forth itself； is nothing
else than pure knowledge of itself by itself。
These are the moments which compose the reconciliation of spirit with its own consciousness
proper。 By themselves they are single and isolated； and it is their spiritual unity alone which
furnishes the power for this reconciliation。 The last of these moments is； however； necessarily this
unity itself； and； as we see； binds them all in fact into itself。 Spirit certain of itself in its objective
existence takes as the element of its existence nothing else than this knowledge of self。 The
declaration that what it does it does in accordance with the conviction of duty…this statement is the
warrant for its own action； and makes good its conduct。
Action is the first inherent division of the simple unity of the notion； and the return out of this
division。 This first movement turns round into the second； since the element of recognition puts
itself forward as simple knowledge of duty in contrast to the distinction and diremption that lie in
action as such and； in this way； form a rigid reality confronting action。 In pardon； however； we saw
how this rigid fixity gives way and renounces its claims。 Reality has here； qua immediate
existence； no other significance for self…consciousness than that of being pure knowledge；
similarly； qua determinate existence； or qua relation； what is self…opposed is a knowledge partly
of this purely individual self； partly of knowledge qua universal。 Herein it is established； at the
same time； that the third moment； universality； or the essence； means for each of the two opposite
factors merely knowledge。 Finally they also cancel the empty opposition that still remains； and are
the knowledge of ego as identical with ego：…this individual self which is immediately pure
knowledge or universal。
This reconciliation of consciousness with self…consciousness thus proves to be brought about in a
double…sided way； in the one case； in the religious mind； in the other case； in consciousness itself
as such。 They axe distinguished inter se by the fact that the one is this reconciliation in the form of
implicit immanence； the other in the form of explicit self…existence。 As we have considered them；
they at the beginning fall apart。 In the order in which the modes or shapes of consciousness came
before us； consciousness has reached the individual moments of that order； and also their
unification； long before ever religion gave its object the shape of actual self…consciousness。 The
unification of both aspects is not yet brought to light； it is this that winds up this series of
embodiments of spirit； for in it spirit gets to the point where it knows itself not only as it is
inherently in itself； or in terms of its absolute content； nor only as it is （objectively） for itself in terms
of its bare form devoid of content； or in terms of self…consciousness； but as it is in its
self…completeness； as it is in itself and for itself。
This unification has； however； already taken place by implication； and has done so in religion in the
return of the figurative idea （Vorstellung） into self…consciousness； but not according to the proper
form； for the religious aspect is the aspect of the essentially independent （Ansich） and stands in
contrast to the process of self…consciousness。 The unification therefore belongs to this other
aspect； which by contrast is the aspect of reflexion into self； is that side therefore which contains its
self and its opposite； and contains them not only implicitly； （an sich） or in a general way； but
explicitly （für sich） or expressly developed and distinguished。 The content； as well as the other
aspect of self…conscious spirit； so far as it is the other aspect； have been brought to light and are
here in their completeness： the unification still a…wanting is the simple unity of the notion。 This
notion is also already given with the aspect of self…consciousness； but as it previously came before
us above； it； like all the other moments； has the form of being a particular mode or shape of
consciousness。 It is that part of the embodiment of self…assured spirit which keeps within its
essential principle and was called the 〃beautiful soul〃。 That is to say； the 〃beautiful soul〃 is its own
knowledge of itself in its pure transparent unity — self…consciousness； which knows this pure
knowledge of pure inwardness to be spirit； is not merely intuition of the divine； but the self intuition
of God Himself。
Since this notion keeps itself fixedly opposed to its realization； it is the one…sided shape which we
saw before disappear into thin air； but also positively relinquish itself and advance further。 Through
this act of realization； this objectless self…consciousness ceases to hold fast by itself； the
determinateness of the notion in contrast with its fulfilment is canceled and done away with。 Its self
…consciousness attains the form of universality； and what remains is its true notion； the notion that
has attained its realization — the notion in its truth； i。e。 in unity with its externalization。 It is
knowledge of pure knowledge； not in the sense of an abstract essence such as duty is； but in the
sense of an essential being which is this knowledge； this individual pure …self…consciousness which
is therefore at the same time a genuine object； for this notion is the self…existing self。
This notion gave itself its fulfilment partly in the acts performed by the spirit that is sure of itself。
partly in religion。 In the latter it won the absolute content qua content or in the form of a figurative
idea or of otherness for consciousness。 On the other hand； in the first the form is just the self； for
that mode contains the active spirit sure of itself； the self accomplishes the life of Absolute Spirit。
This shape （mode）； as we see； is that simple notion； which however gives up its eternal essential
Being； takes upon itself objective existence； or acts。 The power of diremption or of coming forth
out of its inwardness lies in the purity of the notion； for this purity is absolute abstraction of
negativity。 In the same way the notion finds its element of reality； or the objective being it contains；
in pure knowledge itself； for this knowledge is simple immediacy； which is being and existence as
well as essence； the former negative thought； the latter positive thought。 This existence； finally； is
just as much that state of reflexion into self which comes out of pure knowledge — both qua
existence and qua duty — and this is the state of evil。 This process of 〃going into self〃 constitutes
the opposition lying in the notion； and is thus the appearance on the scene of pure knowledge of
the essence； a knowledge which does not act and is not real。 But to make its appearance in this
opposition is to participate in it； pure knowledge of essence has inherently relinquished its
simplicity； for it is the diremption of negativity which constitutes the notion。 So far as this process
of diremption is the process of becoming self…centred； it is the principle of evil： so far as it is the
inherently essential； it is the principle which remains good。
Now what in the first instance takes place implicitly is at once for consciousness； and is duplicated
as well — is both for consciousness and is its self…existence or its own proper action。 The same
thing that is already inherently established； thus repeats itself now as knowledge thereof on the part
of consciousness and as conscious action。 Each lays aside for the other the independence of
character with which each appears confronting the other。 This waiving of independence is the
same renunciation of the one…sidedness of the notion as constituted implicitly the beginning； but it is
now its own act of renunciation； just as the notion renounced is its own notion。 That implicit nature
of the beginning is in truth as much mediated； because it is negativity； it now establishes itself as it is
in its truth； and the negative element exists as a determinate quality which each has for the other；
and is essentially self…cancelling； self…transcending。 The one of the two parts of the opposition is
the disparity between existence within itself； in its individuality； and universality； the other； disparity
between its abstract universality and the self。 The former dies to its self…existence； and relinquishes
itself； makes confession； the latter renounces the rigidity of its abstract universality； and thereby
dies to its lifeless self and its inert universality； so that the former is completed through the moment
of universality； which is the essence； and the latter through universality； which is self。 By this
process of action spirit has come to light in the form of pure universality of knowledge； which is
self…consciousness as self…consciousness； which is simple unity of knowledge。 It is through action
that spirit is spirit so as definitely to exist； it raises its existence into the sphere of thought and hence
into absolute opposition； and returns out of it through and within this very opposition。
Thus； then； what was in religion content； or a way of imagining （Vorstellen） an other； is here the
action proper of the self。 The notion is the connecting principle securing that the content is the
action proper of the self。 For this notion is； as we see； the knowledge that the action of the self
wi