action proper of the self。 For this notion is； as we see； the knowledge that the action of the self
within itself is all that is essential and all existence； the knowledge of this Subject as Substance and
of the Substance as this knowledge of its action。 What we have done here； in addition； is simply to
gather together the particular moments； each of which in principle exhibits the life of spirit in its
entirety； and again to secure the notion in the form of the notion； whose content was disclosed in
these moments； and which had already presented itself in the form of a mode or shape of
consciousness。
This last embodiment of spirit — spirit which at once gives its complete and true content the form
of self； and thereby realizes its notion； and in doing so remains within its own notion — this is
Absolute Knowledge。
2。 Systematic Science as the Self…Comprehension of Spirit
It is spirit knowing itself in the shape of spirit； it is knowledge which comprehends through notions。
Truth is here not merely in itself absolutely identical with certainty； it has also the shape； the
character of certainty of self； or in its existence — i。e。 for spirit knowing it — it is in the form of
knowledge of itself。 Truth is the content； which in religion is not as yet at one with its certainty。 This
identification； however； is secured when the content has received the shape of self。 By this means；
what constitutes the very essence； viz。 the notion； comes to have the nature of existence； i。e。
assumes the form of what is objective to consciousness。 Spirit； appearing before consciousness in
this element of existence； or； what is here the same thing； produced by it in this element； is
systematic Science。
The nature； moments； and process of this knowledge have then shown themselves to be such that
this knowledge is pure self…existence of self…consciousness。
It is ego； which is this ego and no other； and at the same time； immediately is mediated； or
sublated； universal ego。 It has a content； which it distinguishes from itself； for it is pure negativity；
or self…diremption； it is consciousness。 This content in its distinction is itself the ego； for it is the
process of superseding itself； or the same pure negativity which constitutes ego。 Ego is in it； qua
distinguished； reflected into itself； only then is the content comprehended （begriffen） when ego in
its otherness is still at home with itself。 More precisely stated； this content is nothing else than the
very process just spoken of； for the content is the spirit which traverses the whole range of its own
being； and does this for itself qua spirit； by the fact that it possesses the shape of the notion in its
objectivity。
As to the actual existence of this notion； science does not appear in time and in reality till spirit has
arrived at this stage of being conscious regarding itself。 Qua spirit which knows what it is； it does
not； exist before； and is not to be found at all till after the completion of the task of mastering and
constraining its imperfect embodiment — the task of procuring for its consciousness the shape of
its inmost essence； and in this manner bringing its self…consciousness level with its consciousness。
Spirit in and for itself is； when distinguished into its separate moments； self…existent knowledge；
comprehension （Begreifen） in general； which as such has not yet reached the substance； or is
not in itself absolute knowledge。
Now in actual reality the knowing substance exists； is there earlier than its form； earlier than the
shape of the notion。 For the substance is the undeveloped inherent nature； the ground and notion in
its inert simplicity； the state of inwardness or the self of spirit which is not yet there。 What is there；
what does exist； is in the shape of still unexpressed simplicity； the undeveloped immediate； or the
object of imagining （Vorstellen） consciousness in general。 Because knowledge （Erkennen） is a
spiritual state of consciousness； which admits as real what essentially is only so far as this is a being
for the self and a being of the self or a notion — knowledge has on this account merely a barren
object to begin with； in contrast to which the substance and the consciousness of this substance
are richer in content。 The revelation which substance has in such a consciousness is； in fact；
concealment； for the substance is here still self…less existence and nothing but certainty of self is
revealed。 To begin with； therefore； it is only the abstract moments that belong to
self…consciousness concerning the substance。 But since these moments are pure activities and must
move forward by their very nature； self…consciousness enriches itself till it has torn from
consciousness the entire substance； and absorbed into itself the entire structure of the substance
with all its constituent elements。 Since this negative attitude towards objectivity is positive as well；
establishes and fixes the content； it goes on till it has produced these elements out of itself and
thereby reinstated them once more as objects of consciousness。 In the notion； knowing itself as
notion； the moments thus make their appearance prior to the whole in its complete fulfilment； the
movement of these moments is the process by which the whole comes into being。 In
consciousness； on the other hand； the whole — but not as comprehended conceptually — is prior
to the moments。
Time is just the notion definitely existent； and presented to consciousness in the form of empty
intuition。 Hence spirit necessarily appears in time； and it appears in time so long as it does not
grasp its pure notion； i。e。 so long as it does not annul time。 Time is the pure self in external form；
apprehended in intuition； and not grasped and understood by the self； it is the notion apprehended
only through intuition。 When this notion grasps itself； it supersedes its time character；
（conceptually） comprehends intuition； and is intuition comprehended and comprehending。 Time
therefore appears as spirit's destiny and necessity； where spirit is not yet complete within itself； it is
the necessity compelling spirit to enrich the share self…consciousness has in consciousness； to put
into motion the immediacy of the inherent nature （which is the form in which the substance is
present in consciousness）； or； conversely； to realize and make manifest what is inherent； regarded
as inward and immanent； to make manifest that which is at first within — i。e。 to vindicate it for
spirit's certainty of self。
3。 The return of the Spirit so comprehended to Immediate Existence
For this reason it must be said that nothing is known which does not fall within experience； or （as it
is also expressed） which is not felt to be true； which is not given as an inwardly revealed eternal
verity； as a sacred object of belief； or whatever other expressions we care to employ。 For
experience just consists in this； that the content…and the content is spirit — in its inherent nature is
substance and so object of consciousness。 But this substance； which is spirit； is the development
of itself explicitly to what it is inherently and implicitly； and only as this process of reflecting itself
into itself is it essentially and in truth spirit。 It is inherently the movement which is the process of
knowledge — the transforming of that inherent nature into explicitness； of Substance into Subject；
of the object of consciousness into the object of self…consciousness； i。e。 into an object that is at the
same time transcended — in other words； into the notion。 This transforming process is a cycle that
returns into itself； a cycle that presupposes its beginning； and reaches its beginning only at the end。
So far as spirit； then； is of necessity this self…distinction； it appears as a single whole； intuitively
apprehended； over against its simple self…consciousness。 And since that whole is what is
distinguished； it is distinguished into the intuitively apprehended pure notion； Time； and the
Content； the inherent； implicit； nature。 Substance； qua subject； involves the necessity； at first an
inner necessity； to set forth in itself what it inherently is； to show itself to be spirit。 The completed
expression in objective form is — and is only when completed — at the same time the reflexion of
substance； the development of it into the self。 Consequently； until and unless spirit inherently
completes itself； completes itself as a world…spirit； it cannot reach its completion as self…conscious
spirit。 The content of religion； therefore； expresses earlier in time than （philosophical） science what
spirit is； but this science alone is the perfect form in which spirit truly knows itself。
The process of carrying forward this form of knowledge of itself is the task which spirit
accomplishes as actual History。 The religious communion； in so far as it is at the outset the
substance of Absolute Spirit； is the crude form of consciousness； which has an existence all the
harsher and more barbaric the deeper is its inner spirit； and its inarticulate self has all the harder
task in dealing with its essence； the content of its consciousness alien to itself。 Not till it has
surrendered the hope of cancelling that foreignness by an external； i。e。 alien； method does it turn to
itself； to its own peculiar world； in the actual present。 It turns thither because to supersede that
alien method means returning into self…consciousness。 It thus discovers this world in the living
present to be its own property； and so has taken the first step to descend from the ideal intelligible
world； or rather to quicken the abstract element of the intelligible world with concrete self…hood。
Through 〃observation〃； on the one hand； it finds existence in the shape of thought； and
comprehends existence； and； conversely； it finds in its thought existence。（2） When； in the first
instance； it has thus itself expressed in an abstract way the immediate unity of thought and
existence； of abstract Essential Reality and Self； and when it has expressed the primal principle of
〃Light〃 in a purer form； viz。 as unity of extension and existence…for 〃existence〃 is an ultimate simple
term more adequate to thought than 〃lig