term more adequate to thought than 〃light〃…and in this way has revived again in thought the
Substance of the Orient；（3） thereupon spirit at once recoils in horror from this abstract unity； from
this self…less substantiality； and maintains as against it the principle of Individuality。（4） But after
Spirit has externalized this principle in the process of its culture； has thereby made it an objective
existence and established it throughout the whole of existence； has arrived at the idea of 〃Utility〃（5）
and in the sphere of absolute freedom has grasped existence as its Individual Will；（6）…after these
stages； spirit then brings to light the thought that lies in its inmost depths； and expresses essential
Reality in the form Ego=Ego。（7）
This 〃Ego identical with Ego〃 is； however； the self…reflecting process； for since this identity qua
absolute negativity is absolute distinction； the self…identity of the Ego stands in contrast to this
absolute distinction； which — being pure distinction and at the same time objective to the self that
knows itself — has to be expressed as Time。 In this way； just as formerly Essential Reality was
expressed as unity of thought and extension； it would here be interpreted as unity of thought and
time。 But distinction left to itself； unresting； unhalting time； really collapses upon itself； it is the
objective quiescence of extension； while this latter is pure identity with self — is Ego。
Again； Ego is not merely self； it is identity of self with itself。 This identity； however； is complete and
immediate unity with self； in other words this Subject is just as much Substance。 Substance by
itself alone would be void and empty Intuition （Anschauen）； or the intuition of a content which
qua specific would have merely a contingent character and would be devoid of necessity。
Substance would only stand for the Absolute in so far as Substance was thought of or 〃intuited〃 as
absolute unity； and all content would； as regards its diversity； have to fall outside the Substance
and be due to reflexion； a process which does not belong to Substance； because Substance would
not be Subject； would not be conceived as Spirit； as reflecting about self and reflecting itself into
self。 if； nevertheless； a content were to be spoken of； then on the one hand it would only exist in
order to be thrown into the empty abyss of the Absolute； while on the other it would be picked up
in external fashion from sense perception。 Knowledge would appear to have come by things； by
what is distinct from knowledge itself； and to have got at the distinctions between the endless
variety of things； without any one understanding how or where all this came from。（8）
Spirit； however； has shown itself to us to be neither the mere withdrawal of self…consciousness into
its pure inwardness； nor the mere absorption of self…consciousness into Substance and the
nothingness of its （self…） distinction。 Spirit is the movement of the self which empties （externalizes）
itself of self and sinks itself within its own substance； and qua subject； both has gone out of that
substance into itself； making its substance an object and a content； and also supersedes this
distinction of objectivity and content。 That first reflexion out of immediacy is the subject's process
of distinction of itself from its substance； the notion in a process of self…diremption； the
going…into…itself and the coming into being of the pure ego。 Since this distinction is the pure action
of Ego=Ego； the notion is the necessity for and the rising of existence； which has the substance for
its essential nature and subsists on its own account。 But this subsisting of existence for itself is the
notion established in determinate form； and is thereby the notion's own inherent movement — that
of descending into the simple substance； which is only subject by being this negativity and going
through this process。
Ego has not to take its stand on the form of self…consciousness in opposition to the form of
substantiality and objectivity； as if it were afraid of relinquishing or externalizing itself。 The power
of spirit lies rather in remaining one with itself when giving up itself； and； because it is
self…contained and self…subsistent； in establishing as mere moments its explicit self…existence as well
as its implicit inherent nature。 Nor again is Ego a tertium quid which casts distinctions back into
the abyss of the Absolute； and declares them all to mean the same there。 On the contrary； true
knowledge lies rather in the seeming inactivity which merely watches how what is distinguished is
self…moved by its very nature and returns again into its own unity。
With absolute knowledge； then； Spirit has wound up the process of its embodiment； so far as the
assumption of those various shapes or modes is affected with the insurmountable distinction which
consciousness implies ＇i。e。 the distinction of consciousness from its object or content＇。 Spirit has
attained the pure element of its existence； the notion。 The content is； in view of the freedom of its
own existence； the self that empties （externalizes） itself； in other words； that content is the
immediate unity of self…knowledge。 The pure process of thus externalizing itself constitutes —
when we consider this process in its content — the necessity of this content。 The diversity of
content is； qua determinate； due to relation； and is not inherent； and its restless activity consists in
cancelling and superseding itself； or is negativity。 Thus the necessity or diversity； like its free
existence； is the self too； and in this self…form； in which existence is immediately thought； the
content is a notion。 Seeing； then； that Spirit has attained the notion； it unfolds its existence and
develops its processes in this ether of its life and is （Philosophical） Science。（9） The moments of its
process are set forth therein no longer as determinate modes or shapes of consciousness； but —
since the distinction； which consciousness implies； has reverted to and has become a distinction
within the self — as determinate notions； and as the organic self…explaining and self…constituted
process of these notions。 While in the Phenomenology of Mind each moment is the distinction of
knowledge and truth； and is the process in which that distinction is canceled and transcended；
Absolute Knowledge does not contain this distinction and supersession of distinction。 Rather；
since each moment has the form of the notion； it unites the objective form of truth and the knowing
self in an immediate unity。 Each individual moment does not appear as the process of passing back
and forward from consciousness or figurative （imaginative） thought to self…consciousness and
conversely： on the contrary； the pure shape； liberated from the condition of being an appearance in
mere consciousness； — the pure notion with its further development； — depends solely on its pure
characteristic nature。 Conversely； again； there corresponds to every abstract moment of Absolute
Knowledge a mode in which mind as a whole makes its appearance。 As the mind that actually
exists is not richer than it；（10） so； too； mind in its actual content is not poorer。 To know the pure
notions of knowledge in the form in which they are modes or shapes of consciousness — this
constitutes the aspect of their reality； according to which their essential element； the notion；
appearing there in its simple mediating activity as thinking； breaks up and separates the moments
of this mediation and exhibits them to itself in accordance with their immanent opposition。
Absolute Knowledge contains within itself this necessity of relinquishing itself from notion； and
necessarily involves the transition of the notion into consciousness。 For Spirit that knows itself is；
just for the reason that it grasps its own notion； immediate identity with itself； and this； in the
distinction that it implies； is the certainty of what is immediate or is sense…consciousness — the
beginning from which we started。 This process of releasing itself from the form of its self is the
highest freedom and security of its knowledge of itself。
All the same； this relinquishment （externalization） of self is still incomplete。 This process expresses
the relation of the certainty of its self to the object； an object which； just by being in a relation； has
not yet attained its full freedom。 Knowledge is aware not only of itself； but also of the negative of
itself； or its limit。 Knowing its limit means knowing how to sacrifice itself。 This sacrifice is the
self…abandonment； in which Spirit sets forth； in the form of free fortuitous happening； its process of
becoming Spirit； intuitively apprehending outside it its pure self as Time； and likewise its existence
as Space。（11） This last form into which Spirit passes； Nature； is its living immediate process of
development。 Nature…Spirit divested of self （externalized） — is； in its actual existence； nothing but
this eternal process of abandoning its （Nature's） own independent subsistence； and the movement
which reinstates Subject。
The other aspect； however； in which Spirit comes into being； History； is the process of becoming
in terms of knowledge； a conscious self…mediating process — Spirit externalized and emptied into
Time。 But this form of abandonment is； similarly； the emptying of itself by itself； the negative is
negative of itself。 This way of becoming presents a slow procession and succession of spiritual
shapes （Geistern）； a gallery of pictures； each of which is endowed with the entire wealth of Spirit；
and moves so slowly just for the reason that the self has to permeate and assimilate all this wealth
of its substance。 Since its accomplishment consists in Spirit knowing what it is； in fully
comprehending its substance； this knowledge means its concentrating itself on itself （Insichgehen）；
a state in which Spirit leaves its external existence behind and gives its embodiment over to
Recollection （Erinnerung）。 In thus concentrating itself on itself； Spirit is engulfed in the night of its
own self…consciousness； its vanished existence is； however； conserved therein； and this
superseded existence — the previous state； but born anew from