trick of wisdom of that sort is as quickly acquired as it is easy to practise。 Its repetition； when
once it is familiar； becomes as boring as the repetition of any bit of sleight…of…hand once we see
through it。 The instrument for producing this monotonous formalism is no more difficult to handle
than the palette of a painter； on which lie only two colours； say red and green； the former for
colouring the surface when we want a historical piece； the latter when we want a bit of landscape。
It would be difficult to settle which is greater in all this； the agreeable ease with which everything in
heaven and earth and under the earth is plastered with that botch of colour； or the conceit that
prides itself on the excellence of its means for every conceivable purpose； the one lends support to
the other。 What results from the use of this method of sticking on to everything in heaven and
earth； to every kind of shape and form； natural and spiritual； the pair of determinations from the
general schema； and filing everything in this manner； is no less than an 〃account as clear as
noonday〃 of the organized whole of the universe。 It is； that is to say； a synoptic index； like a
skeleton with tickets stuck all over it； or like the rows of boxes kept shut and labelled in a grocer's
stall； and is as intelligible as either the one or the other。 It has lost hold of the living nature of
concrete fact； just as in the former case we have merely dry bones with flesh and blood all gone；
and in the latter； there is shut away in those boxes something equally lifeless too。 We have already
remarked that the final outcome of this style of thinking is； at the same time； to paint entirely in one
kind of colour； for it turns with contempt from the distinctions in the schematic table； looks on
them as belonging to the activity of mere reflection； and lets them drop out of sight in the void of
the Absolute； and there reinstates pure identity； pure formless whiteness。 Such uniformity of
colouring in the schema with its lifeless determinations； this absolute identity； and the transition
from one to the other — these are the one as well as the other； the expression of inert lifeless
understanding； and equally an external process of knowledge。
Not only can what is excellent not escape the fate of being thus devitalized and despiritualized and
excoriated of seeing its skin paraded about by lifeless knowledge and the conceit such knowledge
engenders； but rather； such a fate lets us realize the power the 〃excellent〃 exercises over the heart
（Gemüth）； if not over the mind （Geist）。 Moreover； we recognize thereby； too； the constructive
unfolding into universality and determinateness of form which marks the complete attainment of
excellence； and which alone makes it possible that this universality can be turned to superficial
uses。
Science can become an organic system only by the inherent life of the notion。 In science the
determinateness； which was taken from the schema and stuck on to existing facts in external
fashion； is the self directing inner soul of the concrete content。 The movement of what is partly
consists in becoming another to itself； and thus developing explicitly into its own immanent content；
partly； again； it takes this evolved content； this existence it assumes； back into itself； i。e。 makes
itself into a moment； and reduces itself to simple determinateness。 In the first stage of the process
negativity lies in the function of distinguishing and establishing existence； in this latter return into self；
negativity consists in the bringing about of determinate simplicity。 It is in this way that the content
shows its specific characteristic not to be received from something else； and stuck on externally；
the content gives itself this determinate characteristic； appoints itself of its own initiative to the rank
of a moment and to a place in the whole。 The pigeon…holing process of understanding retains for
itself the necessity and the notion controlling the content； that which constitutes the concrete
element； the actuality and living process of the subject…matter which it labels： or rather；
understanding does not retain this for itself； on the contrary； understanding fails to know it。 For if it
had as much insight as that； it would surely show that it had。 It is not even aware of the need for
such insight； if it were； it would drop its schematizing process； or at least would no longer be
satisfied to know by way of a mere table of contents。 A table of contents is all that understanding
gives； the content itself it does not furnish at all。
If the specific determination （say even one like magnetism） is one that in itself is concrete or actual；
it all the same gets degraded into something lifeless and inert； since it is merely predicated of
another existing entity； and not known as an immanent living principle of this existence； nor is there
any comprehension of how in this entity its intrinsic and peculiar way of expressing and producing
itself takes effect。 This； the very kernel of the matter； formal understanding leaves to others to add
later on。 Instead of making its way into the inherent content of the matter in hand； understanding
always takes a survey of the whole； assumes a position above the particular existence about which
it is speaking； i。e。 it does not see it at all。
True scientific knowledge； on the contrary； demands abandonment to the very life of the object；
or； which means the same thing； claims to have before it the inner necessity controlling the object；
and to express this only。 Steeping itself in its object； it forgets to take that general survey； which is
merely a turning of knowledge away from the content back into itself。 But being sunk into the
material in hand； and following the course that such material takes； true knowledge returns back
into itself； yet not before the content in its fullness is taken into itself； is reduced to the simplicity of
being a determinate characteristic； drops to the level of being one aspect of an existing entity； and
passes over into its higher truth。 By this process the whole as such； surveying its entire content；
itself emerges out of the wealth wherein its process of reflection seemed to be lost。
In general； in virtue of the principle that； as we expressed it before； substance is implicitly and in
itself subject； all content makes its reflection into itself in its own special way。 The subsistence or
substance of anything that exists is its self…identity； for its want of identity； or oneness with itself；
would be its dissolution。 But self…identity is pure abstraction； and this is just thinking。 When I say
Quality； I state simple determinateness； by means of its quality one existence is distinguished from
another or is an 〃existence〃； it is for itself； something on its own account； or subsists with itself
because of this simple characteristic。 But by doing so it is essentially Thought。
Here we find contained the principle that Being is Thought： here is exercised that insight which
usually tends to deviate from the ordinary non…conceptual way of speaking of the identity of
thought and being。 In virtue； further； of the fact that subsistence on the part of what exists is
self…identity or pure abstraction； it is the abstraction of itself from itself； in other words； is itself its
own want of identity with itself and dissolution — its own proper inwardness and retraction into
self — its process of becoming。
Owing； to the nature which being thus has； and so far as what is has this nature from the point of
view of knowledge； this thinking is not an activity which treats the content as something alien and
external； it is not reflection into self away from the content。 Science is not that kind of Idealism
which stepped into the place of the Dogmatism of mere assertion and took the shape of a
Dogmatism of mere assurance； the Dogmatism of mere self…certainty。 Rather； since knowledge
sees the content go back into its own proper inner nature； the activity of knowledge is absorbed in
that content — for it （the activity） is the immanent self of the content — and is also at the same time
returned into itself； for this activity is pure self…identity in otherness。 In this way the knowing activity
is the artful device which； while seeming to refrain from activity； looks on and watches how
specific determinateness with its concrete life； just where it believes it is working out its own
self…preservation and its own private interest； is； in point of fact； doing the very opposite； is doing
what brings about its own dissolution and makes itself a moment in the whole。
While； in the foregoing； the significance of Understanding was stated from the point of view of the
self…consciousness of substance； by what has been here stated we can see clearly its significance
from the point of view of substance qua being。 Existence is Quality； self…identical determinateness；
or determinate simplicity； determinate thought： this is existence from the point of view of
Understanding。 On this account it is