apprehends that realization as a naked fact。 It is； consequently； our business in the first instance to
step into its place and be the notion； which works up into shape what is contained in the result。
With this complete formation of the object； which is presented to consciousness as a bare existent
fact （ein Seyendes）； mere implicit awareness then first becomes to itself conceptual consciousness；
conscious comprehension。
The result arrived at was the unconditioned universal； in the first instance in the negative and
abstract sense that consciousness negated its one…sided notions and abstracted them： it
surrendered them。 This result； however； has inherently a positive significance； it has established the
unity of existence…for…self； and existence…for…another； in other words； absolute opposites are
immediately posited as one and the same reality。 At first this seems to affect merely the formal
relation of the moments to one another。 But to be for…self and to be for…another constitutes the
content itself as well； because the opposition； looked at truly； can have no other nature than what
has come about in the result — viz。 that the content； taken in perception for truth； belongs； in point
of fact； solely to the form； and is dissipated into its unity。 This content is at the same time universal；
there can be no other content which by its peculiar constitution would refuse to return into this
unconditioned universality。 Such a content would be some specific way or other of being for…itself
and taking up a relation to something else。 But to be in general for…self and to stand in relation to
something else constitutes the very nature and meaning of that whose truth lies in being
unconditionally universal； and the result is through and through universal。
Since； however； this unconditioned universal is ail object for consciousness； the distinction of form
and content makes its appearance within it： and； in the shape of content； the moments have the
aspect in which they were first presented — that of being on one side a universal medium of many
substantial elements； and； on the other； a unit reflected into self； where their substantial
independence is overthrown and done away with。 The former dissolves the independence of the
thing； is the condition of passivity which consists in being something for something else； the latter is
its individual subsistence； its being something on its own account （für sich）。 We have to see what
shape these moments take in the unconditioned universal which is their essential nature。 It is
obvious at the outset that by existing only in this universal they do not at all lie any longer apart
from one another； but rather are in themselves essentially self…cancelling aspects； and what is
established is only their transition into one another。
1。 Force and the play of Forces
One moment； then； appears as universal medium； or as the subsistence of independent
constituents； as the reality that has stepped aside。 The independence of these constituent elements；
however； is nothing else than this medium； i。e。 this universal is simply and entirely the plurality of
such diverse universals。 That the universal is per se in undivided unity with this plurality means；
however； that these elements are each where the other is； they mutually permeate one another —
without touching one another； because； conversely； the manifold diversity is equally independent。
Along with that； too； goes the fact that they are absolutely pervious and porous； or are cancelled
and superseded。 To be thus superseded； again； or the reduction of this diversity to bare and
simple self…existence； is nothing else than the medium itself； and this is the independence of the
different elements。 In other words； the elements set up as independent pass directly over into their
unity； and their unity directly into its explicit diversity； and the latter back once again into the
reduction to unity。 This process is what is called Force。 One of its moments； where force takes
the form of a dispersion of the independent elements each with a being of its own； is the
Expression of Force； when； however； force takes the form of that wherein they disappear and
vanish； it is Force proper； force withdrawn from expressing itself and driven back into itself。 But
in the first place force driven back into itself must express itself ； and； secondly； in that expression
it is still force existing within itself； as much as in thus being within itself it is expression。
When we thus keep both moments in this immediate unity； it is Understanding； to which the
conception of force belongs； that is； properly speaking； the principle which carries the different
moments qua different。 For per se they are not to be different； the distinction consequently exists
only in thought。 Stated otherwise； only the mere conception of force has been put forward in the
above； not its realization。 In point of fact； however； force is the unconditioned universal； which is in
itself just what it is for something else； or which holds difference within itself — for difference is
nothing else than existence…for…an…other。 Hence for force to be what it truly is； it has to be
completely set free from thought； and put forward as the substantial reality of these differences；
that is； first the substance qua the entire force remaining essentially self…contained （an und für
sich）； and then its differences as substantial entities； or as moments subsisting each on its own
account。 Force as such； force as driven back within itself； is in this way by itself an excluding unit；
for which the unfolding of the elements or differences is another thing subsisting separately； and
thus there are set up two sides； distinct and independent。 But force is also the whole； or it remains
what； in its very conception； it is； that is to say； these differences remain mere forms； superficial
vanishing 〃moments〃。 The differences between force proper； withdrawn into itself； and force
unfolded and expressed in independent constituent elements； would at the same time have no
being at all if they had no subsistence； i。e。； force would have no being if it did not really exist in
these opposite ways。 But to exist in this way as opposite aspects means nothing else than that both
moments are themselves at the same time independent。 It is this process we； have now to deal
with — the process by which both moments get themselves fixed as independent and then cancel
their independence again。
Looked at broadly； it is manifest that this process nothing else than the process of perceiving；
where the aspects； both percipient and content perceived； are at once inseparably united as
regards the process of grasping the truth； and yet； by that very fact； each aspect is at the same
time reflected into itself； is something on its own account。 In the present case these two aspects
are elements or moments of force； they subsist within one unity； just as much as this unity； which
appears as the middle term for the distinct and independent extremes； always gets broken up into
these very extremes； which only are through this taking place。 Thus the process； which formerly
took the shape of the self…negation of contradictory conceptions； here assumes objective form；
and is a movement of force； the result of which is to bring out the 〃unconditioned universal〃； as
something which is not objective — which is the inner （unperceived） being of things。
Force； as thus determined； since it is taken as force； or as reflected into itself； is the one side of its
notion and meaning；： but a substantiated extreme； and； moreover； the extreme established with the
specific character of oneness。 In virtue of this； the subsistence of the differentiated elements falls
outside it； and is something other than it。 Since of necessity it has； to be this subsistence； i。e。； to
express； externalize itself； its expression takes the form that the other approaches it and incites it。
But； in point of fact； since it must necessarily express itself； it has within itself this other； which to
begin with took up a position as something outside it。 We must withdraw from the position which
sets up force as a one； and its essence — self…expressions — an other approaching it from outside。
Force is rather itself this universal medium for the subsistence of the moments as differentiated
elements； or； in other words； it has expressed or externalized itself； and what was to be something
outside it attracting or inciting it is really force itself。 It thus exists now as the medium of the
differentiated elements which are evolved。 But all the same it is in its very nature one and single；
and has essentially the form of being that in which these subsisting elements are superseded。 This
oneness is in consequence now something other than； external to； force； since force takes its place
as the medium for the elements to exist in； and force therefore has this its essential being outside
itself。 Since； however； it must of necessity be this essential nature； which as yet it is not affirmed to
be； this other comes forward soliciting or inciting it to reflect into self； to turn this pseudo…external
factor into an aspect of itself； in other words； this other cancels its external expression。 In point of
fact； however； it is force itself that is thus reflected into self； that is the sublation of the external
expression。 The oneness vanishes as it appeared； viz。 as something external； force is that very
other； is force thrust back into itself。
What took the character of an external other； and incited force at once to expression and to return
into self； turns out directly to be itself force： for the other shows itself to be universal medium as
well as one and single； and shows this in such a way that each of the forms assumed appears at the
same time to be merely a vanishing moment。 Consequently force； in that there is an other for it；
and it is for an other； has as a whole not yet developed its complete meaning。 There are two
forces present at the same time； the notion of both is no doubt the same notion； but it has passed
out of its unity into duality。 Instead of the opposition continuing to be