distinguished。 This unity； however； is； as we saw； just as much its recoil from itself； and this
conception breaks asunder into the opposition of self…consciousness and life： the former is the
unity for which the absolute unity of differences exists； the latter； however； is only this unity itself；
so that the unity is not at the same time for itself。 Thus； according to the independence possessed
by consciousness； is the independence which its object in itself possesses。 Self…consciousness；
which is absolutely for itself； and characterizes its object directly as negative； or is primarily
desire； will really； therefore； find through experience this object's independence。
The determination of the principle of life as obtained from the conception or general result with
which we enter this new sphere； is sufficient to characterize it； without its nature being evolved
further out of that notion。 Its circuit is completed in the following moments。 The essential element
（Wesen） is infinitude as the supersession of all distinctions； the pure rotation on its own axis； itself
at rest while being absolutely restless infinitude； the very self…dependence in which the differences
brought out in the process are all dissolved； the simple reality of time； which in this self…identity has
the solid form and shape of space。 The differences； however； all the same hold as differences in
this simple universal medium； for this universal flux exercises its negative activity merely in that it is
the sublation of them； but it could not transcend them unless they had a subsistence of their own。
Precisely this flux is itself； as self…identical independence； their subsistence or their substance； in
which they accordingly are distinct members； parts which have being in their own right。 Being no
longer has the significance of mere abstract being； nor has their naked essence the meaning of
abstract universality： their being now is just that simple fluent substance of the pure movement
within itself。 The difference； however； of these members inter se consists； in general； in no other
characteristic than that of the moments of infinitude； or of the mere movement itself。
The independent members exist for themselves。 To be thus for themselves； however； is really as
much their reflexion directly into the unity； as this unity is the breaking asunder into independent
forms。 The unity is sundered because it is absolutely negative or infinite unity； and because it is
subsistence； difference likewise has independence only in it。 This independence of the form
appears as a determinate entity； as what is for another； for the form is something disunited； and the
cancelling of diremption takes effect to that extent through another。 But this sublation lies just as
much in the actual form itself。 For just that flux is the substance of the independent forms。 This
substance； however； is infinite； and hence the form itself in its very subsistence involves diremption；
or sublation of its existence for itself。
If we distinguish more exactly the moments contained here； we see that we have as first moment
the subsistence of the independent forms； or the suppression of what distinction inherently
involves； viz。 that the forms have no being per se； and no subsistence。 The second moment；
however； is the subjection of that subsistence to the infinitude of distinction。 In the first moment
there is the subsisting； persisting mode or form； by its being in its own right； or by its being in its
determinate shape an infinite substance； it comes forward in opposition to the universal substance；
disowns this fluent continuity with that substance； and insists that it is not dissolved in this universal
element； but rather on the contrary preserves itself by and through its separation from this its
inorganic nature； and by the fact that it consumes this inorganic nature。 Life in the universal fluid
medium； quietly； silently shaping and moulding and distributing the forms in all their manifold detail；
becomes by that very activity the movement of those forms； or passes into life qua Process。 The
mere universal flux is here the inherent being； the outer being； the 〃other〃； is the distinction of the
forms assumed。 But this flux； this fluent condition； becomes itself the other in virtue of this very
distinction； because now it exists 〃for〃 or m relation to that distinction； which is self…conditioned
and self…contained （an und für sich） ； and consequently is the endless； infinite movement by
which that stable medium is consumed — is life as living。
This inversion of character； however； is on that account again invertedness in itself as such。 What
is consumed is the essential reality： the Individuality； which preserves itself at the expense of the
universal and gives itself the feeling of its unity with itself； precisely thereby cancels its contrast with
the other； by means of which it exists for itself。 The unity with self； which it gives itself； is just the
fluent continuity of differences； or universal dissolution。 But； conversely； the cancelling of individual
subsistence at the same time produces the subsistence。 For since the essence of the individual
form…universal life…and the self…existent entity per se are simple substance； the essence； by putting
the other within itself； cancels this its own simplicity or its essence； i。e。 it sunders that simplicity；
and this disruption of fluent undifferentiated continuity is just the setting up； the affirmation； of
individuality。 The simple substance of life； therefore； is the diremption of itself into shapes and
forms； and at the same time the dissolution of these substantial differences； and the resolution of
this diremption is just as much a process of diremption； of articulating。 Thus both the sides of the
entire movement which were before distinguished； viz。； the setting up of individudl forms lying
apart and undisturbed in the universal medium of independent existence； and the process of
life…collapse into one another。 The latter is just as much a formation of independent individual
shapes； as it is a way of cancelling a shape assumed； and the former； the setting up of individual
forms； is as much a cancelling as an articulation of them。 The fluent； continuous element is itself
only the abstraction of the essential reality； or it is actual only as a definite shape or form； and that
it articulates itself is once more a breaking up of the articulated form； or a dissolution of it。 The
entire circuit of this activity constitutes Life。 It is neither what is expressed to begin with； the
immediate continuity and concrete solidity of its essential nature； nor the stable； subsisting form； the
discrete individual which exists on its own account； nor the bare process of this form； nor again is
it the simple combination of all these moments。 It is none of these； it is the whole which develops
itself； resolves its own development； and in this movement simply preserves itself。
Since we started from the first immediate unity； and returned through the moments of
form…determination； and of process； to the unity of both these moments； and thus again back to
the first simple substance； we see that this reflected unity is other than the first。 As opposed to that
immediate unity； the unity expressed as a mode of being； this second is the universal unity； which
holds all these moments sublated within itself。 It is the simple genus； which in the movement of life
itself does not exist in this simplicity for itself； but in this result points life towards what is other than
itself； namely； towards Consciousness for which life exists as this unity or as genus。
3。 The Ego and Desire
This other life； however； for which the genus as such exists and which is genus for itself； namely；
self…consciousness； exists in the first instance only in the form of this simple； essential reality； and
has for object itself qua pure Ego。 In the course of its experience； which we are now to consider；
this abstract object will grow in richness； and will be unfolded in the way we have seen in the case
of life。
The simple ego is this genus； or the bare universal； for which the differences are insubstantial； only
by its being the negative essence of the moments which have assumed a definite and independent
form。 And self…consciousness is thus only assured of itself through sublating this other； which is
presented to self…consciousness as an independent life； self…consciousness is Desire。 Convinced of
the nothingness of this other； it definitely affirms this nothingness to be for itself the truth of this
other； negates the independent object； and thereby acquires the certainty of its own self； as true
certainty； a certainty which it has become aware of in objective form。
In this state of satisfaction； however； it has experience of the independence of its object。 Desire
and the certainty of its self obtained in the gratification of desire； are conditioned by the object； for
the certainty exists through cancelling this other； in order that this cancelling may be effected； there
must be this other。 Self…consciousness is thus unable by its negative relation to the object to
abolish it； because of that relation it rather produces it again； as well as the desire。 The object
desired is； in fact； something other than self…consciousness； the essence of desire； and through this
experience this truth has become realized。 At the same time； however； self…consciousness is
likewise absolutely for itself； exists on its own account； and it is so only by sublation of the object；
and it must come to feel its satisfaction； for it is the truth。 On account of the independence of the
object； therefore； it can only attain satisfaction when this object itself effectually brings about
negation within itself The object must per se effect this negation of itself； for it is inherently （an
sich） something negative； and must be for the other what it is。 Since the object is in its very self
negation； and in being so is at the same time independent； it is Consciousness。 In the case of life；
which is the object of desire； the negation either lies in an other； namely； in desire； or takes the
form o