which is the object of desire； the negation either lies in an other； namely； in desire； or takes the
form of determinateness standing in opposition to an other
external individuum indifferent to it； or appears as its inorganic general nature。 The above general
independent nature； however； in the case of which negation takes the form of absolute negation； is
the genus as such or as self…consciousness。 Self…consciousness attains its satisfaction only in
another self…consciousness。
It is in these three moments that the notion of self…consciousness first gets completed： （a） pure
undifferentiated ego is its first immediate object。 （b） This immediacy is itself； however；
thoroughgoing mediation； it has its being only by cancelling the independent object； in other words
it is Desire。 The satisfaction of desire is indeed the reflexion of self…consciousness into itself； is the
certainty which has passed into objective truth。 But （c） the truth of this certainty is really twofold
reflexion； the reduplication of self…consciousness。 Consciousness has an object which implicates its
own otherness or affirms distinction as a void distinction； and therein is independent。 The individual
form distinguished； which is only a living form； certainly cancels its independence also in the
process of life itself； but it ceases along with its distinctive difference to be what it is。 The object of
self…consciousness； however； is still independent in this negativity of itself； and thus it is for itself
genus； universal flux or continuity in the very distinctiveness of its own separate existence； it is a
living self…consciousness。
Only so and only then is it self…consciousness in actual fact； for here first of all it comes to have the
unity of itself in its otherness。 Ego which is the object of its notion； is in point of fact not 〃object〃。
The object of desire； however； is only independent； for it is the universal； ineradicable substance；
the fluent self…identical essential reality。 When a self…consciousness is the object； the object is just
as much ego as object。
With this we already have before us the notion of Mind or Spirit。 What consciousness has further
to become aware of； is the experience of what mind is — this absolute substance； which is the
unity of the different self…related and self…existent self…consciousnesses in the perfect freedom and
independence of their opposition as component elements of that substance： Ego that is 〃we〃； a
plurality of Egos； and 〃we〃 that is a single Ego。 Consciousness first finds in self…consciousness —
the notion of mind — its turning…point； where it leaves the parti…coloured show of the sensuous
immediate； passes from the dark void of the transcendent and remote super…sensuous； and steps
into the spiritual daylight of the present。
1。 Cp。 Prop？deutik； p。 84 ff。
2。 Cp。 Hegel's Logik； T。 II。 Absch。 3。 Kap。 I。…〃das Leben。〃
A
Independence and Dependence of Self…Consciousness：
Lordship and Bondage
SELF…CONSCIOUSNESS exists in itself and for itself； in that； and by the fact that it exists for
another self…consciousness； that is to say； it is only by being acknowledged or 〃recognized〃。 The
conception of this its unity in its duplication； of infinitude realizing itself in self…consciousness； has
many sides to it and encloses within it elements of varied significance。 Thus its moments must on
the one hand be strictly kept apart in detailed distinctiveness； and； on the other； in this distinction
must； at the same time； also be taken as not distinguished； or must always be accepted and
understood in their opposite sense。 This double meaning of what is distinguished lies in the nature
of self…consciousness： — of its being infinite； or directly the opposite of the determinateness in
which it is fixed。 The detailed exposition of the notion of this spiritual unity in its duplication will
bring before us the process of Recognition。
1。 Duplicated Self…Consciousness
Self…consciousness has before it another self…consciousness； it has come outside itself。 This has a
double significance。 First it has lost its own self； since it finds itself as an other being； secondly； it
has thereby sublated that other； for it does not regard the other as essentially real； but sees its own
self in the other。
It must cancel this its other。 To do so is the sublation of that first double meaning； and is therefore
a second double meaning。 First； it must set itself to sublate the other independent being； in order
thereby to become certain of itself as true being； secondly； it thereupon proceeds to sublate its
own self； for this other is itself。
This sublation in a double sense of its otherness in a double sense is at the same time a return in a
double sense into its self。 For； firstly； through sublation； it gets back itself； because it becomes one
with itself again through the cancelling of its otherness； but secondly； it likewise gives otherness
back again to the other self…consciousness； for it was aware of being in the other； it cancels this its
own being in the other and thus lets the other again go free。
This process of self…consciousness in relation to another self…consciousness has in this manner
been represented as the action of one alone。 But this action on the part of the one has itself the
double significance of being at once its own action and the action of that other as well。 For the
other is likewise independent； shut up within itself； and there is nothing in it which is not there
through itself。 The first does not have the object before it only in the passive form characteristic
primarily of the object of desire； but as an object existing independently for itself； over which
therefore it has no power to do anything for its own behalf； if that object does not per se do what
the first does to it。 The process then is absolutely the double process of both self…consciousnesses。
Each sees the other do the same as itself； each itself does what it demands on the part of the other；
and for that reason does what it does； only so far as the other does the same。 Action from one
side only would be useless； because what is to happen can only be brought about by means of
both。
The action has then a double entente not only in the sense that it is an act done to itself as well as
to the other； but also in the sense that the act simpliciter is the act of the one as well as of the
other regardless of their distinction。
In this movement we see the process repeated which came before us as the play of forces； in the
present case； however； it is found in consciousness。 What in the former had effect only for us
＇contemplating experience＇； holds here for the terms themselves。 The middle term is self
…consciousness which breaks itself up into the extremes； and each extreme is this interchange of its
own determinateness； and complete transition into the opposite。 While qua consciousness； it no
doubt comes outside itself； still； in being outside itself； it is at the same time restrained within itself；
it exists for itself； and its self…externalization is for consciousness。 Consciousness finds that it
immediately is and is not another consciousness； as also that this other is for itself only when it
cancels itself as existing for itself ； and has self…existence only in the self…existence of the other。
Each is the mediating term to the other； through which each mediates and unites itself with itself；
and each is to itself and to the other an immediate self existing reality； which； at the same time；
exists thus for itself only through this mediation。 They recognize themselves as mutually recognizing
one another。
2。 The Conflict of Self…Consciousness in Self…opposition
This pure conception of recognition； of duplication of self…consciousness within its unity； we must
now consider in the way its process appears for self…consciousness。 It will； in the first place；
present the aspect of the disparity of the two； or the break…up of the middle term into the
extremes； which； qua extremes； are opposed to one another； and of which one is merely
recognized； while the other only recognizes。
Self…consciousness is primarily simple existence for self； self…identity by exclusion of every other
from itself。 It takes its essential nature and absolute object to be Ego； and in this immediacy； in this
bare fact of its self…existence； it is individual。 That which for it is other stands as unessential object；
as object with the impress and character of negation。 But the other is also a self…consciousness； an
individual makes its appearance in antithesis to an individual。 Appearing thus in their immediacy；
they are for each other in the manner of ordinary objects。 They are independent individual forms；
modes of Consciousness that have not risen above the bare level of life （for the existent object
here has been determined as life）。 They are； moreover； forms of consciousness which have not yet
accomplished for one another the process of absolute abstraction； of uprooting all immediate
existence； and of being merely the bare； negative fact of self…identical consciousness； or； in other
words； have not yet revealed themselves to each other as existing purely for themselves； i。e。； as
self…consciousness。 Each is indeed certain of its own self； but not of the other； and hence its own
certainty of itself is still without truth。 For its truth would be merely that its own individual existence
for itself would be shown to it to be an independent object； or； which is the same thing； that the
object would be exhibited as this pure certainty of itself。 By the notion of recognition； however；
this is not possible； except in the form that as the other is for it； so it is for the other； each in its self
through its own action and again through the action of the other achieves this pure abstraction of
existence for self。
The presentation of itself； however； as pure abstraction of self…consciousness consists in showing
itself as a pure negation of its objective form； or in showing that it is fettered to no determinate
existence； that it is not bound at all