has experienced this reality within it。 For this consciousness was not in peril and fear for this
element or that； nor for this or that moment of time； it was afraid f or its entire being； it felt the fear
of death； the sovereign master。 It has been in that experience melted to its inmost soul； has
trembled throughout its every fibre； and all that was fixed and steadfast has quaked within it。 This
complete perturbation of its entire substance； this absolute dissolution of all its stability into fluent
continuity； is； however； the simple； ultimate nature of self…consciousness； absolute negativity； pure
self…referrent existence； which consequently is involved in this type of consciousness。 This moment
of pure self…existence is moreover a fact for it； for in the master it finds this as its object。 Further；
this bondsman's consciousness is not only this total dissolution in a general way； in serving and
toiling the bondsman actually carries this out。 By serving he cancels in every particular aspect his
dependence on and attachment to natural existence； and by his work removes this existence away。
The feeling of absolute power； however； realized both in general and in the particular form of
service； is only dissolution implicitly； and albeit the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom；
consciousness is not therein aware of being self…existent。 Through work and labour； however； this
consciousness of the bondsman comes to itself。 In the moment which corresponds to desire in the
case of the master's consciousness； the aspect of the non…essential relation to the thing seemed to
fall to the lot of the servant； since the thing there retained its independence。 Desire has reserved to
itself the pure negating of the object and thereby unalloyed feeling of self。 This satisfaction；
however； just for that reason is itself only a state of evanescence； for it lacks objectivity or
subsistence。 Labour； on the other hand； is desire restrained and checked； evanescence delayed
and postponed； in other words； labour shapes and fashions the thing。 The negative relation to the
object passes into the form of the object； into something that is permanent and remains； because it
is just for the labourer that the object has independence。 This negative mediating agency； this
activity giving shape and form； is at the same time the individual existence； the pure self…existence
of that consciousness； which now in the work it does is externalized and passes into the condition
of permanence。 The consciousness that toils and serves accordingly attains by this means the
direct apprehension of that independent being as its self。
But again； shaping or forming the object has not only the positive significance that the bondsman
becomes thereby aware of himself as factually and objectively self…existent； this type of
consciousness has also a negative import； in contrast with its moment； the element of fear。 For in
shaping the thing it only becomes aware of its own proper negativity； existence on its own account；
as an object； through the fact that it cancels the actual form confronting it。 But this objective
negative element is precisely alien； external reality； before which it trembled。 Now； however； it
destroys this extraneous alien negative； affirms and sets itself up as a negative in the element of
permanence； and thereby becomes for itself a self…existent being。 In the master； the bondsman
feels self…existence to be something external； an objective fact； in fear self…existence is present
within himself； in fashioning the thing； self…existence comes to be felt explicitly as his own proper
being； and he attains the consciousness that he himself exists in its own right and on its own
account （an und für sich）。 By the fact that the form is objectified； it does not become something
other than the consciousness moulding the thing through work； for just that form is his pure self
existence； which therein becomes truly realized。 Thus precisely in labour where there seemed to be
merely some outsider's mind and ideas involved； the bondsman becomes aware； through this
re…discovery of himself by himself； of having and being a 〃mind of his own〃。
（c）。 The Formative Process of Self…Enfranchisement
For this reflection of self into self the two moments； fear and service in general； as also that of
formative activity； are necessary： and at the same time both must exist in a universal manner。
Without the discipline of service and obedience； fear remains formal and does not spread over the
whole known reality of existence。 Without the formative activity shaping the thing； fear remains
inward and mute； and consciousness does not become objective for itself。 Should consciousness
shape and form the thing without the initial state of absolute fear； then it has a merely vain and futile
〃mind of its own〃； for its form or negativity is not negativity per se； and hence its formative activity
cannot furnish the consciousness of itself as essentially real。 If it has endured not absolute fear； but
merely some slight anxiety； the negative reality has remained external to it； its substance has not
been through and through infected thereby。 Since the entire content of its natural consciousness
has not tottered and shaken； it is still inherently a determinate mode of being； having a 〃mind of its
own〃 （der eigene Sinn） is simply stubbornness （Eigensinn）； a type of freedom which does not get
beyond the attitude of bondage。 As little as the pure form can become its essential nature； so little
is that form； considered as extending over particulars； a universal formative activity； an absolute
notion； it is rather a piece of cleverness which has mastery within a certain range； but not over the
universal power nor over the entire objective reality。
B
Freedom of Self…Consciousness — Stoicism： Scepticism：
The Unhappy Consciousness
Free Self…Consciousness
Independent self…consciousness partly finds its essential reality in the bare abstraction of Ego。 On
the other hand； when this abstract ego develops further and forms distinctions of its own； this
differentiation does not become an objective inherently real content for that self…consciousness。
Hence this self consciousness does not become an ego which truly differentiates itself in its
abstract simplicity； or one which remains identical with itself in this absolute differentiation。 The
repressed and subordinate type of consciousness； on the other hand； becomes； in the formative
activity of work； an object to itself； in the sense that the form； given to the thing when shaped and
moulded； is his object； he sees in the master； at the same time； self…existence as a real mode of
consciousness。 But the subservient consciousness as such finds these two moments fall apart … the
moment of itself as an independent object； and the moment of this object as a mode of
consciousness； and so its own proper reality。 Since； however； the form and the self…existence are
for us； or objectively in themselves； one and the same； and since in the notion of independent
consciousness the inherent reality is consciousness； the phase of inherent existence （Ansichsein） or
thinghood； which received its shape and form through labour； is no other substance than
consciousness。 In this way we have a new attitude or mode of consciousness brought about： a
type of consciousness which takes on the form of infinitude； or one whose essence consists in
unimpeded movement of consciousness。 It is one which thinks or is free self…consciousness。 For
thinking does not mean being an abstract ego； but an ego which has at the same time the
significance of inherently existing in itself； it means being object to itself or relating itself to objective
reality in such a way that this connotes the self…existence of that consciousness for which it is an
object。 The object does not for thinking proceed by way of presentations or figures； but of
notions； conceptions； i。e。 of a differentiated reality or essence； which； being an immediate content
of consciousness； is nothing distinct from it。 What is presented； shaped and constructed； and
existent as such； has the form of being something other than consciousness。 A notion； however； is
at the same time an existent； and this distinction； so far as it falls in consciousness itself； is its
determinate content。 But in that this content is； at the same time； a conceptually constituted； a
comprehended （begriffener） content； consciousness remains immediately aware within itself of its
unity with this determinate existent so distinguished； not as in the case of a presentation； where
consciousness from the first has to take special note that this is its idea； on the contrary； the notion
is for me eo ipso and at once my notion。 In thinking I am free； because I am not in an other； but
remain simply and solely in touch with myself； and the object which for me is my essential reality； is
in undivided unity my self …existence； and my procedure in dealing with notions is a process within
myself。
It is essential； however； in this determination of the above attitude of self…consciousness to keep
hold of the fact that this attitude is thinking consciousness in general； that its object is immediate
unity of the self's implicit； inherent existence； and of its existence explicitly for self。 The self…same
consciousness which repels itself from itself； becomes aware of being an element existing in itself。
But to itself it is this element to begin with only as universal reality in general； and not as this
essential reality appears when developed in all the manifold details it contains； when the process of
its being brings out all its fullness of content。
Stoicism
This freedom of self…consciousness； as is well known； has been called Stoicism； in so far as it has
appeared as a phenomenon conscious of itself in the course of the history of man's spirit。 Its
principle is that consciousness is essentially that which thinks； is a thinking reality； and that anything
is really essential for consciousness； or is true and good； only when consciousness in dealing with it
adopts