is really essential for consciousness； or is true and good； only when consciousness in dealing with it
adopts the attitude of a thinking being。
The manifold； self…differentiating expanse of life； with all its individualization and complication； is
the object upon which desire and labour operate。 This varied activity has now contracted itself into
the simple distinction which is found in the pure process of thought。 What has still essential reality
is not a distinction in the sense of a determinate thing； or in the shape of a consciousness of a
determinate kind of natural existence； in the shape of a feeling； or again in the form of desire and its
specific purpose； whether that purpose be set up by the consciousness desiring or by an
extraneous consciousness。 What has still essential significance here is solely that distinction which
is a thought…constituted distinction； or which； when made； is not distinguished from me。 This
consciousness in consequence takes a negative attitude towards the relation of lordship and
bondage。 Its action； in the case of the master； results in his not simply having his truth in and
through the bondsman； and； in that of the bondsman； in not finding his truth in the will of his master
and in service。 The essence of this consciousness is to be free； on the throne as well as in fetters；
throughout all the dependence that attaches to its individual existence； and to maintain that stolid
lifeless unconcern which persistently withdraws from the movement of existence； from effective
activity as well as from passive endurance； into the simple essentiality of thought。 Stubbornness is
that freedom which makes itself secure in a solid singleness； and keeps within the sphere of
bondage。 Stoicism； on the other hand； is the freedom which ever comes directly out of that
spheres and returns back into the pure universality of thought。 It is a freedom which can come on
the scene as a general form of the world's spirit only in a time of universal fear and bondage； a
time； too； when mental cultivation is universal； and has elevated culture to the level of thought。
Now while this self…consciousness finds its essential reality to be neither something other than itself；
nor the pure abstraction of ego； but ego which has within it otherness…otherness in the sense of a
thought…constituted distinction…so that this ego in its otherness is turned back directly into itself； yet
this essential nature is； at the same time； only an abstract reality。 The freedom of
self…consciousness is indifferent towards natural existence； and has； therefore； let this latter go and
remain free。 The reflexion is thus duplicated。 Freedom of thought takes only pure thought as its
truth； and this lacks the concrete filling of life。 It is； therefore； merely the notion of freedom； not
living freedom itself； for it is； to begin with； only thinking in general that is its essence； the form as
such； which has turned away from the independence of things and gone back into itself。 Since；
however； individuality when acting should： show itself to be alive； or when thinking should grasp
the living world as a system of thought； there ought to lie in thought itself a content to supply the
sphere of the ego； in the former case with what is good； and； in the latter； true； in order that there
should throughout be no other ingredient in what consciousness has to deal with； except the notion
which is the real essence。 But here； by the way in which the notion as an abstraction cuts itself off
from the multiplicity of things； the notion has no content in itself； the content is a datum； is given。
Consciousness； no doubt； abolishes the content as an external； a foreign existent； by the fact that it
thinks it； but the notion is a determinate notion； and this determinateness of the notion is the alien
element the notion contains within it。 Stoicism； therefore； got embarrassed； when； as the
expression went； it was asked for the criterion of truth in general； i。e properly speaking； for a
content of thought itself。 To the question； what is good and true； it responded by giving again the
abstract； contentless thought； the true and good are to consist in reasonableness。 But this
self…identity of thought is simply once more pure form； in which nothing is determinate。 The general
terms true and good； wisdom and virtue； with which Stoicism has to stop short； are； therefore； in a
general way； doubtless elevating； but seeing that they cannot actually and in fact reach any expanse
of content； they soon begin to get wearisome。
This thinking consciousness； in the way in which it is thus constituted； as abstract freedom； is
therefore only incomplete negation of otherness。 Withdrawn from existence solely into itself； it has
not there fully vindicated itself as the absolute negation of this existence。 It holds the coent is held
indeed to be only thought； but in doing so also takes thought as a specific determinate thought； and
at the same time the general character of the content。
Scepticism
Scepticism is the realisation of that of which Stoicism is merely the notion； and is the actual
experience of what freedom of thought is； it is in itself and essentially the negative； and must so
exhibit itself。 With the reflexion of self…consciousness into the simple； pure thought of itself；
independent existence or permanent determinateness has； in contrast to that reflexion； dropped as
a matter of fact out of the infinitude of thought。 In Scepticism； the entire unessentiality and
unsubstantiality of this 〃other〃 becomes a reality for consciousness。 Thought becomes thinking
which wholly annihilates the being of the world with its manifold determinateness； and the
negativity of free self…consciousness becomes aware of attaining； in these manifold forms which life
assumes； real negativity。
It is clear from the foregoing that； just as Stoicism answers to the notion of independent
consciousness； which appeared as a relation of lordship and bondage； Scepticism； on its side；
corresponds to its realization； to the negative attitude towards otherness； to desire and labour。 But
if desire and work could not carry out for self…consciousness the process of negation； this
polemical attitude towards the manifold substantiality of things will； on the other hand； be
successful； because it turns against them as a free self…consciousness； and one complete within
itself beforehand； or； expressed more definitely； because it has inherent in itself thought or the
principle of infinitude where the independent elements in their distinction from one another are held
to be merelv vanishing quantities。 The differences； which； in the pure thinking of self are only the
abstraction of differences； become here the whole of the differences； and every differentiated
existent becomes a difference of self…consciousness。
With this we get determined the action of Scepticism in general； as also its mode and nature。 It
shows the dialectic movement； which is sense…certainty； perception； and understanding。 It shows；
too； the unessentiality of that which holds good in the relation of master and servant； and which for
abstract thought itself passes as determinate。 That relation involves； at the same time； a
determinate situation； in which there are found even moral laws； as commands of the sovereign
lord。 The determinations in abstract thought； however； are scientific notions； into which formal
contentless thought expands itself； attaching the notion； as a matter of fact in merely an external
fashion； to the existence independent of it； and holding as valid only determinate notions； albeit
they are still pure abstractions。
Dialectic as a negative process； taken immediately as it stands； appears to consciousness； in the
first instance； as something at the mercy of which it is； and which does not exist through
consciousness itself。 In Scepticism； on the other hand； this negative process is a moment of
self…consciousness； which does not simply find its truth and its reality vanish； without
self…consciousness knowing how； but rather which； in the certainty of its own freedom； itself
makes this other； so claiming to be real； vanish。 Self…consciousness here not only makes the
objective as such to disappear before the negations of Scepticism but also its own function in
relation to the object； where the object is held to be objective and made good — i。e。 its function of
perceiving as also its process of securing what is in danger of being lost； viz。 sophistry and its
self…constituted and self…established truth。 By means of this self…conscious negation；
self…consciousness procures for itself the certainty of its own freedom； brings about the experience
of that freedom； and thereby raises it into the truth。 What vanishes is what is determinate； the
difference which； no matter what its nature or whence it comes； sets up to be fixed and
unchangeable。 The difference has nothing permanent in it； and must vanish before thought because
to be differentiated just means not to have being in itself； but to have its essential nature solely in an
other。 Thinking； however； is the insight into this character of what is differentiated； it is the negative
function in its simple； ultimate form。
Sceptical self…consciousness thus discovers； in the flux and alternation of all that would stand
secure in its presence； its own freedom； as given by and received from its own self。 It is aware of
being this of self…thinking thought； the unalterable and genuine certainty of its self。 This certainty
does not arise as a result out of something extraneous and foreign which stowed away inside itself
its whole complex development； a result which would thus leave behind the process by which it
came to be。 Rather consciousness itself is thoroughgoing dialectical restlessness； this mêlée of
presentations derived from sense and thought； whose differences collapse into oneness； and
whose identity is similarly again resolved and dissolved — for this identity is itself determinateness
as contrasted with non…identity。 This consciousness； however； as a matter of fact； instead of being
a self…same consciousness； is here neither more nor le