the interest which affirms them as its own or as its purpose； and finally the connexion and
sublation of these opposite elements in the means。 This connexion itself still falls within
consciousness； and the whole just considered is one side of an opposition。 This appearance of
opposition which still remains is removed by the transition； i。e。 by the means。 For the means is a
unity of inner and outer； the antithesis of the determinate character it has qua inner means （viz。
talent）： it therefore abolishes this character； and makes itself — this unity of action and existence —
equally an outer； viz。： the actually realized individuality； i。e。 individuality which is established for
individuality itself as the objectively existent。 The entire act in this way does not go beyond itself；
either as circumstances； or as purpose； or means； or as work performed。
In this notion of work； however； the distinction which lay within the original nature seems to enter。
The work done is something determinate； like the original nature it expresses； because being cut
loose by the process of acting and become an existing reality； the negation implied in this process
remains in it as a quality。 Consciousness； however； as against the work； is specifically that in which
this quality is to be found as a general process of negation； as acting。 It is thus the universal as
opposed to the specific determinateness of the work performed； it can therefore compare one
kind of work with another； and can thence apprehend individualities themselves as different； it can；
e。g。 regard an individual who is of wider compass in his work as possessing stronger energy of will
or a richer nature； i。e。 a nature whose original constitution （Bestimmtheit） is less limited； another
again as a weaker and a poorer nature。
2。 Actual Fact and Individuality
In contrast with this purely quantitative difference； which is not an essential difference； 〃good〃 and
〃bad〃 would express an absolute difference； but this is not in place here。 Whether taken in one
way or another； action is equally carried on； there is a process of displaying and expressing an
individuality； and for that reason it is all good： it would； properly speaking； be impossible to say
what 〃bad〃 is to be here。 What would be called a bad work is the individual life of a certain
specific nature； which is therein realized。 It would only be degraded into a bad work by a
reflective comparison； which； however； is quite empty and futile； since this goes beyond the
essential meaning and nature of work （which is a self…expression of individuality； and then seeks to
find and demand from it heaven knows what else。
The comparison could have to do only with the distinction above mentioned。 But this； being a
distinction of quantity； is in itself not an essential one； and here in particular is unessential because
what are to be compared together are different works and individualities。 But these do not affect
one another； each is concerned simply with itself。 The original nature is alone the essential fact； or
what could be used as an ultimate standard of judgment regarding the work； and conversely。 Both；
however； correspond to each other： there is nothing for； individuality which is not obtained
through it： or there is no reality which is not its nature and its action； and no action nor inherent
substance of individuality which is not real。 And only these moments are to be compared。
There is； therefore； in general； no ground for feeling elevated or for lamenting or repenting： all that
sort of thing arises from a reflection which imagines another content and another inner nature than
is to be found in the original nature of the individual and the actual carrying of it out in reality。
Whatever it is that the individual does； and whatever happens to him； that the individual has done；
and is that himself。 He can only have the consciousness of the mere transference of his self from
the darkness of possibility to the daylight of the present； from a state abstract and implicit to the
significance of actual being； and can have only the certainty that what seems to him in the second
state is nothing else than what lay dormant in the former。 The consciousness of this unity is no
doubt likewise a comparison； but what is compared is just a mere appearance of opposition； a
formal appearance which for reason； qua self…conscious and aware that individuality is inherently
actuality； is nothing more than seeming。 The individual； therefore； knowing that he can find in his
objective actuality nothing but its unity with himself or can find only the certainty of himself in its
very truth； and knowing that he thus always attains his purpose — can experience only a sense of
joy in himself。
That； then； is the conception consciousness has of itself when it is sure of its being an absolute
identification； a complete permeation； of individuality and existence。 Let us see whether this notion
is confirmed and supported by its experience； and whether its reality agrees with this notion。
The work produced is the reality which consciousness gives itself。 It is there that the individual
becomes consciously what he is implicitly； and in such wise that the consciousness which becomes
aware of the individual in the work performed is not the particular consciousness but universal
consciousness。 He has placed himself by his work quite outside in the element of universality； in
the characterless； qualityless region of existence。 The consciousness which withdraws from its
work is in point of fact universal…because it becomes； in this opposition between work and
consciousness； absolute negativity； the process of action…and stands over against its work； which
is determinate and particular。 It thus goes beyond itself qua work； and is itself the indeterminate
region which its work still leaves void and unfilled。 If their unity was in the above notion still
preserved； this took place just through the work being cancelled qua objectively existing product。
But it has to be； and we have to see how individuality will retain its universality in the existence of
the work； and will know how to get satisfaction。
To begin with we have to consider by itself the work which has come into being。 It has received
within it the entire nature of the individual。 Its existence is therefore itself an action； in which all
distinctions interpenetrate and are resolved。 The work is thus thrown out into a subsisting form
where the specific character of the original nature does in fact come out as against other
determinate natures； encroaches on them； just as these in their turn encroach on it； and is lost as a
vanishing moment in this general process。 Although in the conception of individuality as here dealt
with； the various moments （circumstances； purpose； means； and realization） are all alike； and the
original specific nature stands for no more than a universal element； on the other hand； when this
element takes on an objective existence； its determinate character as such comes to light in the
work done； and obtains its truth in its dissolution。 Looked at more closely； this dissolution is such
that in this specific character the individual； qua this individual； has become consciously real； but
the specific character is not merely the content of reality； but its form as well； or this reality as such
is as a whole just this specific character； viz。 being opposed to self…consciousness。 On this view
this reality is seen to be a reality which has disappeared out of the notion； and is merely found
given as an alien reality。 The work is； i。e。 it is for other individuals； and for them it is an external； an
alien reality； in whose place they have to put their own； in order to get by their action
consciousness of their unity with reality。 In other words； the interest which they take in that work
owing to their original constitution is other than the peculiar interest of this work； which thereby is
turned into something different。 The work is； thus； in general something transitory； which is
extinguished by the counter…action of other powers and interests； and displays the reality of
individuality in a transitory form rather than as fulfilled and accomplished。
Consciousness； then； by doing work becomes aware of that contrast between being and acting；
which in the earlier forms of consciousness was at； the same time the beginning of action； and is
here merely a result。 This contrast； however； was in fact likewise the ultimate principle involved
when consciousness proceeded to act as an implicitly real individuality； for action presupposed the
determinate original nature as the ultimate implicit element； and the mere process of performing the
act for the sake of this performance took that nature as its content。 Mere action is； however； the
self…identical form； with which； consequently； the specific determinateness of the original nature
does not agree。 It is a matter of indifference here； as elsewhere； which of the two is called notion
and which reality。 The original nature is the thought element； the implicit factor as against the
action； in which it first gets its reality； or； again； the original nature is the existence both of
individuality as such and of individuality in the form of work； while action is the original notion as
pure and simple transition； as the process of becoming。 This lack of correspondence between idea
and reality； which lies in its essence； consciousness learns in its work； in work； therefore；
consciousness becomes aware of itself as it in truth is； and its empty notion of itself disappears。
In this fundamental contradiction characteristic of work — which contains the truth of this
individuality that takes itself to be inherently real — all the aspects of individuality thus appear again
as contradictory。 That is to say； in the work （done） the content of the entire individuality is put
forth out of the process of doing （it）； which is the negative unity holding fast all the moments of that
content； into （objective） existence。 So transferred and set forth； the work （done） lets the moments
now go free； and in the element of factual subsistence they become ind