on a reference to this particular husband； this particular child but to a husband； to children in
general；not to feeling； but to the universal。 The distinction between her ethical life （Sittlichkeit）
（while it determines her particular existence and brings her pleasure） and that of her husband
consists just in this； that it has always a directly universal significance for her； and is quite alien to
the impulsive condition of mere particular desire。 On the other hand； in the husband these two
aspects get separated； and since he possesses； as a citizen； the self…conscious power belonging to
the universal life； the life of the social whole； he acquires thereby the rights of desire； and keeps
himself at the same time in detachment from it。 So far； then； as particularity is implicated in this
relationship in the case of the wife； her ethical life is not purely ethical； so far； however； as it is
ethical； the particularity is a matter of indifference； and the wife is without the moment of knowing
herself as this particular self in and through an other。
The brother； however； is in the eyes of the sister a being whose nature is unperturbed by desire
and is ethically like her own； her recognition in him is pure and unmixed with any sexual relation。
The indifference characteristic of particular existence and the ethical contingency thence arising
are； therefore； not present in this relationship； instead； the moment of individual selfhood；
recognizing and being recognized； can here assert its right； because it is bound up with the balance
and equilibrium resulting from their being of the same blood； and from their being related in a way
that involves no mutual desire。 The loss of a brother is thus irreparable to the sister； and her duty
towards him is the highest。（3）
This relationship at the same time is the limit； at which the circumscribed life of the family is broken
up； and passes beyond itself。 The brother is the member of the family in whom its spirit becomes
individualized； and enabled thereby to turn towards another sphere； towards what is other than
and external to itself； and pass over into consciousness of universality。 The brother leaves this
immediate； rudimentary； and； therefore； strictly speaking； negative ethical life of the family； in order
to acquire and produce the concrete ethical order which is conscious of itself。
He passes from the divine law； within whose realm he lived； over to the human law。 The sister；
however； becomes； or the wife remains； director of the home and the preserver of the divine law。
In this way both the sexes overcome their merely natural being； and become ethically significant； as
diverse forms dividing between them the different aspects which the ethical substance assumes。
Both these universal factors of the ethical world have their specific individuality in naturally distinct
self…consciousnesses； for the reason that the spirit at work in the ethical order is the immediate
unity of the substance ＇of ethical life＇ with self…consciousnessan immediacy which thus appears
as the existence of a natural difference； at once as regards its aspect of reality and of difference。 It
is that aspect which； in the notion of spiritual reality； came to light as 〃original determinate nature〃；
when we were dealing with the stage of 〃Individuality which is real to itself〃。 This moment loses the
indeterminateness which it still has there； and the contingent diversity of 〃constitution〃 and
〃capacities〃。 It is now the specific opposition of the two sexes； whose natural character acquires at
the same time the significance of their respective ethical determinations。
（c） The Interfusion of these Two Laws
The distinction of the sexes and of their ethical content remains all the same within the unity of the
ethical substance； and its process is just the constant development of that substance。 The husband
is sent forth by the spirit of the family into the life of the community； and finds there his
self…conscious reality。 Just as the family thereby finds in the community its universal substance and
subsistence； conversely the community finds in the family the formal element of its own realization；
and in the divine law its power and confirmation。 Neither of the two is alone self…complete。 Human
law as a living and active principle proceeds from the divine； the law holding on earth from that of
the nether world； the conscious from the unconscious； mediation from immediacy； and returns too
whence it came。 The power of the nether world； on the other hand； finds its realization upon earth；
it comes through consciousness to have existence and efficacy。
3。 The Ethical World as Infinite or Self…complete Totality
The universal elements of the ethical life are thus the （ethical） substance qua universal； and that
substance qua particular consciousness。 Their universal actuality is the nation and the family； while
they get their natural self； and their operative individuality； in man and woman。 Here in this content
of the ethical world we see attained those purposes which the previous insubstantial modes of
conscious life set before them。 What Reason apprehended only as an object has become
Self…consciousness； and what self…consciousness merely contained within it is here explicit true
reality。 What Observation knewan object given externally and picked up； and one in the
constitution of which the subject knowing had no shareis here a given ethical condition； a custom
found lying ready at hand； but a reality which is at the same time the deed and product of the
subject finding it。 The individual who seeks the 〃pleasure〃 of enjoying his particular individuality
finds it in the family life； and the 〃necessity〃（4） in which that pleasure passes away is his own
self…consciousness as a citizen of his nation。 Or； again； it is knowing the 〃law of his own heart〃（5）
as the law of all hearts； knowing the； consciousness of self to be the recognized and universal
ordinance of society： it is 〃virtue〃；（6） which enjoys the fruits of its own sacrifice； which brings about
what it sets out to do； viz。 to bring the essential nature into the light of the actual present；and its
enjoyment is this universal life。 Finally； consciousness of 〃fact as such〃 （der Sache selbst）（7） gets
satisfaction in the real substance； which contains and maintains in positive form the abstract
aspects of that empty category。 That substance finds a genuine content in the powers of the ethical
order； a content that takes the place of those insubstantial commands which the 〃healthy human
reason〃（8） wanted to give and to know： and in consequence thus gets a concrete inherently
determinate standard for 〃testing〃； not the laws； but what is done。
The whole is a stable equilibrium of all the parts； and each part a spirit in its native element； a spirit
wlich does not seek its satisfaction beyond itself； but has the satisfaction within itself for the reason
that itself is in this balanced equipoise with the whole。 This condition of stable equilibrium can；
doubtless； only be living by inequality arising within it； and being brought back again to equipoise
by Righteousness and Justice。 Justice； however； is neither an alien principle （Wesen） holding
somewhere remote from the present； nor the realization （unworthy of the name of justice） of
mutual malice； treachery； ingratitude； etc。； which； in the unintelligent way of chance and accident；
would fulfil the law by a kind of irrational connexion without any controlling idea； action by
commission and omission； without any consciousness of what was involved。 On the contrary；
being justice in human law； it brings back to the whole； to the universal life of society； what has
broken away separately from the harmony and equilibrium of the whole：the independent classes
and individuals。 In this way justice is the government of the nation； and is its all…pervading essential
life in a consciously present individual form； and is the personal self…conscious will of all。
That justice； however； which restores to equilibrium the universal when getting the mastery over
the particular individual； is similarly the simple single spirit of the individual who has suffered
wrong； it is not broken up into the two elements； one who has suffered wrong and a far…away
remote reality （Wesen）。 The individual himself is the power of the 〃nether〃 world； and that reality is
his 〃fury〃； wreaking vengeance upon him。（9） For his individuality； his blood still lives in the house；
his substance has a lasting actuality。 The wrong； which can be brought upon the individual in the
realm of the ethical world； consists merely in this； that a bare something by chance happens to him。
The power which perpetrates on the conscious individual this wrong of making him into a mere
thing is 〃nature〃 it is the universality not of the community； but the abstract universality of mere
existence。 And the particular individual； in wiping out the wrong suffered； turns not against the
communityfor he has not suffered at its handsbut against the latter。 As we saw；（10） the
consciousness of those who share the blood of the individual removes this wrong in such a way
that what has happened becomes rather a work of their own doing； and hence bare existence； the
last state； gets also to be something willed； and thus an object of gratification。
The ethical realm remains in this way permanently a world without blot or stain； a world untainted
by any internal dissension。 So； too； its process is an untroubled transition from one of its powers to
the other； in such a way that each preserves and produces the other。 We see it no doubt divided
into two ultimate elements and their realization： but their opposition is rather the confirming and
substantiation of one through the other； and where they directly come in contact with each other as
actual factors； their mediating common element is the immediate permeation of the one with the
other。 The one extreme； universal spirit conscious of itself； becomes； through the individuality of
man； linked together with its other extreme； its force and its element； with unconscious spirit。 On
the other hand； divine law is individualized； t