the good was primary； so here the first and foremost moment is Absolute Being； spirit absolutely
self…contained； so far as it is simple eternal substances。（6） But in the process of realizing its
constitutive notion which consists in being spirit； that substance passes over into a form where it
exists for an other； its self…identity becomes actual Absolute Being； actualized in self…sacrifice； it
becomes a self； but a self that is transitory and passes away。（7） Hence the third stage is the return
of self thus alienated； the substance thus abased； into its first primal simplicity。 Only when this is
done is spirit presented and manifested as spirit。（8）
These distinct ultimate Realities； when brought back by thought into themselves out of the flux of
the actual world； are changeless； eternal spirits； whose being lies in thinking the unity which they
constitute。 While thus torn away from self…consciousness； these Realities all the same lay hold on
it； for if the Ultimate Reality were to be fixed and unmoved in the form of the first bare and simple
substance； it would remain alien to self…consciousness。 But the laying aside； the 〃emptying〃 of this
substance； and afterwards its spirit； involves the element of concrete actuality； and thereby
participates in the believing self…consciousness； or the believing attitude of consciousness belongs
to the real world。
According to this second condition； the believing type of consciousness partly finds its actuality in
the real world of culture； and constitutes its spirit and its existence； which have been described；
partly； however； belief takes up an attitude of opposition to this its own actuality； looks on this as
something vain； and is the process of cancelling and transcending it。 This process does not consist
in the believing consciousness making witty remarks about the perverted condition of that reality；
for it is the naive simple consciousness； which reckons esprit and wit as emptiness and vanity；
because this still has the real world for its purpose。 On the contrary； in opposition to its placid
realm of thought stands concrete actuality as a soulless form of existence； which on that account
has to be overcome in external fashion。 This obedience through service and praise； by cancelling
sense…knowledge and action； produces the consciousness of unity with the self…complete and
self…existing Being； though not in the sense of an actual perceived unity。 This service is merely the
incessant process of producing the sense of unity； a process that never completely reaches its goal
in the actual present。 The religious communion no doubt does so； for it is universal
self…consciousness。 But for the individual self…consciousness the realm of pure thought necessarily
remains something away beyond its actuality； or； again； since this remote region by the emptying；
the 〃kenosis〃； of the eternal Being； has entered the sphere of actuality； its actuality is sensuous；
uncomprehended。 But one sensuous actuality is ever indifferent and external to another； and what
lies beyond has thus only received the further character of remoteness in space and time。 The
essential notion； however — the concrete actuality of spirit directly present to itself — remains for
belief an inner principle； which is all and effects all； but never itself comes to the light。
In the case of pure insight； however； the concept； the essential notion （Begriff）； is alone the real；
and this third aspect of belief — that of being an object for pure insight — is the specific relation in
which belief here appears。 Pure insight itself has like belief to be considered partly by itself （an
und für sich）； partly in relation to the real world — so far as the real world is still present in
positive shape； viz。 in the form of a vain consciousness — and lastly in that relation to belief just
mentioned。
We have already seen what pure insight by itself is。 Belief is unperturbed pure consciousness of
spirit as the essentially real； pure insight is the self…consciousness of spirit as the essentially real； it
knows the essentially real； therefore； not qua essence but qua Absolute Self。
Its aim thus is to cancel every kind of independence which falls without self…consciousness；
whether that be the independence of the actually objective or of the inherently real； and to mould it
into conceptual form。 It not merely is the certainty of self…conscious reason assured of being all
truth； it knows that it is so。
In the form； however； in which the notion of pure insight meets us first； it is not yet realized。 As a
phase of consciousness it appears in consequence as something contingent； as something isolated
and particular； and its inmost constitutive nature appears as some purpose that it has to carry out
and realize。 It has to begin with the intention of making pure insight universal； i。e。 of making
everything that is actual into a notion； and one and the same notion for every self…consciousness。（9）
The intention is pure； for its content is pure insight； and this insight is similarly pure； for its content is
solely the absolute notion； which finds no opposition in an object； and is not restricted in itself。 In
the unrestricted notion there are found at once both the aspects — that everything objective is to
signify only the self…existent； self…consciousness； and that this is to signify something universal； that
pure insight is to be the property of all self…consciousnesses。 This second feature of the intention is
so far a result of culture； in that in culture both the distinctions of objective spirit； the parts； and
express determinations of its world； have come to naught； as well as the distinctions which
appeared as originally determinate natures。 Genius； talent； special capacities one and all； belong to
the world of actuality； in so far as this world contains still the aspect of being a herd of
self…conscious individuals； where； in confusion and mutual violence； individuals cheat and struggle
with one another over the contents of the real world。
（3） The Rationality of Pure Insight
The above distinctions doubtless have no place in it as genuine espèces。 Individuality neither is
contented with unreal 〃fact〃； nor has special content and purposes of its own。 It counts merely as
something universally acknowledged and accepted； viz。 qua cultivated and developed； and the
fact of distinction is reduced to a matter of less or more energy； a distinction of quantity； i。e。 a
non…essential distinction。 This last difference； however； has come to nothing； by the fact that the
distinction in the state where consciousness was completely torn asunder； turned round into an
absolutely qualitative distinction。 What is there the other for the ego is merely the ego itself。 In this
infinite judgment all the one…sidedness and peculiarity of the original self…existing self is
extinguished； the self knows itself qua pure self to be its own object； and this absolute identity of
both sides is the element of pure insight。
Pure insight； therefore； is the simple ultimate being undifferentiated within itself； and at the same
time the universal achievement and result and a universal possession of all。 In this simple spiritual
substance self…consciousness gives itself and maintains for itself in every object the sense of this its
own individual being or of action； just as conversely the individuality of self…consciousness is there
identical with itself and universal。
This pure insight is； then； the spirit that calls to every consciousness： be for yourselves what you
are all essentially in yourselves — rational。
1。 The contrast between these two elements is found both in the pre…Reformation period and in
the eighteenth…century period； in the latter the contrast assumes perhaps its acutest form。
2。 Kant： 〃Pure ego is the absolute unity of apperception。〃
3。 〃Belief is a kind of knowledge。〃…Encycl。： §554。
4。 Kant： 〃I am the essential reality when conscious of myself in pure thought。〃
5。 The 〃persons〃 of the 〃Trinity〃。
6。 God transcendent； God as Substance； God the Father。
7。 The God…man； Christ。
8。 God as Absolute Spirit； God the Holy Ghost。
9。 〃Kant's philosophy is the enlightenment adapted so as to become a philosophical
method。〃…Hegel； W。W。 15； p。 502。
II。
Enlightenment （1）
THE peculiar object against which pure insight directs the active force of the notion is belief； this
being a form of pure consciousness like itself and yet opposed to it in that element。 But at the same
time pure insight has a relation to the actual world； for； like belief； it is a return from the actual
world into pure consciousness。 We have first of all to see bow its activity is constituted as
operating against the impure motives and the perverted forms of insight found in the actual
world。（2）
We have touched already on the placid type of consciousness； Which stands in contrast to this
turmoil of alternate self…dissolution and self…recreation； it constitutes the aspect of pure insight and
intention。 This unperturbed consciousness； however； as we saw； has no special insight regarding
the sphere of culture。 The latter has itself rather the most painful feeling； and the truest insight about
itself — the feeling that everything made secure crumbles to pieces； that every limb of its existence
is wracked and rent； and every bone broken： moreover； it consciously expresses this feeling in
words； pronounces judgment and gives sparkling utterance concerning all aspects of its condition。
Pure insight； therefore； can have here no activity and content of its own； and thus can only take up
the attitude of formally and truly apprehending this witty insight peculiar to the world and the
language it adopts。 Since this language is a scattered and broken utterance and the pronouncement
a fickle mood of the moment； which is again quickly forgotten； and is only known to be a whole by
a third consciousness； this latter can be distinguished as pure insight only if it gathers those several
scattered traces into a universal picture； and then makes them the insight of all。
By this simple m