按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the lord of the world of legal right takes control of； is not merely this elementary external entity
casually lying before the self； it is his work； but not in a positive sense； rather negatively so。 It
acquires its existence by self…consciousness of its own accord relinquishing itself and giving up its
essentiality； the condition which； in that waste and ruin which prevail in the sphere of right； the
external force of the elements let loose seems to bring upon self…consciousness。 These elements by
themselves are sheer ruin and destruction； and cause their own overthrow。 This overthrow；
however； this their negative nature； is just the self； it is their subject； their action； and their process。
Such process and activity again； through which the substance becomes actual； are the
estrangement of personality； for the immediate self； i。e。 the self without estrangement and holding
good as it stands； is without substantial content； and the sport of these raging elements。 Its
substance is thus just its relinquishment； and the relinquishment is the substance； i。e。 the spiritual
powers forming themselves into a coherent world and thereby securing their subsistence。
The substance in this way is spirit； self…conscious unity of the self and the essential nature； but both
also take each other to mean and to imply alienation。 Spirit is consciousness of an objective reality
which exists independently on its own account。 Over against this consciousness stands； however；
that unity of the self with the essential nature； consciousness pure and simple over against actual
consciousness。 On the one side actual self…consciousness by its self…relinquishment passes over
into the real world； and the latter back again into the former。 On the other side； however； this very
actuality； both person and objectivity； is cancelled and superseded； they are purely universal。 This
their alienation is pure consciousness； or the essential nature。 The 〃present〃 has directly its
opposite in its 〃beyond〃； which is its thinking and its being thought； just as this again has its
opposite in what is here in the 〃present〃； which is the actuality of the 〃beyond〃 but alienated from
it。
Spirit in this case； therefore； constructs not merely one world； but a twofold world； divided and
self…opposed。 The world of the ethical spirit is its own proper present； and hence every power it
possesses is found in this unity of the present； and； so far as each separates itself from the other；
each is still in equilibrium with the whole。 Nothing has the significance of a negative of
self…consciousness； even the spirit of the departed is in the life…blood of his relative； is present in
the self of the family； and the universal power of government is the will； the self of the nation。 Here；
however； what is present means merely objective actuality； which has its consciousness in the
beyond； each single moment； as an essential entity； receives this； and thereby actuality； from an
other； and so far as it is actual； its essential being is something other than its own actuality。 Nothing
has a spirit self…established and indwelling within it； rather； each is outside itself in what is alien to
it。 The equilibrium of the whole is not the unity which abides by itself； nor its inwardly secured
tranquillity； but rests on the estrangement of its opposite。 The whole is； therefore； like each single
moment； a self…estranged reality。 It breaks up into two spheres： in one kingdom self…consciousness
is actually both the self and its object； and in another we have the kingdom of pure consciousness；
which； being beyond the former； has no actual present； but exists for Faith； is matter of Belief。
Now just as the ethical world passes from the separation of divine and human law； with its various
forms； and its consciousness gets away from the division into knowledge and the absence of
knowledge； and returns into the principle which is its destiny； into the self which is the power to
destroy and negate this opposition； so； too； both these kingdoms of self…alienated spirit will return
into the self。 But if the former； the first self holding good directly； was the single person； this
second； which returns into itself from its self…relinquishment； will be the universal self； the
consciousness grasping the conception； and these spiritual worlds； all of whose moments insist on
having a fixed reality and an un…spiritual subsistence； will be dissolved in the light of pure Insight。
This insight； being the self grasping itself； completes the stage of culture。 It takes up nothing but the
self； and everything as the self； i。e。 it comprehends everything； extinguishes all objectiveness； and
converts everything implicit into something explicit； everything which has a being in itself into what
is for itself。 When turned against belief； against faith； as the alien realm of inner being lying in the
distant beyond； it is Enlightenment （Aufkl？rung）。 This enlightenment completes spirit's
self…estrangement in this realm too； whither spirit in self…alienation turns to seek its safety as to a
region where it becomes conscious of the peace of self…equipoise。 Enlightenment upsets the
household arrangements； which spirit carries out in the house of faith； by bringing in the goods and
furnishings belonging to the world of the Here and Now； a world which that spirit cannot refuse to
accept as its own property； for its conscious life likewise belongs to that world。 In this negative
task pure insight realizes itself at the same time； and brings to light its own proper object； the
〃unknowable absolute Being〃 and utility。（2） Since in this way actuality has lost all substantiality； and
there is nothing more implicit in it； the kingdom of faith； as also that of the real world； is
overthrown； and this revolution brings about absolute freedom；； the stage at which the spirit
formerly estranged has gone back completely into itself； leaves behind this sphere of culture； and
passes over into another region； the land of the inner or subjective moral consciousness
（moralischen Bewusstsein）。
1。 v。 p。 501 ff。
2。 Cp。 Eighteenth century Deism and utilitarianism。
I
The World of Spirit in Self…Estrangement
THE sphere of spirit at this stage breaks up into two regions。 The one is the actual world； that of
self…estrangement； the other is that which spirit constructs for itself in the ether of pure
consciousness raising itself above the first。 This second world； being constructed in opposition and
contrast to that estrangement； is just on that account not free from it； on the contrary； it is only the
other form of that very estrangement； which consists precisely in having a conscious existence in
two sorts of worlds； and embraces both。 Hence it is not self…consciousness of Absolute Being in
and for itself； not Religion； which is here dealt with： it is Belief； Faith； in so far as faith is a flight
from the actual world； and thus is not a self…complete experience （an und für sich）。 Such flight
from the realm of the present is； therefore； directly in its very nature a dual state of mind。 Pure
consciousness is the sphere into which spirit rises：