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animates the latter。 Scepticism； directed to the whole compass of phenomenal consciousness； on
the contrary； makes mind for the first time qualified to test what truth is； since it brings about a
despair regarding what are called natural views； thoughts； and opinions； which it is matter of
indifference to call personal or belonging to others； and with which the consciousness； that
proceeds straight away to criticize and test； is still filled and hampered； thus being； as a matter of
fact； incapable of what it wants to undertake。
§ 10
The completeness of the forms of unreal consciousness will be brought about precisely through the
necessity of the advance and the necessity of their connection with one another。 To make this
comprehensible we may remark； by way of preliminary； that the exposition of untrue
consciousness in its untruth is not a merely negative process。 Such a one…sided view of it is what
the natural consciousness generally adopts； and a knowledge； which makes this one…sidedness its
essence； is one of those shapes assumed by incomplete consciousness which falls into the course
of the inquiry itself and will come before us there。 For this view is scepticism； which always sees in
the result only pure nothingness； and abstracts from the fact that this nothing is determinate； is the
nothing of that out of which it comes as a result。 Nothing； however； is only； in fact； the true result；
when taken as the nothing of what it comes from； it is thus itself a determinate nothing； and has a
content。 The scepticism which ends with the abstraction 〃nothing〃 or 〃emptiness〃 can advance
from this not a step farther； but must wait and see whether there is possibly anything new offered；
and what that is…in order to cast it into the same abysmal void。 When once； on the other hand； the
result is apprehended； as it truly is； as determinate negation； a new form has thereby immediately
arisen； and in the negation the transition is made by which the progress through the complete
succession of forms comes about of itself。
§ 11
The goal； however； is fixed for knowledge just as necessarily as the succession in the process。 The
terminus is at that point where knowledge is no longer compelled to go beyond itself； where it
finds its own self； and the notion corresponds to the object and the object to the notion。 The
progress towards this goal consequently is without a halt； and at no earlier stage is satisfaction to
be found。 That which is confined to a life of nature is unable of itself to go beyond its immediate
existence； but by something other than itself it is forced beyond that； and to be thus wrenched out
of its setting is its death。 Consciousness； however； is to itself its own notion； thereby it immediately
transcends what is limited； and； since this latter belongs to it； consciousness transcends its own
self。 Along with the particular there is at the same time set up the 〃beyond〃； were this only； as in
spatial intuition； beside what is limited。 Consciousness； therefore； suffers this violence at its own
hands； it destroys its own limited satisfaction。 When feeling of violence； anxiety for the truth may
well withdraw； and struggle to preserve for itself that which is in danger of being lost。 But it can
find no rest。 Should that anxious fearfulness wish to remain always in unthinking indolence； thought
will agitate the thoughtlessness； its restlessness will disturb that indolence。 Or let it take its stand as
a form of sentimentality which assures us it finds everything good in its kind； and this assurance
likewise will suffer violence at the hands of reason； which finds something not good just because
and in so far as it is a kind。 Or； again； fear of the truth may conceal itself from itself and others
behind the pretext that precisely burning zeal for the very truth makes it so difficult； nay impossible；
to find any other truth except that of which alone vanity is capable…that of being ever so much
cleverer than any ideas； which one gets from oneself or others； could make possible。 This sort of
conceit which understands how to belittle every truth and turn away from it back into itself； and
gloats over this its own private understanding； which always knows how to dissipate every
possible thought； and to find； instead of all the content； merely the barren Ego…this is a satisfaction
which must be left to itself； for it flees the universal and seeks only an isolated existence on its own
account （Fürsichseyn）。
§ 12
As the foregoing has been stated； provisionally and in general； concerning the manner and the
necessity Of the process of the inquiry； it may also be of further service to make some
observations regarding the method of carrying this out。 This exposition； viewed as a process of
relating science to phenomenal knowledge； and as an inquiry and critical examination into the
reality of knowing； does not seem able to be effected without some presupposition which is laid
down as an ultimate criterion。 For an examination consists in applying an accepted standard； and；
on the final agreement or disagreement therewith of what is tested； deciding whether the latter is
right or wrong； and the standard in general； and so science； were this the criterion； is thereby
accepted as the essence or inherently real （Ausich）。 But； here；。 where science first appears on the
scene； neither science nor any sort of standard has justified itself as the essence or ultimate reality；
and without this no examination seems able to be instituted。
§ 13
This contradiction and the removal of it will become more definite if ； to begin with； we call to
mind the abstract determinations of knowledge and of truth as they are found in consciousness。
Consciousness； we find； distinguishes from itself something； to which at the same time it relates
itself； or； to use the current expression； there is something for consciousness； and the determinate
form of this process of relating； or of there being something for a consciousness； is knowledge。 But
from this being for another we distinguish being in itself or per se； what is related to knowledge is
likewise distinguished from it； and posited as also existing outside this relation； the aspect of being
per se or in itself is called Truth。 What really lies in these determinations does not further concern
us here； for since the object of our inquiry is phenomenal knowledge。； its determinations are also
taken up； in the first instance； as they are immediately offered to us。 And they are offered to us
very much in the way we have just stated。
§ 14
If now our inquiry deals with the truth of knowledge； it appears that we are inquiring what
knowledge is in itself。 But in this inquiry knowledge is our object； it is for us； and the essential
nature （Ansich） of knowledge； were this to come to light； would be rather its being for us： what
we should assert to be its essence would rather be； not the truth of knowledge； but only our
knowledge of it。 The essence or the crit