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characteristic of alienation； these two moments fall apart in the shape of a twofold consciousness。
The former is pure Insight； the spiritual process concentrated and focussed in self…consciousness； a
process which has over against it the consciousness of something positive； the form of objectivity
or presentation； and which directs itself against this presented object。 The proper and peculiar
object of this insight is； however； merely pure ego。（2） The bare consciousness of the positive
element； of unbroken self…identity； finds its object； on the other hand； in the inner reality as such。
（2） The Object of Belief
Pure insight has； therefore； in the first instance； no content within it； because it exists for itself by
negating everything in it； to belief； on the other hand； belongs the content； but without insight。
While the former does not get away from self…consciousness； the latter to be sure has its content
as well in the element of pure self…consciousness； but only in thought； not in conceptions — in pure
consciousness； not in pure self…consciousness。 Belief is； as a fact； in this way pure consciousness
of the essential reality； i。e。 of the bare and simple inner nature； and is thus thought — the primary
factor in the nature of belief； which is generally overlooked。（3） The immediateness which
characterizes the presence of the essential reality within it is due to the fact that its object is
essence； inner nature； i。e。 pure thought。（4） This immediateness； however； so far as thinking enters
consciousness； or pure consciousness enters into self…consciousness； acquires the significance of
an objective being that lies beyond consciousness of self。 It is because of the significance which
immediacy and simplicity of pure thought thus acquire in consciousness that the essential reality；
the object of belief； drops into being an imaginatively presented idea （Vorstellung）； instead of
being the content of thought； and comes to be looked at as a supersensible world； which is
essentially an 〃other〃 than self…consciousness。
In the case of pure insight； on the other hand； the passage of pure thought into consciousness has
the opposite character： objectivity has the significance of a content that is merely negative； that
cancels itself and returns into the self ； that is to say； only the self is properly object to self； or； to
put it otherwise； the object only has truth so far as it has the form of self。
As belief and pure insight fall in common within pure consciousness； they also in common involve
the mind's return out of the concrete sphere of spiritual culture。 There are three aspects； therefore；
from which they show what they are。 In one aspect each is outside every relation； and has a being
all its own； in another each takes up an attitude towards the concrete actual world standing in
antithesis to pure consciousness； while in the third form each is related to the other inside pure
consciousness。
In the case of belief the aspect of complete being； of being in…and…for…itself； is its absolute object；
whose content and character we have already come to know。 For it lies in the very notion of belief
that this object is nothing else than the real world lifted into the universality of pure consciousness。
The articulation of this world； therefore； constitutes the organization belonging to pure universality
also； except that the parts in the latter case do not alienate one another when spiritualized； but are
complete realities all by themselves； are spirits（5） returned into themselves and self…contained。
The process of their transition from one into the other is； therefore； only for us ＇who are analysing
the process＇ an alienation of the characteristic nature in which their distinction lies； and only for us；
the observers； does it constitute a necessary series； for belief； however； their distinction is a static
diversity； and their movement simply a historical fact。
To deal shortly with the external character of their form： as in the world of culture state…power or
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 obj