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— that it is merely absolute Being； and； again； in knowing nothing but finitude； taking this；
moreover； to be the truth； and thinking this knowledge about finitude as the truth to be the highest
knowledge attainable。
（3） The Rights of Enlightenment
Belief has a divine right as against enlightenment； the right of absolute self…identity or of pure
thought； and it finds itself utterly wronged by enlightenment； for enlightenment distorts all its
moments； and makes them something quite different from what they are in it。 Enlightenment； on the
other hand； has merely a human right as against belief； and can only put in a human claim for its
own truth； for the wrong it commits is the right of disunion； of discordance； and consists in
perverting and altering； a right that belongs to the nature of self…consciousness in opposition to the
simple ultimate essence or thought。 But since the right of enlightenment is the right of
self…consciousness； it will not merely retain its own right； too； in such a way that two equally valid
rights of spirit would be left standing in opposition to one another without either satisfying the
claims of the other； it will maintain the absolute right； because self…consciousness is the negative
function of the notion （Begriff）； a function which does not merely operate in independence； but
also gets control over its opposite。 And because belief is a mode of consciousness； it will not be
able to baulk enlightenment of that right。
For enlightenment does not operate against the believing mind with special principles of its own；
but with those which belief itself implies and contains。 Enlightenment merely brings together and
presents to belief its own thoughts； the thoughts that lie scattered and apart within belief； all
unknown to it。 Enlightenment merely reminds belief； when one of its own forms is present； of
others it also has； but which it is always forgetting when the one is there。 Enlightenment shows itself
to belief to be pure insight； by the fact that it； in a given determinate moment； sees the whole；
brings forward the opposite element standing in direct relation to that moment and； converting the
one in the other； brings out the negative principle which is the essence of both thoughts — the
notion。 It appears； therefore； to belief to be distortion and lies； because it shows up the other side
in the moments of belief。 Enlightenment seems； in consequence； directly to make something else
out of them than they are in their own singleness； but this other is equally essential； and in reality is
to be found in the believing mind itself； only the latter does not think about it； but keeps it
somewhere else。 Hence neither is it foreign to belief nor can it be denied of belief。
Enlightenment itself； however； which reminds belief of the opposite of its various separate
moments； is just as little enlightened regarding its own nature。 It takes up a purely negative attitude
to belief； so far as it excludes its own content from its own pure activity and takes that content to
be negative of itself。 Consequently； neither in this negative； in the content of belief； does it
recognize itself； nor； for this reason； does it bring together the two thoughts； the one which it
contributes and the one against which it brings the first。 Since it does not recognize that what it
condemns in the case of belief is directly its very own thought； it has its own being in the
opposition of both moments； only one of which — viz。 in every case the one opposed to belief — it
acknowledges； but cuts off the other from the first； just as belief does。 Enlightenment；
consequently； does not produce the unity of both as their unity； i。e。 the notion； but the notion
arises before it and comes to light of its own accord； in other words； enlightenment finds the
notion merely as something there at hand。 For in itself the proms of realizing pure insight is just this；
that insight； whose essential nature is the notion； first comes to be for itself in the shape of an
absolute other； and repudiates itself （for the opposite of the notion is an absolute opposite）； and
then out of this otherness comes to itself or comes to its notion。
Enlightenment； however； is merely this process； it is the activity of the notion in still unconscious
form； an activity which no doubt arrives at itself qua object； but takes this object for an external
other； and does not even know the nature of the notion； i。e。 does not know that it is the
undifferentiated； the self…identical； which absolutely divides itself。
As against belief； then； insight is the power of the notion in so far as this is the active process of
relating the moments lying apart from one another in belief； a way of relating them in which the
contradiction in them comes to light。 Herein lies the absolute right of the power which insight
exercises over belief； but the actuality on which it brings this power to bear lies just in the fact that
the believing consciousness is itself the notion and thus itself recognizes and accepts the opposite
which insight presents before it。 Insight； therefore； has and retains right against belief； because it
makes valid in belief what is necessary to belief itself； and what belief contains within it。
At first enlightenment emphasizes the moment that the notion is an act of consciousness； it
maintains in the face of belief that the absolute Being belief accepts is a Being of the believer's
consciousness qua a self； or that this absolute Being is produced by consciousness。 To the
believing mind its absolute Being； while it is in itself objective for the believer； is also and at the
same time not like a foreign thing standing therein； having come there no one knows bow or
whence。 The trust of belief consists just in finding itself as a particular personal consciousness in
absolute Being； and its obedience and service consist in producing； through its activity； that Being
as its own Absolute。 Enlightenment； strictly speaking； only reminds belief of this； if belief affirms
without qualification the ultimate nature （Ansich） of absolute Being to be something beyond the
action of consciousness；
But while enlightenment no doubt puts alongside the one…sidedness of belief the opposite moment；
viz。： — action of belief in contrast to being — and being is all belief thinks about here — and yet
does not itself in doing so bring those opposite thoughts together； enlightenment isolates the pure
moment of action； and declares that what belief takes to be per se ultimate （Ansich） is merely a
product of consciousness。 Isolated action； action opposed to this ultimate Being （Ansich）； is；
however； a contingent action； and； qua presentative activity； is a creating of fictions — presented
figurative ideas that have no being in themselves。 And this is how enlightenment regards the content
of belief。
Conversely； however； pure insight equally says the very opposite。 When insight lays stress on the
moment of otherness which the notion involves it declares the essential Reality for belief to be one
which does not in any way concern consciousness； is away beyond consciousness； foreign to it；
and unknown。 To belief； too； that Reality has the same character。 On one side belief trusts in it；
and gets； in doing so； the assurance of its own self； on the other side it is unsearchable in all its
ways and。 unattainable in its being。
Further； enlightenment maintains against the believing mind a right which the latter concedes； when
enlightenment treats the object of the believer's veneration as stone and wood； or； in short； some
finite anthropomorphic feature。 For； since this consciousness is divided within itself in having a
〃beyond〃 remote from actuality and an immediate present embodiment of that remote beyond；
there is also found in it； as a matter of fact； the view that sense…things have a value and significance
in and for themselves （an und für sich）。 But belief does not bring together these two ideas of
what is 〃in and for itself〃； viz。 that at one time what is 〃in and for itself〃 is for belief pure essential
Reality and at another time is an ordinary thing of sense。 Even its own pure consciousness is
affected by this last view； for the distinctions of its supersensuous world； because this is without
the notion； are a series of independent shapes and forms； and their activity is a happening； i。e。 they
exist merely in figurative presentation； and have the characteristic of sense…existence。
Enlightenment on its side isolates actuality in the same way； treating it as a reality abandoned by
spirit； isolates specific determinateness and makes it a fixed finite element； as if it were not a
moment in the spiritual process of the real itself； a something which is not nothing； nor possessed
of a being all its own； but evanescent and transitory。
It is clear that the same is the case with regard to the ground of knowledge。 The believing mind
itself recognizes an accidental knowledge； for in belief the mind adopts an attitude towards
contingencies； and absolute Being itself comes before belief in the form of a pictorial presentation
of an ordinary actual fact。 Consequently belie