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another。 This existence for another is at the same time a world。 Spirit； in the character of existing
for another； is the undisturbed separate subsistence of those moments formerly enclosed within
pure thought； is； therefore； the dissolution of their simple universality； and their dispersion into their
own particularity。
The world； however； is not merely Spirit thus thrown out and dispersed into the plenitude of
existence and the external order imposed on it； for since Spirit is essentially the simple Self； this
self is likewise present therein。 The world is objectively existent spirit； which is individual self； that
has consciousness and distinguishes itself as other； as world； from itself。 In the way this individual
self is thus immediately established at first it is not yet conscious of being Spirit； it thus does not
exist as Spirit； it may be called 〃innocent〃； but not strictly 〃good〃。 In order that in fact it may be self
and Spirit； it has first to become objectively an other to itself； in the same way that the Eternal
Being manifests itself as the process of being self…identical in its otherness。 Since this spirit is
determined as yet only as immediately existing； or dispersed into the diverse multiplicity of its
conscious life； its becoming 〃other〃 means that knowledge concentrates itself upon itself。
Immediate existence turns into thought； or merely sense…consciousness turns round into
consciousness of thought； and； moreover； because that thought has come from immediacy or is
conditioned thought； it is not pure knowledge； but thought which contains otherness； and is； thus；
the self…opposed thought of good and evil。 Man is pictorially represented by the religious mind in
this way： it happened once as an event； with no necessity about it； that he lost the form of
harmonious unity with himself by plucking the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil；
and was driven from the state of innocence； from Paradise； from the garden with all its creatures；
and from nature offering its bounties without man's toil。
Since this self…concentration on the part of the existent consciousness has straightway the
character of becoming discordant with itself； Evil appears as the first actual expression of the
self…concentrated consciousness。 And because the thoughts of good and evil are utterly opposed；
and this opposition is not yet broken down； this consciousness is essentially and merely evil。 At the
same time； however； owing to just this very opposition； there is present also the good
consciousness opposing the one that is evil； and again their relation to each other。 In so far as
immediate existence turns round into thought； and self…concentration is partly itself thought； while
partly again the transition to otherness on the part of the inner self （Wesen）； is thereby more
precisely determined； — the fact of becoming evil can be removed further backwards away out of
the actually existing world and transferred to the very earliest realm of thought。 It may thus be said
that it was the very first…born Son of Light ＇Lucifer＇ who； by becoming self…concentrated； fell； but
that in his place another was at once created。 Such a form of expression as 〃fallen〃； belonging
merely to figurative thought； and not to the notion； just like the term 〃Son〃； either （we may say）
transmutes and lowers the moments of the notion to the level of imaginative thought； or transfers
pictures 'into the realm of thought。
In the same way； it is matter of indifference to coordinate a multiplicity of other shapes and
forms（12） with the simple thought of otherness in the Being of the Eternal； and transfer to them that
condition of self…concentration。 This co…ordination must； all the same； win approval； for the reason
that； through it； this moment of otherness does express diversity； as it should do： not indeed as
plurality in general； but as determinate diversity； so that one part is the Son； that which is simple
and knows itself to be essential Being； while the other part is the abandonment； the emptying； of
self…existence； and merely lives to praise that Being。 To this part may then also be assigned the
resumption once again of the self…existence relinquished； and that 〃self…centredness〃 characteristic
of evil。 In so far as this condition of otherness falls into two parts； Spirit might； as regards its
moments； be more exactly expressed numerically as a Quaternity； a four in one； or （because the
multiplicity breaks up itself again into two parts； viz。 one part which has remained good； the other
which has become evil）； might even be expressed as a Quinity。
Counting the moments； however； can be regarded as altogether useless； since； for one thing； what
is distinguished is itself just as truly one and single…viz。 The thought of distinction which is only one
thought…as the thought is this element distinguished； the second over against the first。 For another
thing it is useless to count； because the thought which grasps the many in one has to be dissolved
out of its universality and must be distinguished into more than three or four distinct components。
This universality appears； in contrast to the absolute determinateness of the abstract unit…the
principle of number…as indeterminateness in relation to number as such； so that in this connexion
we can speak only of numbers in general； i。e。 not of a specific number of distinctions。 Hence； in
general； it is here quite superfluous to think of number and counting； just as； in other connexions；
the bare difference of magnitude and multitude says nothing at all and falls outside conceptual
thought。
Good and Evil were the specific distinctions of thought which we found。 Since their opposition is
not yet broken down； and they are represented as essential realities of thought； each of them
independent by itself； man is the self with no essential reality of his own and the mere ground which
couples them together； and on which they exist and war with one another。 But these universal
powers of good and evil belong all the same to the self； or the self is their actuality。 From this point
of view it thus comes about that； as evil is nothing else than the self…concentration of the natural
existence of spirit； conversely； good enters into actual reality and appears as an （objectively）
existing self…consciousness。 That which； when Spirit is interpreted in terms of pure thought； is in
general merely hinted at as the Divine Being's transition into otherness； here； for figurative thinking；
comes nearer its realization： the realization is taken to consist in the Divine Being 〃humbling〃 Itself；
and renouncing its abstract nature and unreality。 The other aspect； that of evil； is taken by
imagination as an event extraneous and alien to the Divine Being： to grasp evil in the Divine Being
itself as the wrath of God…that is the supreme effort； the severest strain； of which figurative thought；
wrestling with its own limitations； is capable； an effort which； since it is devoid of the notion；
remains a fruitless struggle。
The alienation of the Divine Nature is thus set up in its double…sided form： the self of Spirit； and its
simple thought； are the two moments whose absolute unity is Spirit itself。 Its alienation with itself
consists in the two falling apart from each other； and in the one having an unequal value as against
the other。 This disparateness is； therefore； twofold in character； and two connexions arise； which
have in common the moments just given。 In the one； the Divine Being stands for what is essential；
while natural existence and the self are unessential and are to be cancelled。 In the other； on the
contrary； it is self…existence which passes for what is essential and the simply Divine for
unessential。 Their mediating； though still empty； ground is existence in general； the bare community
of their two moments。
The dissolution of this opposition does not take effect through the struggle between the two
elements； which are pictured as separate and independent Beings。 Just in virtue of their
independence each must inherently； through its own notion； dissolve itself in itself。 The struggle
only takes place where both cease to be this mixture of thought and independent existence； and
confront each other merely as thoughts。 For there； being determinate notions； they essentially exist
merely in the relation of opposition； qua independent； on the other hand； they have their essential
nature outside their opposition； their movement is thus free； self…determined； and peculiar to
themselves。 If； then； we consider the movement of both as it is in themselves — i。e。 as it is
essentially — their movement starts only in that one of the two which has the character of being
inherently essential as contrasted with the other。 This is pictured as a spontaneous action； but the
necessity for its self…abandonment lies in the notion that what is inherently essential； and gets this
specific character merely through opposition； has just on that account no real independent
subsistence。 Therefore that element which has for its essence； not independent self…existence； but
simple being； is what empties and abandons itself； gives itself unto death； and so recon