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of itself explicitly to what it is inherently and implicitly； and only as this process of reflecting itself
into itself is it essentially and in truth spirit。 It is inherently the movement which is the process of
knowledge — the transforming of that inherent nature into explicitness； of Substance into Subject；
of the object of consciousness into the object of self…consciousness； i。e。 into an object that is at the
same time transcended — in other words； into the notion。 This transforming process is a cycle that
returns into itself； a cycle that presupposes its beginning； and reaches its beginning only at the end。
So far as spirit； then； is of necessity this self…distinction； it appears as a single whole； intuitively
apprehended； over against its simple self…consciousness。 And since that whole is what is
distinguished； it is distinguished into the intuitively apprehended pure notion； Time； and the
Content； the inherent； implicit； nature。 Substance； qua subject； involves the necessity； at first an
inner necessity； to set forth in itself what it inherently is； to show itself to be spirit。 The completed
expression in objective form is — and is only when completed — at the same time the reflexion of
substance； the development of it into the self。 Consequently； until and unless spirit inherently
completes itself； completes itself as a world…spirit； it cannot reach its completion as self…conscious
spirit。 The content of religion； therefore； expresses earlier in time than （philosophical） science what
spirit is； but this science alone is the perfect form in which spirit truly knows itself。
The process of carrying forward this form of knowledge of itself is the task which spirit
accomplishes as actual History。 The religious communion； in so far as it is at the outset the
substance of Absolute Spirit； is the crude form of consciousness； which has an existence all the
harsher and more barbaric the deeper is its inner spirit； and its inarticulate self has all the harder
task in dealing with its essence； the content of its consciousness alien to itself。 Not till it has
surrendered the hope of cancelling that foreignness by an external； i。e。 alien； method does it turn to
itself； to its own peculiar world； in the actual present。 It turns thither because to supersede that
alien method means returning into self…consciousness。 It thus discovers this world in the living
present to be its own property； and so has taken the first step to descend from the ideal intelligible
world； or rather to quicken the abstract element of the intelligible world with concrete self…hood。
Through 〃observation〃； on the one hand； it finds existence in the shape of thought； and
comprehends existence； and； conversely； it finds in its thought existence。（2） When； in the first
instance； it has thus itself expressed in an abstract way the immediate unity of thought and
existence； of abstract Essential Reality and Self； and when it has expressed the primal principle of
〃Light〃 in a purer form； viz。 as unity of extension and existence…for 〃existence〃 is an ultimate simple
term more adequate to thought than 〃light〃…and in this way has revived again in thought the
Substance of the Orient；（3） thereupon spirit at once recoils in horror from this abstract unity； from
this self…less substantiality； and maintains as against it the principle of Individuality。（4） But after
Spirit has externalized this principle in the process of its culture； has thereby made it an objective
existence and established it throughout the whole of existence； has arrived at the idea of 〃Utility〃（5）
and in the sphere of absolute freedom has grasped existence as its Individual Will；（6）…after these
stages； spirit then brings to light the thought that lies in its inmost depths； and expresses essential
Reality in the form Ego=Ego。（7）
This 〃Ego identical with Ego〃 is； however； the self…reflecting process； for since this identity qua
absolute negativity is absolute distinction； the self…identity of the Ego stands in contrast to this
absolute distinction； which — being pure distinction and at the same time objective to the self that
knows itself — has to be expressed as Time。 In this way； just as formerly Essential Reality was
expressed as unity of thought and extension； it would here be interpreted as unity of thought and
time。 But distinction left to itself； unresting； unhalting time； really collapses upon itself； it is the
objective quiescence of extension； while this latter is pure identity with self — is Ego。
Again； Ego is not merely self； it is identity of self with itself。 This identity； however； is complete and
immediate unity with self； in other words this Subject is just as much Substance。 Substance by
itself alone would be void and empty Intuition （Anschauen）； or the intuition of a content which
qua specific would have merely a contingent character and would be devoid of necessity。
Substance would only stand for the Absolute in so far as Substance was thought of or 〃intuited〃 as
absolute unity； and all content would； as regards its diversity； have to fall outside the Substance
and be due to reflexion； a process which does not belong to Substance； because Substance would
not be Subject； would not be conceived as Spirit； as reflecting about self and reflecting itself into
self。 if； nevertheless； a content were to be spoken of； then on the one hand it would only exist in
order to be thrown into the empty abyss of the Absolute； while on the other it would be picked up
in external fashion from sense perception。 Knowledge would appear to have come by things； by
what is distinct from knowledge itself； and to have got at the distinctions between the endless
variety of things； without any one understanding how or where all this came from。（8）
Spirit； however； has shown itself to us to be neither the mere withdrawal of self…consciousness into
its pure inwardness； nor the mere absorption of self…consciousness into Substance and the
nothingness of its （self…） distinction。 Spirit is the movement of the self which empties （externalizes）
itself of self and sinks itself within its own substance； and qua subject； both has gone out of that
substance into itself； making its substance an object and a content； and also supersedes this
distinction of objectivity and content。 That first reflexion out of immediacy is the subject's process
of distinction of itself from its substance； the notion in a process of self…diremption； the
going…into…itself and the coming into being of the pure ego。 Since this distinction is the pure action
of Ego=Ego； the notion is the necessity for and the rising of existence； which has the substance for
its essential nature and subsists on its own account。 But this subsisting of existence for itself is the
notion established in determinate form； and is thereby the notion's own inherent movement — that
of descending into the simple substance； which is only subject by being this negativity and going
through this process。
Ego has not to take its stand on the form of self…consciousness in opposition to the form of
substantiality and objectivity； as if it were afraid of relinquishing or externalizing itself。 The power
of spirit lies rather in remaining one with itself when giving up itself； and； because it is
self…contained and self…subsistent； in establishing as mere moments its explicit self…existence as well
as its implicit inherent nature。 Nor again is Ego a tertium quid which casts distinctions back into
the abyss of the Absolute； and declares them all to mean the same there。 On the contrary； true
knowledge lies rather in the seeming inactivity which merely watches how what is distinguished is
self…moved by its very nature and returns again into its own unity。
With absolute knowledge； then； Spirit has wound up the process of its embodiment； so far as the
assumption of those various shapes or modes is affected with the insurmountable distinction which
consciousness implies ＇i。e。 the distinction of consciousness from its object or content＇。 Spirit has
attained the pure element of its existence； the notion。 The content is； in view of the freedom of its
own existence； the self that empties （externalizes） itself； in other words； that content is the
immediate unity of self…knowledge。 The pure process of thus externalizing itself constitutes —
when we consider this process in its content — the necessity of this content。 The diversity of
content is； qua determinate； due to relation； and is not inherent； and its restless activity consists in
cancelling and superseding itself； or is negativity。 Thus the necessity or diversity； like its free
existence； is the self too； and in this self…form； in which existence is immediately thought； the
content is a notion。 Seeing； then； that Spirit has attained the notion； it unfolds its existence and
develops its processes in this ether of its life and is （Philosophical） Science。（9） The moments of its
process are set forth therein no longer as determinate modes or shapes of consciousness； but —
since the distinction； which consciousness implies； has reverted to and has become a distinction
within the self — as determinate notions； and as the organic self…explaining and self