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is absolutely essential for spiritual fulfilment。 In the preceding analysis of spirit； one form
of this process has been considered； the realization of the objective social order in and
through individuals。 In the succeeding section； with its various subsections； the other
process of securing the same general result is analysed： we have the movement by which；
starting from the individual spirit； the realization of complete spiritual existence is
established。 The former starts from the compact solidarity of the social substance； and
results in the establishment of separate and individually complete legal personalities。 The
latter process starts from the rigidly exclusive unity of the individual self and issues in the
establishment of a social order of absolutely universal and therefore absolutely free wins。
Both processes are per se abstract； necessary though they are： hence； as we shall find； a
further stage in the evolution of spirit has still to appear。
The process of spirit in this second stage assumes from the start a conscious contrast
between the individual spirit and a universal spiritual whole； a contrast； which； while
profound； the individual seeks to remove； because the universality of spiritual existence
which he seeks to attain is implicitly involved in his very being as a spiritual entity。 His
spiritual life seems； to begin with； rent in twain； so complete is the sense of the opposition
of these factors constituting his life。 His true life； his objective embodiment； seems outside
him altogether and yet is felt to be his own self。 He seems 〃estranged〃 from his complete
self； and the estrangement seems his own doing； because the substance from which he is
cut off is felt to be his own。 The contrast is the deepest that spirit can possibly experience；
just because spirit is and knows itself to be self…contained and self…complete； 〃the only
reality〃。 The contrast can only be removed by effort and struggle； for the individual spirit
has to create or recreate for itself and by its own activity a universal objective spiritual
realm； which it implies and in which alone it can be free and feel itself at home。 The
struggle spirit goes through is thus the greatest in the whole range of its experience； for
the opposition to be overcome is the profoundest that exists。 Since its aim is to achieve
the highest for itself； nothing sacred can be allowed to stand in its way。 It will make any
sacrifice； and； if necessary； produce the direst spiritual disaster； a spiritual 〃reign of terror〃；
to accomplish its result。
The movement of spirit here analysed covers every form of the individual's 〃struggle for a
substantial spiritual life〃。 It embraces the 〃intellectual〃； 〃economic〃； 〃religious〃； and the
〃ethical〃 in the narrower sense of these terms； it embraces all that we mean by 〃culture〃
and 〃civilization〃。 Hence the various parts of the argument： — spiritual 〃discipline〃；
〃enlightenment〃； the pursuit of 〃wealth〃； 〃belief〃 and 〃superstition〃； 〃absolute freedom〃。
The process of spiritual life passed under critical review here is familiar to a greater or less
extent in every age and every society。 But the actual historical material present to the
mind of the writer is derived from （1） the period of European history embracing the
entrance of Christianity and Christian philosophy into European civilization after the fall of
the Roman Empire； and the intellectual； 〃humanistic〃； awakening of the Renaissance which
led on to the ecclesiastical revolution known as the Reformation： （2） the rationalistic
movement of the eighteenth century； the so…called 〃Enlightenment〃 which proceded and
culminated in the French Revolution； the supreme outburst of spiritual emancipation known
in European history。 These two periods； far removed as they are in time； have much in
common。 They embody principles of spiritual development fundamentally &like； and are
therefore freely drawn upon in the analysis； regardless of historicity。
Much of Hegel's analysis of the first stage of this spiritual movement has also directly in
view the character of Rameau in Diderot's Le neveu de Rameau。 This remarkable work was
written in 1760； but was first brought to the notice of the literary public by Goethe； who
translated and published the work in 1805。 It thus came into Hegel's hands while he was
writing the Phenomenology： and this perhaps accounts the repeated references to it in the
argument。 The term 〃self…estranged spirit〃 with which he heads this section occurs in
Goethe's translation。 Rameau is an extreme type of such a spirit。
With this section should be read Hegel's Philosophy of History； Pt。 III； § 3； c。 2； Pt。 IV； § 2；
c。 1； § 3； c。 1； 3： the History of Philosophy； Pt。 3； Introduction； and c。 2； 〃The French
Philosophy and the German Enlightenment。〃
I。 The world of spirit in self…estrangement
a。 Culture and its realm of actual reality
b。 Belief and pure insight
II。 Enlightenment
a。 The struggle of enlightenment with superstition
b。The truth of enlightenment
III。 Absolute freedom and terror
C。 Spirit certain of itself： Morality
Translator's comments： The following section deals with the final and highest stage in the
life of finite spiritual experience as realized in the concrete form of a historical society。
Here the substance of the social order is the real content of the self…conscious individual：
that substance has become subjectified； we have therefore a self…contained spiritual
subject。 The discordance involved in the sphere of culture and enlightenment is overcome
by the self knowing and realizing itself as a completely universal self…determining free will；
its world within itself； and its self its own world。 Each reflects the whole （the totality of social
life） in itself so perfectly that what it does is transparently the doing of the whole as much
as its own doing。 Such a sphere of spiritual existence is Morality； the all…sufficient spiritual
order of the finite spirit as an individual。 The meaning assigned to 〃morality〃 here is that
expressed by Kant when he says that morality is 〃the relation of actions to the autonomy
of the will； i。e。 to possible universal legislation through maxims of the will〃。 In other words；
all the universality constituting the interrelations of finite spirits in a society is epitomized
in the soul of the acting individual； who can thus quite legitimately look upon itself as the
self…regulating source of all universal conditions of action。
It is inevitable that such a concrete mode of experience should have and should pass
through various stages in the process of various aspects fully realizing its nature。 The
individual may lay exclusive stress on the self…completeness which he possesses through
being the source and origin of his own laws。 His self…legislative function； just because it
carries with it the sense of universality； may appear so supremely important that all the
actual detail of his life comes to be treated as external； indifferent； and contingent。 This
detail no doubt is essential to give body and substance to his spiritual individuality； but
the universality of his will so far transcends each and every detail of content as to seem by
itself the sole and all…sufficient reality of his being。 The content of his life only enters into
consideration as an element to be regulated and made to conform to the universal： the
relation so constituted between content and universal is found in the consciousness of
Duty。 Since the content is thus subordinate； though absolutely essential to give even
meaning to the idea and the 〃fulfilment〃 of duty； and since the universal is the supremely
important fact； not merely is duty to be fulfilled for duty's sake； but the duty in question is
pure duty。 The 〃good will〃 is the purely universal will； and is the only will in the world from
this point of view。
In the first section （a） Hegel analyses this phase of the moral life。
The historical material the writer has in mind is a moral attitude which came into
prominence at the time of the Romantic movement towards the end of the eighteenth and
the beginning of the nineteenth centuries。 It found its philosophical expression