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a series of stages and forms。 The distinction between these and those that have gone before
consists in their being real spiritual individualities （Geister）； actualities proper； and instead of being
forms merely of consciousness； they are forms of a world。
The living ethical world is spirit in its truth。 As it first comes to an abstract knowledge of its
essential nature； ethical life （Sittlichkeit） is destroyed in the formal universality of right or legality
（Recht）。 Spirit； being now sundered within itself； traces one of its worlds in the element of its
objectivity as in a crass solid actuality； this is the realm of Culture and Civilization； while over
against this in the element of thought is traced the world of Belief or Faith； the realm of the 。Inner
Life and Truth （Wesen）。 Both worlds； however； when in the grip of the notion — when grasped by
spirit which； after this loss of self through self…diremption； penetrates itself — are thrown into
confusion and revolutionized through individual Insight （Einsicht）； and the general diffusion of this
attitude； known as the 〃Enlightenment〃 （Aufkl？rung）。 And the realm which had thus been divided
and expanded into the 〃present〃 and the 〃remote beyond〃； into the 〃here〃 and the 〃yonder〃； turns
back into self…consciousness。 This self…consciousness； again； taking now the form of Morality （the
inner moral life） apprehends itself as the essential truth； and the real essence as its actual self no
longer puts its world and its ground and basis away outside itself； but lets everything fade into
itself； and in the form of Conscience （Gewissen） is spirit sure and certain （gewiss） of itself。
The ethical world； the world rent asunder into the 〃here〃 and the 〃yonder〃； and the moral point of
view （moralische Weltanschauung）； are； then； individual forms of spirit （Geister） whose process
and whose return into the self of spirit； a self simple and self…existent （fürsichseyend）； will be
developed。 As these attain their goal and final result； the actual self…consciousness of Absolute
Spirit will make its appearance and be their outcome。
1。 The term 〃Spirit〃 seems better to render the word 〃Geist〃 used here； than the word 〃mind〃
would do。 Up to this stage of experience the word 〃mind〃 is sufficient to convey the meaning。 But
spirit is mind at a much higher level of existence。
A
Objective Spirit —
The Ethical Order （2）
Spirit； in its ultimate simple truth； is consciousness； and breaks asunder its moments from one
another。 An act divides spirit into spiritual substance on the one side； and consciousness of the
substance on the other； and divides the substance as well as consciousness。 The substance
appears in the shape of a universal inner nature and purpose standing in contrast to itself qua
individualized reality。 The middle or mediating term； infinite in character； is self…consciousness；
which； being implicitly the unity of itself and that substance； becomes so； now； explicitly （für
sich）； unites the universal inner nature and its particular realization； raises the latter to the former
and acts ethically： and； on the other hand； brings the former down to the latter and carries out the
purpose； the substance presented merely in thought。 In this way it brings to light the unity of its self
and the substance； and produces this unity in the form of its 〃work〃； and thus as actual concrete
fact （Wirklichkeit）。
When consciousness breaks up into these elements； the simple substance has in part acquired the
attitude of opposition to self…consciousness； in part it thereby manifests in itself the very nature of
consciousness； which consists in distinguishing its own content within itself — manifests it as a
world articulated into its spheres； The substance is thus an ethical being split up into distinct
elemental forms； a human and a divine law。 In the same way； the self…consciousness appearing
over against the substance assigns itself； in virtue of its inner nature； to one of these powers； and；
qua involving knowledge； gets broken up into ignorance of what it is doing； on the one hand； and
knowledge of this on the other； a knowledge which for that reason proves a deception。 It learns；
therefore； through its own act at once the contradictory nature of those powers into which the
inner substance divided itself； and their mutual overthrow； as well as the contradiction between its
knowledge of the ethical character of its act and what is truly and essentially ethical； and so finds
its own destruction。 In point of fact； however； the ethical substance has by this process become
actual concrete self…consciousness： in other words this particular self has become self…sufficient
and self…dependent — （Anund Fürsichseyenden）； but precisely thereby the ethical order has
been overthrown and destroyed。
1。 Sittlichkeit
a
Law； Human & Divine：
Man and Woman
1。 Nation and Family
THE simple substance of spirit； being consciousness； divides itself into parts。 In other words； just
as consciousness of abstract sensuous existence passes over into perception； so does immediate
certainty of real ethical existence； and just as for sense…perception bare 〃being〃 becomes a 〃thing〃
with many properties； so for ethical perception a given act becomes a reality involving many ethical
relations。 For the former； again； the unnecessary plurality of properties concentrates itself into the
form of an essential opposition between individual and universal； and still more for the latter； which
is consciousness purified and substantial； the plurality of ethical moments is reduced to and
assumes a twofold form； that of a law of individuality and a law of universality。 Each of these areas
or 〃masses〃 of the substance remains； however； spirit in its entirety。 If in sense…perception 〃things〃
have no other substantial reality than the two determinations of individual and universal； these
determinations express； in the present instance； merely the superficial opposition of both sides to
one another。
Individuality； in the case of the subject （Wesen） we are here considering； has the significance of
self…consciousness in general； not of any particular consciousness we care to take。 The ethical
substance is； thus； in this determination actual concrete substance； Absolute Spirit realized in the
plurality of distinct consciousnesses definitely existing。 It ＇this spirit＇ is the community
（Gemeinwesen） which； as we entered the stage of the practical embodiment of reason in general；
came before us as the absolute and ultimate reality； and which here comes objectively before itself
in its true nature as a conscious ethical reality （Wesen）； and as the essential reality for that mode of
consciousness we are now dealing with。 it is spirit which is for itself； since it maintains itself by
being reflected in the minds of the component individuals； and which is in itself or substance； since
it preserves them within itself。 Qua actual substance； that spirit is a Nation （Volk）； qua concrete
consciousness； it is the Citizens of the nation。 This consciousness has its essential being in simple
spirit； and is certain of itself in the actual realization of this spirit； in the entire nation； it has its truth
there directly； not therefore in something unreal； but in a spirit which exists and makes itself felt。
（a） Human Law
This spirit can be named Human Law； because it has its being essentially in the form of
self…conscious actuality。 In the form of universality； that spirit is the law known to everybody；
familiar and recognized； and is the everyday Customary Convention （Sitte）； in the form of
particularity it is the concrete certainty of itself in any and every individual； and the certainty of itself
as a single individuality is that spirit in the form of Government。 Its true and complete nature is seen
in its authoritative validity openly and unmistakably manifested； an existence which takes the form
of unconstrained independent objective fact； and is immediately apprehended with conscious
certainty in this form。
（b） Divine Law
Over against this power and publicity of the ethical secular human order there appears； however；
another power； the Divine Law。 For the ethical power of the state； being the movement of
self…conscious action； finds its opposition in the simple immediate essential being of the ethical
order； qua actual concrete universality； it is a force exerted against the independence of the
individual； and； qua actuality in general； it finds inherent in that essential being something other than
the power of the state。
We mentioned before that each of the opposite ways in which the ethical substance exists contains
that substance in its entirety； and contains all moments of its contents。 If； then； the community is
that substance in the form of self…consciously realized action； the other side has the form of
immediate or directly existent substance。 The latter is thus；