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the other hand； divine law is individualized； the unconscious spirit of the particular individual finds
its existence； in woman； through the mediation of whom the unconscious spirit comes out of its
unrealizedness into actuality； and rises out of the state of unknowing and unknown； into the
conscious realm of universal spirit。 The union of man with woman constitutes the operative
mediating agency for the whole； and constitutes the element which； while separated into the
extremes of divine and human law； is； at the same time； their immediate union。 This union； again；
turns both those first mediate connexions （Schlusse） into one and the same synthesis； and unites
into one process the twofold movement in opposite directions…one from reality to unreality； the
downward movement of human law； organized into independent members； to the danger and trial
of death；…the other； from unreality to reality； the upward movement of the law of the nether world
to the daylight of conscious existence。 Of these movements the former falls to man； the latter to
woman。
1。 The description here refers to the process of bodily corruption。
2。 i。e。 the earth？
3。 Cp。 Antigone； 1。 910。
4。 Cp。 p。 384 ff。
5。 Cp。 p。 391 ff。
6。 Cp。 p。 402 ff。
7。 Cp。 p。 419 ff。
8。 Cp。 p。 440 ff。
9。 The reference here is to Orestes。
10。 P。 471 sup。
b
Knowledge； Human & Divine：
Guilt and Destiny
IN the form presented by the opposition of elements in the realm just dealt with；
self…consciousness has not yet come to its rights as a single individuality。 Individuality there has； on
one side； the sense of merely universal will； on the other； of consanguinity of the family。 This
particular individual has merely the significance of shadowy unreality。 There is as yet no
performance of an act。 The act； however； is the realized self。 It breaks in upon the untroubled
stable organization and movement of the ethical world。 What there appears as ordinance and
harmony between both its constituent elements； each of which confirms and complements the
other； becomes through the performing of an act a transition of oppposites into one another； by
which each proves to be the annihilation rather than the confirmation of its self and its opposite。 It
becomes the process of negation or destruction； the eternal necessity of awful destiny； which
engulfs in the abyss of its bare identity divine and human law alike； as well as both the
self…conscious factors in which these powers subsist； and； to our view； passes over into the
absolute self…existence of mere single self…consciousness。
1。 Contradiction of Individuality with its Essence
The basis from which this movement proceeds； and on which it takes effect； is the kingdom of the
ethical order。 But the activity at work in this process is self…consciousness。 Being ethical
consciousness； it is the pure and simple direction of activity towards the essential principle of the
ethical life — it is Duty。 There is no caprice； and likewise no struggle； no indecision in it； since it
has given up legislating and testing laws： the essential ethical principle is； for it； something
immediate； unwavering； without contradiction。 There is therefore neither the painful spectacle of
finding itself in a collision between passion and duty； nor the comic spectacle of a collision
between duty and duty — a collision； which so far as content goes is the same as that between
passion and duty； for passion can also be presented as a duty； because duty； when consciousness
withdraws into itself and leaves its immediate essential； substance （Wesenheit）； comes to be the
formal universal； into which one content fits equally well with another； as we found before。 The
collision of duties is； however； comical； because it brings out the contradiction inherent in the idea
of an absolute standing opposed to another absolute； expresses something absolute and then
directly the annihilation of this so…called absolute or duty。 The ethical consciousness； however；
knows what it has to do； and is decided； whether it is to belong to divine or human law。 This
directness which characterizes its decision is something immanent and inherent （Ansichseyn）； and
hence has at the same time the significance of a natural condition of being； as we saw。 Nature； not
the accident of circumstances or choice； assigns one sex to one law the other to the other law； or
conversely both the ethical powers themselves establish their individual existence and actualization
in the two sexes。
Thus； then； because on the one side the ethical order consists essentially in this immediate
directness of decision； and therefore only the one law is for consciousness the essential reality；
while； on the other side； the powers of the ethical order are actual in the self of conscious life — in
this way these forces acquire the significance of excluding one another and of being opposed to
one another。 They are explicit in self…consciousness just as they were merely implicit in the realm
of the ethical order。 The ethical consciousness； because it is decisively on the side of one of them；
is essentially Character。 There is not for it equal essentiality in both。 The opposition therefore
appears as an unfortunate collision of duty merely with reality； on which right has no hold。 The
ethical consciousness is qua self…consciousness in this opposition； and being so； it at once
proceeds either to subdue by force this reality opposed to the law which it accepts； or to get
round this reality by craft。 Since it sees right only on its own side； and wrong on the other； so； of
these two； that which belongs to divine law detects； on the other side； mere arbitrary fortuitous
human violence； while what appertains to human law finds in the other the obstinacy and
disobedience of subjective self…sufficiency。 For the commands of government have a universal
sense and meaning open to the light of day； the will of the other law； however； is the inner
concealed meaning of the realm of darkness （unterirdisch）； a meaning which appears expressed
as the will of a particular being； and in contradicting the first is malicious offence。
There arises in this way in consciousness the opposition between what is known and what is not
known； just as； in the case of substance； there was an opposition between the conscious and the
unconscious； and the absolute right of ethical self…consciousness comes into conflict with the divine
right of the essential reality。 Self…consciousness； qua consciousness； takes the objective actuality；
as such； to have essential being。 Looking at its substance； however； it is the unity of itself and this
opposite； and the ethical self…consciousness is consciousness of that substance： the object； qua
opposed to self…consciousness； has； therefore； entirely lost the characteristic of having essential
being by itself。 Just as the spheres ＇of conscious life＇ where the object is merely a 〃thing〃 are long
past and gone； so； too； are these spheres； where consciousness sets up and establishes something
from out itself； and turns a particular moment into the essential reality （Wesen）。
Against such one…sidedness actual concrete reality has a power of its own； it takes the side of truth
against consciousness and shows consciousness itself what the truth is。 The ethical consciousness；
however； has drunk from the cup of the absolute substance； forgotten all the one…sidedness of
isolating self…existence； all its purposes and peculiar notions； and has； therefore； at the same time
drowned in this Stygian stream all essentiality of nature and all the independence claimed by the
objective reality。 Its absolute right； therefore； when it acts in accordance with ethical law； is to find
in this actualization nothing else than the fulffiment and performance of this law itself： and that the
deed should manifest nothing but ethical action。
The ethical； being absolute essence and absolute power at once； cannot endure any perversion of
its content。 If it were merely absolute essence without power； it might undergo perversion at the
hands of individuality。 But this latter； being ethical consciousness； has renounced all perverting
when it gave up its one…sided subjectivity （Fürsichseyn）。 Conversely； again； mere power might be
perverted by the essential reality； if power were still a subjectivity of that kind。 On account of this
unity； individuality is a pure form of the substance which is the content； and action consists in
transition from thought over into reality； merely as the process of an unreal opposition； whose
moments have no special and particular content distinct from one another； and no essential nature
of their own。 The absolute right of ethical consciousness is； therefore； that the deed； the mode and
form of its realization； should be nothing else than it knows。
But the essential ethical reality has split asunder into two laws； and consciousness； taking up an
undivided single attitude towards law； is assigned only to one。 Just as this simple consciousness
takes its stand on the absolute right that the essential realit