phenomenology of mind-第104章

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Consciousness　expresses　its　conviction：　in　this　conviction　alone　is　the　action　duty：　it　holds　good　as
duty；　too；　solely　by　the　conviction　being　expressed。　For　universal　self…consciousness　stands
detached　from　the　specific　act　which　merely　exists：　the　act　qua　existence　means　nothing　to　it：　what
it　holds　of　importance　is　the　conviction　that　the　act　is　a　duty；　and　this　appears　concretely　in
language。

To　realize　the　act　means　here　not　translating　its　content　from　the　form　of　purpose；　or
self…existence；　into　the　form　of　abstract　reality：　it　means　translating　it　from　the　form　of　immediate
certainty　of　self；　which　takes　its　knowledge；　its　self…existence；　to　be　the　essential　fact；　into　the　form
of　the　assurance　that　consciousness　is　convinced　of　its　duty；　and；　being　conscience；　knows　of　itself
what　duty　is。　This　assurance　thus　guarantees　that　consciousness　is　convinced　of　its　conviction
being　the　essential　fact。

Whether　the　assurance；　that　it　acts　from　conviction　of　duty；　is　true；　whether　it　really　is　duty　which
is　done　—　these　questions　or　doubts　have　no　meaning　as　directed　against　conscience。　In　the　case
of　the　question；　whether　the　assurance　is　true；　it　would　be　assumed　that　the　inner　attention　is
different　from　the　one　put　forward；　i。e。　that　the　willing　of　the　individual　self　can　be　separated　from
duty；　from　the　will　of　the　universal　and　pure　consciousness：　the　latter　will　would　in　that　case　be　a
matter　of　words；　while　the　former　would　be　strictly　the　real　moving　principle　of　the　act。　But　such　a
distinction　between　the　universal　consciousness　and　the　individual　self　is　precisely　what　has　been
cancelled；　and　the　superseding　of　it　constitutes　conscience。　Immediate　knowledge　on　the　part　of
self　which　is　certain　of　itself　is　law　and　duty。　Its　intention；　by　being　its　own　intention；　is　what　is
right。　All　that　is　required　is　that　it　should　know　this；　and　state　its　conviction　that　its　knowledge　and
will　are　the　right。　The　expression　of　this　assurance　ipso　facto　cancels　the　form　of　its　particularity。　It
recognizes　thereby　the　necessary　universality　of　the　self。　In　that　it　calls　itself　conscience；　it　calls
itself　pure　self…knowledge　and　pure　abstract　will；　i。e。　it　calls　itself　a　universal　knowledge　and　will
which　acknowledges　and　recognizes　others；　is　like　them　—　for　they　are　just　this　pure
self…knowledge　and　will　—　and　which　is　on　that　account　also　recognized　by　them。　In　the　willing　of
the　self　which　is　certain　of　itself；　in　this　knowledge　of　the　self　as　the　essential　reality；　lies　the
essence　of　the　right。

When　any　one　says；　therefore；　he　is　acting　from　conscience；　he　is　saying　what　is　true；　for　his
conscience　is　the　self　which　knows　and　wills。　But　it　is　essential　he　should　say　so；　for　this　self　has　to
be　at　the　same　time　universal　self。　It　is　not　universal　in　the　content　of　the　act：　for　this　content　is　per
se　indifferent　on　account　of　its　being　specific　and　determinate。　The　universality　lies　in　the　form　of
the　act。　It　is　this　form　which　is　to　be　affirmed　as　real：　the　form　is　the　self；　which　as　such　is　actual　in
language；　pronounces　itself　to　be　the　truth；　and　just　by　so　doing　acknowledges　all　other　selves；　and
is　recognized　by　them。

Conscience；　then；　in　its　majestic　sublimity　above　any　specific　law　and　every　content　of　duty；　puts
whatever　content　it　pleases　into　its　knowledge　and　willing。　It　is　moral　genius　and　originality；　which
knows　the　inner　voice　of　its　immediate　knowledge　to　be　a　voice　divine；　and　since　in　such
knowledge　it　directly　knows　existence　as　well；　it　is　divine　creative　power；　which　contains　living
force　in　its　very　conception。　It　is　in　itself；　too；　divine　worship；　〃service　of　God〃；　for　its　action　is　the
contemplation　of　this　its　own　proper　divinity。

This　solitary　worship；　this　〃service　of　God〃　in　solitude　of　soul；　is　at　the　same　time　essentially
〃service　of　God〃　on　the　art　of　a　religious　community；　and　pure　inward　self…knowledge　and
perception　of　self　pass　to　being　a　moment　of　consciousness。（5）　Contemplation　of　itself　is　its
objective　existence；　and　this　objective　element　is　the　utterance　of　its　knowledge　and　will　as　a
universal。　Through　such　expression　the　self　becomes　established　and　accepted；　and　the　act
becomes　an　effective　deed；　a　deed　carrying　out　a　definite　result。　What　gives　reality　and
subsistence　to　its　deed　is　universal　self…consciousness。　When；　however；　conscience　finds
expression；　this　puts　the　certainty　of　itself　in　the　form　of　pure　self　and　thereby　as　universal　self。
Others　let　the　act　hold　as　valid；　owing　to　the　explicit　terms　in　which　the　self　is　thus　expressed　and
acknowledged　to　be　the　essential　reality。　The　spirit　and　the　substance　of　their　community　are；　thus；
the　mutual　assurance　of　their　conscientiousness；　of　their　good　intentions；　the　rejoicing　over　this
reciprocal　purity　of　purpose；　the　quickening　and　refreshment　received　from　the　glorious　privilege
of　knowing　and　of　expressing；　of　fostering　and　cherishing；　a　state　so　altogether　admirable。

So　far　as　this　sphere　of　conscience　still　distinguishes　its　abstract　consciousness　from　its
self…consciousness；　its　life　is　merely　hid　in　God。　God　is　indeed　immediately　present　to　its　mind　and
heart；　to　its　self。　But　what　is　revealed；　its　actual　consciousness　and　the　mediating　process　of　this
consciousness；　is；　to　it；　something　other　than　that　hidden　inner　life　and　the　immediacy　of　God's
presence。　But；　with　the　completion　of　conscience；　the　distinction　between　its　abstract
consciousness　and　its　self…consciousness　is　done　away。　It　knows　that　the　abstract　consciousness　is
just　this　self；　this　individual　self…existence　which　is　certain　of　itself：　that　the　very　difference　between
the　terms　is　abolished　in　the　immediateness　of　the　relation　of　the　self　to　the　ultimate　Being；　which；
when　placed　outside　the　self；　is　the　abstract　essence；　and　a　Being　concealed　from　it。　For　a　relation
is　mediate　when　the　terms　related　are　not　one　and　the　same；　but　each　is　a　different　term　for　the
other；　and　is　one　only　with　the　other　in　some　third　term：　an　immediate　relation；　however；　means；
in　fact；　nothing　else　than　the　unity　of　the　terms。　Having　risen　above　the　meaningless　position　of
holding　these　distinctions；　which　are　not　distinctions　at　all；　to　be　still　such；　consciousness　knows
the　immediateness　of　the　presence　of　ultimate　Being　within　it　to　be　the　unity　of　that　Being　and　its
self：　it　thus　knows　itself　to　be　the　living　inherent　reality；　and　knows　its　knowledge　to　be　Religion；
which；　qua　knowledge　viewed　as　an　object　or　knowledge　with　an　objective　existence；　is　the
utterance　of　the　religious　communion　regarding　its　own　spirit。

We　see　then；　here；　self…consciousness　withdrawn　into　the　inmost　retreats　of　its　being；　with　all
externality；　as　such；　gone　and　vanished　from　it　—　returned　into　the　intuition　of　ego　as　altogether
identical　with　ego；　an　intuition　where　this　ego　is　all　that　is　essential；　and　all　that　exists。　It　is
swamped　in　this　conception　of　itself；　for　it　has　been　driven　to　the　extreme　limit　of　its　extreme
positions；　and　in　such　a　way　that　the　moments　distinguished；　moments　through　which　it　is　real　or
still　consciousness；　are　not　merely　for　us　these　bare　extremes；　rather　what　it　is　for　itself；　and　what；
to　it；　is　inherent；　and　what　is；　for　it；　existence　—　all　these　moments　have　evaporated　into
abstractions。　They　have　no　longer　stability；　no　substantial　existence　for　this　consciousness　itself。
Everything；　that　was　hitherto　for　consciousness　essential；　has　reverted　into　these　abstractions。
When　clarified　to　this　degree　of　transparency；　consciousness　exists　in　its　poorest　form；　and　the
poverty；　constituting　its　sole　and　only　possession；　is　itself　a　process　of　disappearance。　This
absolute　certainty　into　which　the　substance　has　been　resolved　is　absolute　untruth；　which
collapses　within　itself；　it　is　absolute　self…consciousness；　in　which　consciousness　＇with　its　relation　of
self　and　object＇　is　submerged　and　goes　under。

Looking　at　this　submergence　and　disappearance　from　within；　the　inherent　and　essential　substance
is；　for　consciousness；；　knowledge　in　the　sense　of　its　knowledge。　Being　consciousness；　it　is　split　up
into　the　opposition　between　itself　and　the　object；　which　is；　for　it；　the　essentially　real。　But　this　very
object　is　what　is　perfectly　transparent；　is　its　self；　and　its　consciousness　is　merely　knowledge　of
itself。　All　life　and　all　spiritual　truth　have　returned　into　this　self；　and　have　lost　their　difference　from
the　ego。　The　moments　of　consciousness　are　therefore　these　extreme　abstractions；　of　which　none
holds　its　ground；　but　each　loses　itself　in　the　other　and　produces　it。　We　have　here　the　process　of　the
〃unhappy　soul〃；（6）　in　restless　change　with　self；　in　the　present　case；　however；　this　is　a　conscious
experience　going　on　inside　itself；　fully　conscious　of　being　the　notion　of　reason；　while　the　〃unhappy
soul〃　above　spoken　of　was　only　reason　implicitly。　The　absolute　certainty　of　self　thus　finds　itself；
qua　consciousness；　converted　directly　into　a　dying　sound；　a　mere　objectification　of　its　subjectivity
or　self…existence。　But　this　world　so　created　is　the　utterance　of　its　own　voice；　which　in　like　manner
it　has　directly　heard；　and　only　the　echo　of　which　returns　to　it。　This　return　does　not　therefore　mean
that　the　self　is　there　in　its　true　reality　（an　und　für　sich）：　for　the　real　is；　for　it；　not　an　inherent　being；
is　no　per　se；　but　its　very　self。　Just　as　little　has　consciousness　itself　existence；　for　the　objective
aspect　does　not　succeed　in　becoming　something　negative　of　the　actual　self；　in　the　same　way　as　this
self　does　not　reach　complete　actuality。　It　lacks　force　to　externalize　itself；　the　power　to　make　itself　a
thing；　and　endure　existence。　It　lives　in　dread　of　staining　the　radiance　of　its　inner　being　by　action　and
existence。　And　to　preserve　the　purity　of　its　heart；　it　flees　from　contact　with　actuality；　and
steadfastly　perseveres　in　a　state　of　self…willed　impotence　to　renounce　a　self　which　is　pared　away　to
the　last　point　of　abstraction；　and　to　give　itself　substantial　existence；　or；　in　other　words；　to　transform
its　thought　into　being；　and　commit　itself　to　absolute　distinction　＇that　between　thought　and　being＇。
The　hollow　object；　which　it　produces；　now　fills　it；　therefore；　with　the　feeling　of　emptiness。　Its
activity　consists　in　yearning；　which　merely　loses　itself　in　becoming　an　unsubstantial　shadowy
object；　and；　rising　above　this　loss　and　falling　back　on　itself；　finds　itself　merely　as　lost。　In　this
transparent　purity　of　its　moments　it　becomes　a　sorrow…laden　〃beautiful　soul〃；　as　it　is　called；　its　light
dims　and　dies　within　it；　and　it　vanishes　as　a　shapeless　vapour　dissolving　into　thin　air。（7）

This　silent　fusion　of　the　pithless　unsubstantial　elements　of　evaporated　life　has；　however；　still　to　be
taken　in　the　other　sense　of　the　reality　of　conscience；　and　in　the　way　its　process　actually　appears。
Conscience　has　to　be　considered　as　acting。　The　objective　moment　in　this　phase　of　consciousness
took　above　the　determinate　form　of　universal　consciousness。　The　knowing　of　self　is；　qua　this
particular　self；　different　from　the　other　self。　Language　in　which　all　reciprocally　recognize　and
acknowledge　each　other　as　acting　conscientiously　—　this　general　equality　breaks　up　into　the
inequali