phenomenology of mind-第76章

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consciousness　of　the　doer；　but　is　merely　implicit；　present　in　the　subjective　inward　guilt　of　the
decision　and　the　action。　But　the　ethical　consciousness　is　more　complete；　its　guilt　purer；　if　it　knows
beforehand　the　law　and　the　ower　which　it　opposes；　if　it　takes　them　to　be　sheer　violence　and
wrong；　to　be　a　contingency　in　the　ethical　life；　and　wittingly；　like　Antigone；　con　mits　the　crime。　The
deed　when　accomplished　transforms　its　point　of　view；　the　very　performance　of　it　eo　ipso
expresses　that　what　is　ethical　has　to　be　actual；　for　the　realization　of　the　purpose　is　the　very
purpose　of　acting。　Acting　expresses　precisely　the　unity　of　reality　and　the　substance；　it　expresses
the　fact　that　actuality　is　not　an　accident　for　the　essential　element；　but　that；　in　union　with　that
element；　it　is　given　to　no　right　which　is　not　true　right。　On　account　of　this　actuality　and　on　account　of
its　deed　ethical　consciousness　must　acknowledge　its　opposite　as　its　own　actuality；　it　must
acknowledge　its　guilt。

　　　　　Because　of　our　sufferings　we　acknowledge　we　have　erred。（2）　

To　acknowledge　this　is　expressly　to　indicate　that　the　severance　between　ethical　purpose　and
actuality　has　been　clone　away；　it　means　the　return　to　the　ethical　frame　of　mind；　which　knows　that
nothing　counts　but　right。　Thereby；　however；　the　agent　surrenders　his　character　and　the　reality　of　his
self；　and　has　utterly　collapsed。　His　being　lies　in　belonging　to　his　ethical　law；　as　his　substance；　in
acknowledging　the　opposite　law；　however；　he　has　ceased　to　find　his　substance　in　this　law；　and
instead　of　reality　this　has　become　an　unreality；　a　mere　scntiment；　a　frame　of　mind。　The　substance
no　doubt　appears　as　the　〃pathic〃　element（3）　in　the　individuality；　and　the　individuality　appears　as　the
factor　which　animates　the　substance；　and　hence　stands　above　it。

But　the　substance　is　a　〃pathic〃　element　which　is　at　the　same　time　his　character；　the　ethical
individuality　is　directly　and　inherently　one　with　this　its　universal；　exists　in　it　alone；　and　is　incapable
of　surviving　the　destruction　which　this　ethical　power　suffers　at　the　hands　of　its　opposite。

This　individuality；　however；　has　all　the　same　the　certainty　that　that　individuality；　whose　〃pathic〃
element　is　this　opposite　power　＇the　opposed　law＇；　suffers　no　more　harm　than　it　has　inflicted。　The
opposition　of　the　ethical　powers　to　one　another；　and　the　process　of　the　individualities　setting　up
these　powers　in　life　and　action；　have　reached　their　true　end　only　in　so　far　as　both　sides　undergo　the
same　destruction。　For　neither　of　the　powers　has　any　advantage　over　the　other　that　it　should　be　a
more　essential　moment　of　the　substance　common　to　both。　The　fact　of　their　being　equally　and　to　the
same　degree　essential；　and　subsisting　independently　beside　each　other；　means　their　having　no
separate　self；　in　the　act　they　have　a　self…nature；　but　a　different　self；　—　which　contradicts　the　unity　of
the　self　and　cancels　their　claim　to　independent　right；　and　thus　brings　about　their　necessary
destruction。　Character　too；　in　part；　looking　at　its　〃pathic〃　element；　the　substance；　belongs　to　one
alone；　in　part；　when　we　look　at　the　aspect　of　knowledge；　the　one　character　like　the　other　is
divided　into　a　conscious　element　and　an　unconscious：　and　since　each　itself　calls　forth　this
opposition；　and　the　want　of　knowledge　is　by　the　act　also　its　doing；　each　falls　into　the　guilt　which
consumes　it。　The　victory　of　one　power　and　its　character；　and　the　defeat　of　the　other　side；　would
thus　be　merely　the　part　and　the　incomplete　work；　which　steadily　advances　till　the　equilibrium
between　the　two　is　attained。　It　is　in　the　equal　subjection　of　both　sides　that　absolute　right　is　first
accomplished；　and　the　ethical　substance；　as　the　negative　force　devouring　both　sides；　in　other
words　omnipotent　and　righteous　Destiny；　makes　its　appearance。

If　both　powers　are　taken　according　to　their　specific　content　and　its　individualization；　we　have　the
scene　presented　of　a　contest　between　them　as　individuated。　On　its　formal　side；　this　is　the　struggle
of　the　ethical　order　and　of　self…consciousness　with　unconscious　nature　and　a　contingency　due　to
this　nature。　The　latter　has　a　right　as　against　the　former；　because　this　is　only　objective　spirit；　merely
in　immediate　unity　with　its　substance。　On　the　side　of　content；　the　struggle　is　the　rupture　of　divine
and　human　law。　The　youth　goes　forth　from　the　unconscious　life　of　the　family　and　becomes　the
individuality　of　the　community　＇i。e。　Ruler＇。　But　that　he　still　shares　the　natural　life　from　which　he　has
torn　himself　away　is　seen　in　the　fact　that　he　emerges　there　—　from　only　to　find　his　claim　affected　by
the　contingency　that　there　are　two　brothers（4）　who　with　equal　right　take　possession　of　the
community；（5）　the　inequality　due　to　the　one　having　been　born　earlier　and　the　other　later；　an
inequality　which　is　a　natural　difference；　has　no　importance　for　them　when　they　enter　the　ethical　life
of　society。　But　government；　as　the　single　soul；　the　self　of　the　national　spirit；　does　not　admit　of　a
duality　of　individuality；　and　in　contrast　to　the　ethical　necessity　of　this　unity；　nature　appears　as　by
accident　providing　more　than　one。　These　two　＇brothers＇；　therefore；　become　disunited；　and　their
equal　right　in　regard　to　the　power　of　the　state　is　destructive　to　both；　for　they　are　equally　wrong。
Humanly　considered；　he　has　committed　the　crime　who；　not　being　in　actual　possession；　attacks　the
community；　at　the　head　of　which　the　other　stood。　While　again　he　has　right　on　his　side　who　knew
how　to　seize　the　other　merely　qua　particular　individual；　detached　from　the　community；　and　who
banished　him；　while　thus　powerless；　out　of　the　community；　he　has　merely　laid　hands　on　the
individual　as　such；　not　the　community；　not　the　essential　nature　of　human　right。　The　community；
attacked　and　defended　from　a　point　of　view　which　is　merely　particular；　maintains　itself；　and　both
brothers　find　their　destruction　reciprocally　through　one　another。　For　individuality；　which　involves
peril　to　the　whole　in　the　maintenance　of　its　own　self…existence　（Fürsichseyn）；　has　thrust　its　own
self　out　of　the　community；　and　is　disintegrated　in　its　own　nature。　The　community；　however；　will　do
honour　to　the　one　who　is　found　on　its　side；　the　government；　the　reestablished　singleness　of　the　self
of　the　community；　will　punish　by　depriving　of　the　last　honour　him　who　already　proclaimed　its
devastation　on　the　walls　of　the　city。　He　who　came　to　affront　the　highest　spiritual　form　of　conscious
life；　the　spirit　of　the　community；　must　be　stripped　of　the　honour　of　his　entire　and　complete　nature；
the　honour　due　to　the　spirit　of　the　departed。（6）

But　if　the　universal　thus　lightly　knocks　off　the　highest　point　of　its　pyramid；　and　doubtless　triumphs
victoriously　over　the　family；　the　rebellious　principle　of　individuation；　it　has　thereby　merely　put　itself
into　conflict　with　divine　law；　the　self…conscious　with　the　unconscious　spirit。　For　the　latter；　this
unconscious　spirit；　is　the　other　essential　power；　and　therefore　the　power　undestroyed；　and　only
insulted　by　the　former。　It　finds；　however；　only　a　bloodless　shade　to　lend　it　help　towards　actually
carrying　itself　out　in　the　face　of　that　masterful　and　openly　enunciated　law。　Being　the　law　of
weakness　and　of　darkness；　it　therefore　gives　way；　to　begin　with；　before　law　which　has　force　and
publicity；　for　the　strength　of　the　former　is　effective　in　the　nether　realm；　not　on　earth　and　in　the　light
of　day。　But　the　actual　and　concrete；　which　has　taken　away　from　what　is　inward　its　honour　and　its
power；　has　thereby　consumed　its　own　real　nature。　The　spirit　which　is　manifest　to　the　light　of　day
has　the　roots　of　its　power　in　the　lower　world：　the　certainty　felt　by　a　nation；　a　certainty　which　is　sure
of　itself　and　which　makes　itself　assured；　finds　the　truth　of　its　oath　binding　all　its　members　into　one；
solely　in　the　mute　unconscious　substance　of　all；　in　the　waters　of　forgetfulness。　In　consequence；　the
fulfilment　of　the　public　spirit　turns　round　into　its　opposite；　and　learns　that　its　supreme　right　is
supreme　wrong；　its　victory　rather　its　own　defeat。　The　slain；　whose　right　is　injured；　knows；
therefore；　how　to　find　means　of　vengeance　which　are　equally　as　real　and　strong　as　the　power　at
whose　hands　it　has　suffered。　These　powers　are　other　communities；（7）　whose　altars　the　dogs　or
birds　defiled　with　the　corpse　of　the　dead；　which　is　not　raised　into　unconscious　universality　by　being
restored；　as　is　its　due；　to　the　ultimate　individuum；　the　elemental　earth；　but　instead　has　remained
above　ground　in　the　sphere　of　reality；　and　has　now　received；　as　the　force　of　divine　law；　a
self…conscious　actual　universality。　They　rise　up　in　hostility；　and　destroy　the　community　which　has
dishonoured　and　destroyed　its　own　power；　the　sacred　claims；　the　〃piety〃　of　the　family。

Represented　in　this　way；　the　movement　of　human　and　divine　law　finds　the　expression　of　its
necessity　in　individuals；　in　whom　the　universal　appears　as　a　〃pathic〃　element；　and　the　activity　of　the
movement　as　action　of　individuals；　which　gives　the　appearance　of　contingency　to　the　necessity　of
the　process。　But　individuality　and　action　constitute　the　principle　of　individuation　in　general；　a
principle　which　in　its　pure　universality　was　called　inner　divine　law。　As　a　moment　of　the　visible
community　it　does　not　merely　exhibit　that　unconscious　activity　of　the　nether　world；　its　operation　is
not　simply　external　in　its　existence；　it　has　an　equally　manifest　visible　existence　and　process；　actual
in　the　actual　nation。　Taken　in　this　form；　what　was　represented　as　a　simple　process　of　the　〃pathic〃
element　as　embodied　in　individuals；　assumes　another　look；　and　crime　and　the　resulting　ruin　of　the
community　assume　the　proper　form　of　their　existence。

Human　law；　then；　in　its　universal　mode　of　existence　is　the　community；　in　its　efficient　operation　in
general　is　the　manhood　of　the　community；　in　its　actual　efficient　operation　is　the　government。　It　has
its　being；　its　process；　and　its　subsistence　by　consuming　and　absorbing　into　itself　the　separatist
action　of　the　household　gods　（Penates）；　the　individualization　into　insular　independent　families
which　are　under　the　management　of　womankind；　and　by　keeping　them　dissolved　in　the　fluent
continuum　of　its　own　nature。　The　family　at　the　same　time；　however；　is　in　general　its　element；　the
individual　consciousness　its　universal　operative　basis。　Since　the　community　gets　itself　subsistence
only　by　breaking　in　upon　family　happiness；　and　dissolving　＇individual＇　self…consciousness　into　the
universal；　it　creates　its　enemy　for　itself　within　its　own　gates；　creates　it　in　what　it　suppresses；　and
what　is　at　the　same　time　essential　to　it　—　womankind　in　general。　Womankind　the　everlasting　irony
in　the　life　of　the　community　changes　by　intrigue　the　universal　purpose　of　government　into　a　private
end；　transforms　its　universal　activity　into　a　work　of　this　or　that　specific　individual；　and　perverts　the
universal　property　of　the　state　into　a　possession　and　ornament　for　the　family。　Woman　in　this　way
turns　to　ridicule　the　grave　wisdom　of　maturity；　which；　being　dead　to　all　particular　aims；　to　private
pleasure；　personal　satisfaction；　and　actual　activity　as　well；　thinks　of；　and　is　concerned　for；　merely
what　is　universal；　s