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boots。
Since thus the reconciliation of self…consciousness with the present is implicitly accomplished； man
has attained to confidence in himself and in his thought； in sensuous nature outside of and within
him； he has discovered an interest and pleasure in making discoveries both in nature and the arts。
In the affairs of this world the understanding developed； man became conscious of his will and his
achievements； took pleasure in the earth and its soil； as also in his occupations； because right and
understanding were there present。 With the discovery of gunpowder the individual passion of
battle was lost。 The romantic impulse towards a casual kind of bravery passed into other
adventures； not of hate or revenge； or the so…called deliverance from what men considered the
wrongs of innocence； but more harmless adventures； the exploration of the earth； or the discovery
of the passage to the East Indies。 America was discovered； its treasures and people … nature； man
himself； navigation was the higher romance of commerce。 The present world was again present to
man as worthy of the interests of mind； thinking mind was again capable of action。 Now the
Reformation of Luther had inevitably to come … the appeal to the sensus communis which does
not recognize the authority of the Fathers or of Aristotle； but only the inward personal spirit which
quickens and animates； in contradistinction to works。 In this way the Church lost her power
against it； for her principle was within it and no longer lacking to it。 To the finite and present due
honour is accorded； from this honour the work of science proceeds。 We thus see that the finite；
the inward and outward present； becomes a matter of experience； and through the understanding
is elevated into universality； men desire to understand laws and forces； i。e。； to transform the
individual of perceptions into the form of universality。 Worldly matters demand to be judged of in a
worldly way； the judge is thinking understanding。 The other side is that the eternal； which is in and
for itself true； is also known and comprehended through the pure heart itself； the individual mind
appropriates to itself the eternal。 This is the Lutheran faith without any other accessories … works；
as they were called。 Everything had value only as it was grasped by the heart； and not as a mere
thing。 The content ceases to be an objective thing； God is thus in spirit alone； He is not a beyond
but the truest reality of the individual。
Pure thought is likewise one form of inwardness； it also approaches absolute existence and finds
itself justified in apprehending the same。 The philosophy of modern times proceeds from the
principle which ancient philosophy had reached； the standpoint of actual self…consciousness … it has
as principle the spirit that is present to itself； it brings the standpoint of the Middle Ages； the
diversity between what is thought and the existent universe； into opposition； and it has to do with
the dissolution of this game opposition。 The main interest hence is； not so much the thinking of the
objects in their truth； as the thinking and understanding of the objects； the thinking this unity itself；
which is really the being conscious of a pre…supposed object。 The getting rid of the formal culture
of the logical understanding and the monstrosities of which it was composed； was more essential
than the extension of it： investigation in such a case becomes dissipated and diffused； and passes
into the false infinite。 The general points of view which in modern philosophy we reach are hence
somewhat as follows ： —
1。 The concrete form of thought which we have here to consider on its own account； really
appears as subjective with the reflection of implicitude； so that this has an antithesis in existence；
and the interest is then altogether found in grasping the reconciliation of this opposition in its highest
existence； i。e。； in the most abstract extremes。 This highest severance is the opposition between
thought and Being； the comprehending of whose unity from this time forward constitutes the
interest of all philosophies。 Here thought is more independent； and thus we now abandon its unity
with theology； it separates itself therefrom； just as with the Greeks it separated itself from
mythology； the popular religion； and did not until the time of the Alexandrians seek out these forms
again and fill the mythological conceptions with the form of thought。 The bond remains； but for this
reason it is clearly implicit： theology throughout is merely what philosophy is； for this last is simply
thought respecting it。 It does not help theology to strive against philosophy； or to say that it wishes
to know nothing about it； and that philosophic maxims are thus to be set aside。 It has always to do
with the thought that it brings along with it； and these its subjective conceptions； its home and
private metaphysics； are thus frequently a quite uncultured； uncritical thought … the thought of the
street。 Theme general conceptions are； indeed； connected with particular subjective conviction；
and this last is said to prove the Christian content to be true in a sense all its own； but theme
thoughts which constitute the criterion are merely the reflections and opinions which float about the
surface of the time。 Thus； when thought comes forth on its own account； we thereby separate
ourselves from theology； we shall； however； consider one other in whom both are still in unity。 This
individual is Jacob Boehme； for since mind now moves in its own domains； it is found partly in the
natural and finite world； and partly in the inward； and this at first is the Christian。
While earlier than this； moreover； the spirit； distracted by outward things； had to make its influence
felt in religion and in the secular life； and came to be known in the popular philosophy so…called； it
was only in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that the genuine Philosophy re…appeared；
which seeks to grasp the truth as truth because man in thought is infinitely free to comprehend
himself and nature； and along with that seeks to understand the present of rationality； reality；
universal law itself。 For this is ours； since it is subjectivity。 The principle of modern philosophy is
hence not a free and natural thought； because it has the opposition of thought and nature before it
as a fact of which it is conscious。 Spirit and nature； thought and Being； are the two infinite sides of
the Idea； which can for the first time truly make its appearance when its sides are grasped for
themselves in their abstraction and totality。 Plato comprehended it as the bond； as limiting and as
infinite； as one and many； simple and diverse； but not as thought and Being； when we first
thinkingly overcome this opposition it signifies comprehending the unity。 This is the standpoint of
philosophic consciousness generally； but the way in which this unity must be thinkingly developed
is a double one。 Philosophy； hence falls into the two main forms in which the opposition is
resolved； into a realistic and an idealistic system of philosophy； i。e。； into one which makes
objectivity and the content of thought to arise f