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however； their haste to render assistance was itself nothing else than their desire to see and
manifest their own action and not the objectified intent； i。e。 they wanted to deceive the other
individual just in the way they complain of having been deceived。 Since there has now been
brought to light that its own action and effort； the play of its powers； is taken for the real intent；
consciousness seems to be occupied in its own way on its own account and not on that of others；
and only to be troubled about action qua its own action； and not about action qua an action of
others； and hence seems to let the others in their turn keep to their own 〃fact〃 But they go wrong
again； that consciousness has already left the point where they thought it was。 It is not concerned
with the matter in hand as 〃fact〃 in the sense of this its own particular fact； but as fact qua fact；
qua something universal； which is for all。 Hence it interferes in the action and work of others； and
if consciousness can no longer take their work out of their hands； it is at least interested in the
matter； and shows this by its concern to pass judgment。 When it stamps the result with the mark of
its approval and praise； this is meant to imply that in the work it does not merely praise the work
itself； but at the same time its own generosity and moderation in not having destroyed the work as
work nor spoiled it by finding fault。 Since it shows an interest in the work； it enjoys its own self
therein； and in the same way the work which it found fault with is welcomed for just this enjoyment
of its own action which is thereby procured。 Those； however； who regard themselves as； or
profess to be； deceived by this interference from others wanted really themselves to deceive in the
same way。 They give out their efforts and doings as something only for themselves； in which they
merely have themselves and their own nature in view。 But since they do something； and thus
express their nature； bring themselves to the light of day； they directly contradict by their deed the
pretence of wanting to exclude the daylight； i。e。 to exclude the publicity of universal consciousness；
and participation by every one。 Actualization is； on the contrary； an exposing of what is one's own
in a universal element； where it comes to be and has to be 〃fact〃 for every one。
There is； then； as much deception of itself as of others； if it is pretended that the 〃bare fact〃 is one's
sole concern。 A consciousness that lays open a 〃fact〃 soon learns that others hurry to the spot and
want to make themselves busy there； like flies to milk newly put out； and they in their turn find out
in its case that it is not dealing with 〃fact〃 qua object； but with fact as 〃its own〃。 On the other hand；
if only action itself； the use of powers and capacities； or the expression of a given individuality； is
to be the essential thing； they reciprocally learn that all are on the alert and consider themselves
invited to deal with the matter； and that instead of a mere abstract action； or a single peculiar
action； something has been elicited and exposed which was equally well for others or is a real
intent。 In both cases the same thing happens； and only appears to have a different significance by
contrast with that which was accepted and assumed to hold on the matter。 Consciousness finds
both sides to be equally essential moments； and thereby learns what the nature of the 〃fact of the
matter〃； the real intent； is； viz。 that it is neither merely 〃fact〃； which is opposed to action in general
and to individual action； nor action which is opposed to permanence and is the genus independent
of these moments as its species。 Rather it is an essential reality whose existence means the action
of the single individual and of all individuals； and whose action is immediately for others； or is a
〃fact〃； and is only 〃fact〃 in the sense of an action of each and all — the essential reality which is the
essence of all beings （We…sen）； which is spiritual essence。 Consciousness learns that no one of
these moments is subject； but rather gets dissolved in the universal objectified intent。 The moments
of individuality； which were taken as subject one after another by this unreflective incoherent stage
of consciousness； coalesce and concentrate into simple individuality； which qua this； is no less
immediately universal。 The real intent thereby ceases to stand in the relation of a predicate； loses
the characteristic of lifeless abstract universality： it is substance permeated by individuality： it is
subject； wherein is individuality just as much qua individual； or qua this； as qua all individuals： and
it is the universal； which has an existence only as being this action of each and all； and gets an
actual reality in that this consciousness knows it to be its own individual reality； and the reality of
all。 Pure objectified intent is what was characterized above as the 〃category〃 — being which is the
ego； or ego which is being； but in the sense of thought； which is still distinguished from actual
self…consciousness。 Here； however； the moments of actual self…consciousness — both so far as we
call them its content （purpose； action； and reality）； and also in so far as we call them its form
（being…for…self and being…for…another） — are made identical with the bare and simple category
itself； and the category is thereby at the same time the entire content。
1。 It is difficult to find a current English equivalent for this term （die Sache Selbst）。 〃Fact itself〃 or
〃actual fact〃 does not seem to convey much meaning。 It seems best to try to bring out the
significance implied； even though at the sacrifice of literal translation。
b
Reason as Lawgiver
SPIRITUAL essential reality is； in its bare existence； pure consciousness； and also this
self…consciousness。 The originally determinate nature of the individual has lost its positive
significance of being inherently the element and purpose of his activity； it is merely a superseded
moment； while the individual is a self in the sense of a universal self。 Conversely the formal 〃real
intent〃 gets its filling from active self…differentiating individuality； for the distinctions within
individuality compose the content of that universal。 The category is implicit （an sich） as the
universal of pure consciousness； it is also explicit （für sich）； for the self of consciousness is
likewise its moment。 It is absolute being； for that universality is the bare self…identity of being。
Thus what is object for consciousness has （now） the significance of being the true； it is and it holds
good； in the sense of being and holding good by itself as an independent entity （an und für sich
selbst）。 It is the 〃absolute fact〃； which no longer suffers from the opposition of certainty and its
truth； between universal and individual； between purpose and its reality； but whose existence is the
reality and action of self…consciousness。 This 〃fact〃 is therefore the ethical substance； and
consciousness of it is ethical consciousness。 Its object is likewise taken to be the truth； for it
combines self…consc