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the two sides； which are assigned to them。
（b） The Ethical Relation od Man and Woman as Brother and Sister
An unmixed intransitive form of relationship； however； holds between brother and sister。 They are
the same blood； which； however； in them has entered into a condition of stable equilibrium。 They
therefore stand in no such natural relation as husband and wife； they do not desire one another；
nor have they given to one another； nor received from one another； this independence of individual
being； they are free individualities with respect to each other。 The feminine element； therefore； in
the form of the sister； premonizes and foreshadows most completely the nature of ethical life
（sittliches Wesen）。 She does not become conscious of it； and does not actualize it； because the
law of the family is her inherent implicit inward nature； which does not lie open to the daylight of
consciousness； but remains inner feeling and the divine element exempt from actuality。 The
feminine life is attached to these household divinities （Penates）； and sees in them both her
universal substance； and her particular individuality； yet so views them that this relation of her
individuality to them is at the same time not the natural one of pleasure。
As a daughter； the woman must now see her parents pass away with natural emotion and yet with
ethical resignation； for it is only at the cost of this condition that she can come to that individual
existence of which she is capable。 She thus cannot see her independent existence positively
attained in her relation to her parents。 The relationships of mother and wife； however； are
individualized partly in the form of something natural； which brings pleasure； partly in the form of
something negative； which finds simply its own evanescence in those relationships； partly again the
individualization is just on that account something contingent which can be replaced by an other
particular individuality。 In a household of the ethical kind； a woman's relationships are not based
on a reference to this particular husband； this particular child but to a husband； to children in
general；not to feeling； but to the universal。 The distinction between her ethical life （Sittlichkeit）
（while it determines her particular existence and brings her pleasure） and that of her husband
consists just in this； that it has always a directly universal significance for her； and is quite alien to
the impulsive condition of mere particular desire。 On the other hand； in the husband these two
aspects get separated； and since he possesses； as a citizen； the self…conscious power belonging to
the universal life； the life of the social whole； he acquires thereby the rights of desire； and keeps
himself at the same time in detachment from it。 So far； then； as particularity is implicated in this
relationship in the case of the wife； her ethical life is not purely ethical； so far； however； as it is
ethical； the particularity is a matter of indifference； and the wife is without the moment of knowing
herself as this particular self in and through an other。
The brother； however； is in the eyes of the sister a being whose nature is unperturbed by desire
and is ethically like her own； her recognition in him is pure and unmixed with any sexual relation。
The indifference characteristic of particular existence and the ethical contingency thence arising
are； therefore； not present in this relationship； instead； the moment of individual selfhood；
recognizing and being recognized； can here assert its right； because it is bound up with the balance
and equilibrium resulting from their being of the same blood； and from their being related in a way
that involves no mutual desire。 The loss of a brother is thus irreparable to the sister； and her duty
towards him is the highest。（3）
This relationship at the same time is the limit； at which the circumscribed life of the family is broken
up； and passes beyond itself。 The brother is the member of the family in whom its spirit becomes
individualized； and enabled thereby to turn towards another sphere； towards what is other than
and external to itself； and pass over into consciousness of universality。 The brother leaves this
immediate； rudimentary； and； therefore； strictly speaking； negative ethical life of the family； in order
to acquire and produce the concrete ethical order which is conscious of itself。
He passes from the divine law； within whose realm he lived； over to the human law。 The sister；
however； becomes； or the wife remains； director of the home and the preserver of the divine law。
In this way both the sexes overcome their merely natural being； and become ethically significant； as
diverse forms dividing between them the different aspects which the ethical substance assumes。
Both these universal factors of the ethical world have their specific individuality in naturally distinct
self…consciousnesses； for the reason that the spirit at work in the ethical order is the immediate
unity of the substance ＇of ethical life＇ with self…consciousnessan immediacy which thus appears
as the existence of a natural difference； at once as regards its aspect of reality and of difference。 It
is that aspect which； in the notion of spiritual reality； came to light as 〃original determinate nature〃；
when we were dealing with the stage of 〃Individuality which is real to itself〃。 This moment loses the
indeterminateness which it still has there； and the contingent diversity of 〃constitution〃 and
〃capacities〃。 It is now the specific opposition of the two sexes； whose natural character acquires at
the same time the significance of their respective ethical determinations。
（c） The Interfusion of these Two Laws
The distinction of the sexes and of their ethical content remains all the same within the unity of the
ethical substance； and its process is just the constant development of that substance。 The husband
is sent forth by the spirit of the family into the life of the community； and finds there his
self…conscious reality。 Just as the family thereby finds in the community its universal substance and
subsistence； conversely the community finds in the family the formal element of its own realization；
and in the divine law its power and confirmation。 Neither of the two is alone self…complete。 Human
law as a living and active principle proceeds from the divine； the law holding on earth from that of
the nether world； the conscious from the unconscious； mediation from immediacy； and returns too
whence it came。 The power of the nether world； on the other hand； finds its realization upon earth；
it comes through consciousness to have existence and efficacy。
3。 The Ethical World as Infinite or Self…complete Totality
The universal elements of the ethical life are thus the （ethical） substance qua universal； and that
substance qua particular consciousness。 Their universal actuality is the nation and the family； while
they get their natural self； and their operative individuality； in man and woman。 Here in this content
of the ethical world we see attained those purposes which the previous insubstantial modes of
con