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is one〃； against the organized whole of determinate and complete knowledge； or of knowledge
which at least aims at and demands complete development…to give out its Absolute as the night in
which； as we say； all cows are black…that is the very na？veté of emptiness of knowledge。
The formalism which has been deprecated and despised by recent philosophy； and which has
arisen once more in philosophy itself； will not disappear from science； even though its inadequacy
is known and felt； till the knowledge of absolute reality has become quite clear as to what its own
true nature consists in。 Having in mind that the general idea of what is to be done； if it precedes the
attempt to carry it out； facilitates the comprehension of this process； it is worth while to indicate
here some rough idea of it； with the hope at the same time that this will give us the opportunity to
set aside certain forms whose habitual presence is a hindrance in the way of speculative
knowledge。
5。 The absolute is subject —
In my view…a view which the developed exposition of the system itself can alone justify…everything
depends on grasping and expressing the ultimate truth not as Substance but as Subject as well。 At
the same time we must note that concrete substantiality implicates and involves the universal or the
immediacy of knowledge itself； as well as that immediacy which is being； or immediacy qua object
for knowledge。 If the generation which heard God spoken of as the One Substance was shocked
and revolted by such a characterization of his nature； the reason lay partly in the instinctive feeling
that in such a conception self…consciousness was simply submerged； and not preserved。 But
partly； again； the opposite position； which maintains thinking to be merely subjective thinking；
abstract universality as such； is exactly the same bare uniformity； is undifferentiated； unmoved
substantiality。 And even if； in the third place； thought combines with itself the being of substance；
and conceives immediacy or intuition （Anschauung） as thinking； it is still a question whether this
intellectual intuition does not fall back into that inert； abstract simplicity； and exhibit and expound
reality itself in an unreal manner。
6。 — and what this is
The living substance； further； is that being which is truly subject； or； what is the same thing； is truly
realized and actual （wirklich） solely in the process of positing itself； or in mediating with its own
self its transitions from one state or position to the opposite。 As subject it is pure and simple
negativity； and just on that account a process of splitting up what is simple and undifferentiated； a
process of duplicating and setting factors in opposition； which ＇process＇ in turn is the negation of
this indifferent diversity and of the opposition of factors it entails。 True reality is merely this process
of reinstating self…identity； of reflecting into its own self in and from its other； and is not an original
and primal unity as such； not an immediate unity as such。 It is the process of its own becoming； the
circle which presupposes its end as its purpose； and has its end for its beginning； it becomes
concrete and actual only by being carried out； and by the end it involves。
The life of God and divine intelligence； then； can； if we like； be spoken of as love disporting with
itself； but this idea falls into edification； and even sinks into insipidity； if it lacks the seriousness； the
suffering； the patience； and the labour of the negative。 Per se the divine life is no doubt undisturbed
identity and oneness with itself； which finds no serious obstacle in otherness and estrangement； and
none in the surmounting of this estrangement。 But this 〃per se〃 is abstract generality； where we
abstract from its real nature； which consists in its being objective。 to itself； conscious of itself on its
own account （für sich zu sein）； and where consequently we neglect altogether the self…movement
which is the formal character of its activity。 If the form is declared to correspond to the essence； it
is just for that reason a misunderstanding to suppose that knowledge can be content with the 〃per
se〃； the essence； but can do without the form； that the absolute principle； or absolute intuition；
makes the carrying out of the former； or the development of the latter； needless。 Precisely because
the form is as necessary to the essence as the essence to itself； absolute reality must not be
conceived of and expressed as essence alone； i。e。 as immediate substance； or as pure self…intuition
of the Divine； but as form also； and with the entire wealth of the developed form。 Only then is it
grasped and expressed as really actual。
The truth is the whole。 The whole； however； is merely the essential nature reaching its
completeness through the process of its own development。 Of the Absolute it must be said that it
is essentially a result； that only at the end is it what it is in very truth； and just in that consists its
nature； which is to be actual； subject； or self…becoming； self…development。 Should it appear
contradictory to say that the Absolute has to be conceived essentially as a result； a little
consideration will set this appearance of contradiction in its true light。 The beginning； the principle；
or the Absolute； as at first or immediately expressed； is merely the universal。 If we say 〃all
animals〃； that does not pass for zoology； for the same reason we see at once that the words
absolute； divine； eternal； and so on do not express what is implied in them； and only mere words
like these； in point of fact； express intuition as the immediate。 Whatever is more than a word like
that； even the mere transition to a proposition； is a form of mediation； contains a process towards
another state from which we must return once more。 It is this process of mediation； however； that
is rejected with horror； as if absolute knowledge were being surrendered when more is made of
mediation than merely the assertion that it is nothing absolute； and does not exist in the Absolute。
This horrified rejection of mediation； however； arises as a fact from want of acquaintance with its
nature； and with the nature of absolute knowledge itself。 For mediating is nothing but self…identity
working itself out through an active self…directed process； or； in other words； it is reflection into
self； the aspect in which the ego is for itself； objective to itself。 It is pure negativity； or； reduced to
its utmost abstraction； the process of bare and simple becoming。 The ego； or becoming in general；
this process of mediating； is； because of its being simple； just immediacy coming to be； and is
immediacy itself。 We misconceive therefore the nature of reason if we exclude reflection or
mediation from ultimate truth。； and do not take it to be a positive moment of the Absolute。 It is
reflection which constitutes truth the final result； and yet at the same time does away with the
contrast between result and the process of arriving at it。 For this process is likewise simple； and
therefore not distinct from the form of truth； which consists in appearin