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character of a manifold of self…existing entities； and is the religion of spiritual sense…perception。
Here spirit breaks up into an innumerable plurality of weaker and stronger； richer and poorer
spirits。 This Pantheism； which； to begin with； consists in the quiescent subsistence of these spiritual
atoms； passes into a process of active internal hostility。 The innocence； which characterizes the
flower and plant religions； and which is merely the selfless idea of Self； gives way to the
seriousness of struggling warring life； to the guilt of animal religions； the quiescence and impotence
of contemplative individuality pass into the destructive activity of separate self…existence。
It is of no avail to have removed the lifelessness of abstraction from the things of perception； and
to have raised them to the level of realities of spiritual perception： the animation of this spiritual
kingdom has death in the heart of it； owing to the determinateness and the negativity； which
overcome and trench upon the innocent indifference ＇of the various species of plants＇ to one
another。 Owing to this determinateness and negativity； the dispersion of spirit into the multiplicity of
the passive plant…forms becomes a hostile process； in which the hatred stirred up by their
independent self…existence rages and consumes。
The actual self…consciousness at work in this dispersed and disintegrated spirit； takes the form of a
multitude of individualized mutually…antipathetic folk…spirits； who fight and hate each other to the
death； and consciously accept certain specific forms of animals as their essential being and
nature：（8） for they are nothing else than spirits of animals； or animal lives separate and cut off from
one another； and with no universality consciously present in them。
The characteristic of purely negative independent self…existence； however； consumes itself in this
active hatred towards one another； and through this process； involved in its very principle； spirit
enters into another shape。 Independent self…existence cancelled and abolished is the form of the
object； a form which is produced by the self； or rather is the self produced； the self…consuming
self； i。e。 the self that becomes a 〃thing〃。 The agent at work； therefore； retains the upper hand over
these animal spirits merely tearing each other to pieces； and his action is not merely negative； but
composed and positive。 The consciousness of spirit is； thus； now the process which is above and
beyond the immediate inherent ＇universal＇ nature； as well as transcends the abstract self…existence
in isolation。 Since the implicit inherent nature is reduced； through opposition； to the level of a
specific character； it is no longer the proper form of Absolute Spirit； but a reality which its
consciousness finds lying over against itself as an ordinary existing fact and cancels； at the same
time this consciousness is not merely this negative cancelling self…existent being； but produces its
own objective idea of itself；…self…existence put forth in the form of an object。 This process of
production is； all the same； not yet perfect production； it is a conditioned activity； the forming of a
given material。
3。 THE ARTIFICER （9）
SPIRIT； then； here takes the form of the artificer； and its action； when producing itself as object；
but without having as yet grasped the thought of itself； is an instinctive kind of working； like bees
building their cells。
The first form； because immediate； has the abstract character of 〃understanding〃； and the work
accomplished is not yet in itself endued with spirit。 The crystals of Pyramids and Obelisks； simple
combinations of straight lines with even surfaces and equal relations of parts in which the
incommensurability of roundness is set aside — these are the works produced by this artificer； the
worker of the strict form。 Owing to the purely abstract intelligible nature of the form； the work is
not in itself its own true significance； it is not the spiritual self。 Thus； either the works produced only
receive spirit into them as an alien； departed spirit； one that has forsaken its living suffusion and
permeation with reality； and； being itself dead； enters into these lifeless crystals； or they take up an
external relation to spirit as something which is itself there externally and not as spirit — they are
related to it as to the Orient Light； which throws its significance on them。
The separation of elements from which spirit as artificer starts — the separation of the implicit
essential nature； which becomes the material it works upon； and independent self…existence； which
is the aspect of the self…consciousness at work…this division has become objective to spirit in its
work。 Its further endeavour has to be directed to cancelling and doing away with this separation of
soul and body； it must strive to clothe and give embodied shape to soul per se； and endow the
body with soul。 The two aspects； in that they are brought closer to one another； bear towards
each other； in this condition； the character of ideally presented spirit and of enveloping shell。
Spirit's oneness with itself contains this opposition of individuality and universality。 As the work
comes closer to itself in the coming together of its aspects； there comes about thereby at the same
time the other fact； that the work comes closer to the self…consciousness performing it； and that the
latter attains in the work knowledge of itself as it truly is。 In this way； however； the work merely
constitutes to begin with the abstract side of the activity of spirit； which does not yet know the
content of this activity within itself but in its work； which is a 〃thing〃。 The artificer as such； spirit in
its entirety； has not yet appeared； the artificer is still the inner； hidden reality； which qua entire is
present only as broken up into active self…consciousness and the object it has produced。
The surrounding habitation； then； external reality； which has so far been raised merely to the
abstract form of the understanding； is worked up by the artificer into a more animated form。 The
artificer employs plant life for this purpose； which is no longer sacred as in the previous case of
inactive impotent pantheism； rather the artificer； who grasps himself as the self existent reality；
takes that plant life as something to be used and degrades it to an external aspect； to the level of
an ornament。 But it is not turned to use without some alteration： for the worker producing the
self…conscious form destroys at the same time the transitoriness； inherently characteristic of the
immediate existence of this life； and brings its organic forms nearer to the more exact and more
universal forms of thought。 The organic form； which； left to itself； grows and thrives in particularity；
being on its side subjugated by the form of thought； elevates in turn these straight…lined and level
shapes into more animated roundness — a blending which becomes the root of free
architecture。（10）
This dwelling； （the aspect of the universal element or inorganic nature of spirit）； also includes within
it now a form of individuality； which br