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highest stage in the infinite judgment： 〃the being of the ego is a thing〃。 And； further； the ego is an
immediate thing of sense。 When ego is called a soul； it is indeed represented also as a thing； but a
thing in the sense of something invisible； impalpable； etc。； i。e。 in fact not as an immediate entity and
not as that which is generally understood by a thing。 That judgment； then； 〃ego is a thing〃； taken at
first glance； has no spiritual content； or rather； is just the absence of spirituality。 In its conception；
however； it is in fact the most luminous and illuminating judgment； and this； its inner significance；
which is not yet made evident； is what the two other moments to be considered express。
The thing is ego。 In point of fact； thing is transcended in this infinite judgment。 The thing is nothing
in itself； it only has significance in relation； only through the ego and its reference to the ego。 This
moment came before consciousness in pure insight and enlightenment。 Things are simply and solely
useful； and only to be considered from the point of view of their utility。 The trained and cultivated
self…consciousness； which has traversed the region of spirit in self…alienation； has； by giving up
itself； produced the thing as its self； it retains itself； therefore； still in the thing； and knows the thing
to have no independence； in other words knows that the thing has essentially and solely a relative
existence。 Or again — to give complete expression to the relationship； i。e。 to what here alone
constitutes the nature of the object — the thing stands for something that is self…existent；
sense…certainty （sense…experience） is announced as absolute truth； but this self…existence is itself
declared to be a moment which merely disappears； and passes into its opposite； into a being at the
mercy of an 〃other〃。
But knowledge of the thing is not vet finished at this point。 The thing must become known as self
not merely in regard to the immediateness of its being and as regards its determinateness； but also
in the sense of essence or inner reality。 This is found in the case of Moral Self…consciousness。 This
mode of experience knows its knowledge as the absolute essential element； knows no other
objective being than pure will or pure knowledge。 It is nothing but merely this will and this
knowledge。 Any other possesses merely non…essential being； i。e。 being that has no inherent nature
per se； but only its empty husk。 In so far as the moral consciousness； in its view of the world； lets
existence drop out of the self； it just as truly takes this existence back again into its self。 In the form
of conscience； finally； it is no longer this incessant alternation between the placing〃 and the
〃displacing〃 ＇dissembling＇ of existence and self； it knows that its existence as such is this pure
certainty of its own self； the objective element； into which qua acting it puts forth itself； is nothing
else than pure knowledge of itself by itself。
These are the moments which compose the reconciliation of spirit with its own consciousness
proper。 By themselves they are single and isolated； and it is their spiritual unity alone which
furnishes the power for this reconciliation。 The last of these moments is； however； necessarily this
unity itself； and； as we see； binds them all in fact into itself。 Spirit certain of itself in its objective
existence takes as the element of its existence nothing else than this knowledge of self。 The
declaration that what it does it does in accordance with the conviction of duty…this statement is the
warrant for its own action； and makes good its conduct。
Action is the first inherent division of the simple unity of the notion； and the return out of this
division。 This first movement turns round into the second； since the element of recognition puts
itself forward as simple knowledge of duty in contrast to the distinction and diremption that lie in
action as such and； in this way； form a rigid reality confronting action。 In pardon； however； we saw
how this rigid fixity gives way and renounces its claims。 Reality has here； qua immediate
existence； no other significance for self…consciousness than that of being pure knowledge；
similarly； qua determinate existence； or qua relation； what is self…opposed is a knowledge partly
of this purely individual self； partly of knowledge qua universal。 Herein it is established； at the
same time； that the third moment； universality； or the essence； means for each of the two opposite
factors merely knowledge。 Finally they also cancel the empty opposition that still remains； and are
the knowledge of ego as identical with ego：…this individual self which is immediately pure
knowledge or universal。
This reconciliation of consciousness with self…consciousness thus proves to be brought about in a
double…sided way； in the one case； in the religious mind； in the other case； in consciousness itself
as such。 They axe distinguished inter se by the fact that the one is this reconciliation in the form of
implicit immanence； the other in the form of explicit self…existence。 As we have considered them；
they at the beginning fall apart。 In the order in which the modes or shapes of consciousness came
before us； consciousness has reached the individual moments of that order； and also their
unification； long before ever religion gave its object the shape of actual self…consciousness。 The
unification of both aspects is not yet brought to light； it is this that winds up this series of
embodiments of spirit； for in it spirit gets to the point where it knows itself not only as it is
inherently in itself； or in terms of its absolute content； nor only as it is （objectively） for itself in terms
of its bare form devoid of content； or in terms of self…consciousness； but as it is in its
self…completeness； as it is in itself and for itself。
This unification has； however； already taken place by implication； and has done so in religion in the
return of the figurative idea （Vorstellung） into self…consciousness； but not according to the proper
form； for the religious aspect is the aspect of the essentially independent （Ansich） and stands in
contrast to the process of self…consciousness。 The unification therefore belongs to this other
aspect； which by contrast is the aspect of reflexion into self； is that side therefore which contains its
self and its opposite； and contains them not only implicitly； （an sich） or in a general way； but
explicitly （für sich） or expressly developed and distinguished。 The content； as well as the other
aspect of self…conscious spirit； so far as it is the other aspect； have been brought to light and are
here in their completeness： the unification still a…wanting is the simple unity of the notion。 This
notion is also already given with the aspect of self…consciousness； but as it previously came before
us above； it； like all the other moments； has the form of being a particular mode or shape of
consciousness。 It is that part of the embodiment of self…assured spirit which keeps within its
essential principle and was called the 〃beautiful soul〃。 That is to say； the 〃beautiful soul〃 is its own
knowledge of itself in its pure t