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6。 Fichte； Berkeley。
7。 Cp。 Wiss。 D。 Logik； Pt。 I； p。 253 ff。
8。 V。 sup。 P。 154 ff。
A
Observation as a Process of Reason
THIS consciousness； which takes being to mean what is its own； now seems； indeed； to adopt
once again the attitude of 〃meaning〃 （1） and 〃perceiving〃； but not in the sense that it is certain of
what is a mere 〃other〃 ； but in the sense that it is certain of this 〃other〃 being itself。 Formerly；
consciousness merely happened to perceive various elements in the 〃thing〃； and had a certain
experience in so doing。 But here it itself settles the observations to be made and the experience to
be had。 〃Meaning〃 and 〃perceiving〃； which formerly were superseded so far as we were
concerned （für uns）； are now superseded by consciousness in its own behalf （für es）。 Reason
sets out to know the truth； to find in the form of a notion what； for 〃meaning〃 and 〃perceiving〃； is a
〃thing〃； i。e。 it seeks in thinghood to have merely the consciousness of its own self。 Reason has；
therefore； now a universal interest in the world； because it is certain of its presence in the world； or
is certain that the actual present is rational。 It seeks its 〃other〃； while knowing that it there
possesses nothing else but itself： it seeks merely its own infinitude。
While； at first； merely surmising that it is in the world of reality； or knowing this only in a general
way to be its own； it goes forward on this understanding and appropriates everywhere and at all
points its own assured possession。 It plants the symbol of its sovereignty on the heights and in the
depths of reality。 But this superficial 〃mine〃 is not its final and supreme interest。 The joy of universal
appropriation finds still in its property the alien other which abstract reason does not contain within
itself。 Reason has the presentiment of being a deeper reality than pure ego is； and must demand
that difference； the manifold diversity of being； should itself become its very own； that the ego
should look at and see itself as concrete reality； and find itself present in objectively embodied
form and in the shape of a 〃thing〃。 But if reason probes and gropes through the inmost recesses of
the life of things； and opens their every vein so that reason itself may gush out of them； then it will
not achieve this desired result； it must； for its purpose； have first brought about in itself its own
completion in order to be able after that to experience what its completion means。
Consciousness 〃observes〃； i。e。 reason wants to find and to have itself in the form of existent
object； to be； in concrete sensuously…present form。 The consciousness thus observing fancies
（meint）； and； indeed； says that it wants to discover not itself； but； on the contrary； the inner being
of things qua things。 That this consciousness 〃means〃 this and says so； lies in the fact that it is
reason； but reason as such is for it not as yet object。
If it were to know reason to be equally and at once the essence of things and of itself； and knew
that reason can only be actually present in consciousness in the form and shape peculiarly
appropriate to reason； then it would descend into the depths of its own being； and seek reason
there rather than in things。 If it had found reason there； it would again turn from that and be
directed upon concrete reality； in order to see therein its own sensuous expression； but would； at
the same time； take that sensuous form to be essentially a notion。
Reason； as it immediately appears in the form of conscious certainty of being all reality； takes its
reality in the sense of immediacy of being； and also takes the unity of ego with this objective
existence in the sense of an immediate unity； a unity in which it （reason） has not yet separated and
then again united the moment of being and ego； or； in other words； a unity which reason has not
yet come to understand。 It； therefore； when appearing as conscious observation； turns to things
with the idea that it is really taking them as sensuous things opposed to the ego。 But its actual
procedure contradicts this idea； for it knows things； it transforms their sensuous character into
conceptions； i。e。 just into a kind of being which at the same time is ego； it transforms thought into
an existent thought； or being into a thought…constituted being； and； in fact； asserts that things have
truth merely as conceptions。 In this process； it is only what the things are that consciousness in
observation becomes aware of； we； however ＇who are tracing the nature of this experience＇；
become aware of what conscious observation itself is。 The outcome of its process； however； will
be that this consciousness becomes aware of being for itself what it is in itself ＇i。e。 becomes aware
of being to itself what； in the meantime； it is to us＇。
We have to consider the operation of this observational phase of reason in all the various moments
of its activity。 It takes up this attitude towards Nature； Mind； and finally towards the relation of
both in the form of sense…existence； and in all these it seeks to find itself as a definitely existing
concrete actuality。
1。 v。 p。 154 ff。
a （1）
Observation of Nature
WHEN the unreflective consciousness speaks of observation and experience as being the fountain
of truth； the phrase may possibly sound as if the whole business were a matter of tasting； smelling；
feeling； hearing； and seeing。 It forgets； in its zeal for tasting； smelling； etc。； to say that； in point of
fact； it has really and rationally determined for itself already the object thus sensuously
apprehended； and this determination of the object is at least as important for it as that
apprehension。 It will also as readily admit that its whole concern is not simply a matter of
perceiving； and will not allow； e。g；。 the perception that this penknife lies beside this snuff…box to
pass for an 〃observation〃。 What is perceived should； at least； have the significance of a universal；
and not of a sensuous particular 〃this〃。
The universal； here regarded； is； only in the first instance； what remains identical with itself； its
movement is merely the uniform recurrence of the same operation。 The consciousness； which thus
far finds in the object merely universality or the abstract 〃mine〃； must take upon itself the
movement peculiar to the object； and； since it is not yet at the stage of understanding that object； it
must； at least； be the recollection of it； a recollection which expresses in a universal way what； in
actual fact； is merely present in a particular form。 This superficial way of educing from particularity；
and the equally superficial form of universality into which the sense element is merely taken up；
without the sense element having in itself become a universalthis description of things is not as yet
a process effected in the object itself。 The process really takes place solely in the function of
describing。 The object as it is described has consequently lost interest； when one object is being
described another must be taken in hand and ever sought； so as not to put a stop to the p