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Notion； the chief moments of which have been brought together above。 The unity of substance is
its relation of necessity； but this unity is only an inner necessity； in positing itself through the
moment of absolute negativity it becomes a manifested or posited identity； and thereby the
freedom which is the identity of the Notion。 The Notion； the totality resulting from the reciprocal
relation； is the unity of the two substances standing in that relation； but in this unity they are now
free； for they no longer possess their identity as something blind； that is to say； as something
merely inner； on the contrary； the substances now have essentially the status of an illusory being；
of being moments of reflection； whereby each is no less immediately united with its other or its
positedness and each contains its positedness within itself； and consequently in its other is posited
as simply and solely identical with itself。
With the Notion； therefore； we have entered the realm of freedom。 Freedom belongs to the
Notion because that identity which； as absolutely determined； constitutes the necessity of
substance； is now also sublated or is a positedness； and this positedness as self…related is simply
that identity。 The mutual opacity of the substances standing in the causal relationship has vanished
and become a self…transparent clarity； for the originality of their self…subsistence has passed into a
positedness； the original substance is original in that it is only the cause of itself； and this is
substance raised to the freedom of the Notion。
This at once provides us with a more precise determination of mediately the Notion。 Because
being that is in and for itself is immediately a positedness； the Notion in its simple self…relation is an
absolute determinateness which； however； as purely self…related is no less immediately a simple
identity。 But this self…relation of the determinateness as the union of itself with itself is equally the
negation of the determinateness； and the Notion as this equality with itself is the universal。 But this
identity has equally the determination of negativity； it is the negation or determinateness which is
self…related； thus the Notion is the individual。 Each of them； the universal and the individual； is the
totality； each contains within itself the determination of the other and therefore these totalities are
one and one only； just as this unity is the differentiation of itself into the free illusion of this
duality…of a duality which； in the difference of the individual and the universal； appears as a
complete opposition； yet an opposition which is so entirely illusory that in thinking and enunciating
the one； the other also is immediately thought and enunciated。
The foregoing is to be regarded as the Notion of the Notion。 It may seem to differ from what is
elsewhere understood by 'notion' and in that case we might be asked to indicate how that which
we have here found to be the Notion is contained in other conceptions or explanations。 On the
one hand； however； there can be no question of a confirmation based on the authority of the
ordinary understanding of the term； in the science of the Notion its content and character can be
guaranteed solely by the immanent deduction which contains its genesis and which already lies
behind us。 On the other hand； the Notion as here deduced must； of course； be recognisable in
principle in what is elsewhere presented as the concept of the Notion。 But it is not so easy to
discover what others have said about the nature of the Notion。 For in the main they do not
concern themselves at all with the question； presupposing that everyone who uses the word
…automatically knows what it means。 Latterly； one could have felt all the more relieved from any
need to trouble about the Notion since； just as it was the fashion for a while to say everything bad
about the imagination； and then the memory； so in philosophy it became the habit some time ago； a
habit which in some measure still exists； to heap every kind of slander on the Notion； on what is
supreme in thought； while the incomprehensible and non…comprehension are； on the contrary；
regarded as the pinnacle of science and morality。 I will confine myself here to a remark which may
help one to grasp the notions here developed and may make it easier to find one's bearings in
them。 The Notion； when it has developed into a concrete existence that is itself free； is none other
than the I or pure self…consciousness。 True； I have notions； that is to say； determinate notions； but
the I is the pure Notion itself which； as Notion； has come into existence。 When； therefore；
reference is made to the fundamental determinations which constitute the nature of the I； we may
presuppose that the reference is to something familiar； that is； a commonplace of our ordinary
thinking。 But the I is； first； this pure self…related unity； and it is so not immediately but only as
making abstraction from all determinateness and content and withdrawing into the freedom of
unrestricted equality with itself。 As such it is universality； a unity that is unity with itself only
through its negative attitude； which appears as a process of abstraction； and that consequently
contains all determinedness dissolved in it。 Secondly； the I as self…related negativity is no less
immediately individuality or is absolutely determined； opposing itself to all that is other and
excluding it…individual personality。 This absolute universality which is also immediately an
absolute individualisation； and an absolutely determined being； which is a pure positedness and
is this absolutely determined being it only through its unity with the positedness； this constitutes
the nature of the I… as well as of the Notion； neither the one nor the other can be truly
comprehended unless the two indicated moments are grasped at the same time both in their
abstraction and also in their perfect unity。
When one speaks in the ordinary way of the understanding possessed by the I； one understands
thereby a faculty or property which stands in the same relation to the I as the property of a thing
does to the thing itself； that is； to an indeterminate substrate that is not the genuine ground and the
determinant of its property。 According to this conception I possess notions and the Notion； just as
I also possess a coat； complexion； and other external properties。
Now Kant went beyond this external relation of the understanding； as the faculty of notions and of
the Notion itself； to the I。 It is one of the profoundest and truest insights to be found in the
Critique of Pure Reason that the unity which constitutes the nature of the Notion is recognised as
the original synthetic unity of apperception； as unity of the I think； or of self…consciousness。
This proposition constitutes the so…called transcendental deduction of the categories； but this has
always been regarded as one of the most difficult parts of the Kantian philosophy； doubtless for no
other reason than that it demands that we should go beyond the mere representation of the
relation in which the I stands to the understanding； or notions stand to a thing and its pro