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and object？ On the contrary； then； what is impossible and absurd is to attempt to grasp the truth
in such forms as the positive judgement and the judgement generally。 Just as the Kantian
philosophy did not consider the categories in and for themselves but declared them to be finite
determinations incapable of containing truth； on the wrong ground that they are subjective forms of
self…consciousness； still less did that philosophy subject to criticism the forms of the Notion which
are the content of ordinary logic； on the contrary； it has adopted a portion of them； namely； the
functions of judgement； for the determination of the categories and accepted them as valid
presuppositions。 Even if we are to see in logical forms nothing more than formal functions of
thought； they would for that very reason be worthy of investigation to ascertain how far； on their
own account； they correspond to the truth。 A logic that does not perform this task can at most
claim the value of a descriptive natural history of the phenomena of thinking just as they occur。 It is
an infinite merit of Aristotle； one that must fill us with the highest admiration for the powers of that
genius； that he was the first to undertake this description。 It is necessary however to go further and
to ascertain both the systematic connection of these forms and their value。
Division
The foregoing consideration of the Notion shows it to be the unity of being and essence。 Essence
is the first negation of being； which has thereby become illusory being； the Notion is the second
negation or the negation of this negation； and is therefore being once more； but being that has
been restored as the infinite mediation and negativity of being within itself。 Consequently； being
and essence in the Notion no longer have the same determination that they had as being and
essence； nor are they merely in a unity such that each has an illusory being in the other。 Therefore
the Notion does not differentiate itself into these determinations。 It is the truth of the relationship of
substance in which being and essence achieve the fulfilment of their self…subsistence and their
determination through each other。 The truth of substantiality proved to be the substantial identity
which is no less a positedness and only as such is substantial identity。 The positedness is a
determinate being and differentiation； consequently； in the Notion； being…in…and…for…itself has
attained a true and adequate reality； for the positedness is itself being…in…and…for…itself。 This
positedness constitutes the difference of the Notion within itself； because the positedness is
immediately being…in…and…for…itself； the different moments of the Notion are themselves the
whole Notion； universal in their determinateness and identical with their negation。
This； now； is the very Notion of the Notion。 But it is as yet only its Notion； or； this Notion is itself
only the Notion。 Because it is equally being…in…and…for…self and also a positedness； or the absolute
substance that manifests the necessity of distinct substances as an identity； this identity must itself
posit what it is。 The moments of the movement of the relationship of substantiality through which
the Notion has come to be and the reality thereby exhibited are still only in transition into the
Notion； this reality does not yet possess the determination of being the Notion's own； self…evolved
determination； it fell in the sphere of necessity； but the Notion's own determination can only be the
result of its free determining； a determinate being in which the Notion is identical with itself； its
moments also being Notions and posited by the Notion itself。
At first； therefore； the Notion is only in itself or implicitly the truth； because it is only something
inner； it is equally only outer。
It is at first simply an immediate and in this guise its moments have the form of immediate； fixed
determinations。 It appears as the determinate Notion； as the sphere of the mere
understanding。 Because this form of immediacy is still inadequate to the nature of the Notion； for
this is free； being in relation only with itself； it is an external form in which the Notion cannot
count as a being…in…and…for…self； but only as something posited or subjective。 The Notion in the
guise of immediacy constitutes the point of view for which the Notion is a subjective thinking； a
reflection external to the subject matter。 This stage； therefore； constitutes subjectivity； or the
formal Notion。 Its externality is manifested in the fixed being of its determinations each of
which appears independently as an isolated； qualitative something which is only externally
related to its other。 But the identity of the Notion； which is precisely their inner or subjective
essence； sets them dialectically in movement； with the result that their separatedness vanishes and
with it the separation of the Notion from the object； and there emerges as their truth the totality
which is the objective Notion。
Secondly； the Notion in its objectivity is the subject matter in and for itself。 Through its
necessary； progressive determination the formal Notion makes itself its subject matter and in this
way is rid of the relation of subjectivity and externality to the object。 Or； conversely； objectivity is
the real Notion that has emerged from its inwardness and passed over into determinate being。
In this identity with the object； the Notion thus has a free determinate being of its own。 But this
freedom is still only an immediate； not yet a negative； freedom。 As one with the object； the
Notion is submerged in it； its distinct moments are objective existences in which it is itself again
only the inner。 As the soul ＇Seele＇ of objective reality it must give itself the form of subjectivity
which； as formal Notion； belonged to it immediately； thus； in the form of the free Notion； a form
which in objectivity it still lacked； it opposes itself to that objectivity and in so doing makes the
identity with it which； as objective Notion it possesses in and for itself； also a posited identity。
In this consummation in which it has the form of freedom even in its objectivity； the adequate
Notion is the Idea。 Reason； which is the sphere of the Idea； is the self…revealed truth in which
the Notion possesses the realisation that is wholly adequate to it； and is free； inasmuch as it
cognises this its objective world in its subjectivity and its subjectivity in its objective world。
＇The above is reproduced in full； pages 577 to 597。＇
THE DOCTRINE OF THE NOTION
Section One： Subjectivity
The Notion is； in the first instance； formal； the Notion in its beginning or the immediate Notion。
In the immediate unity； its difference or positedness is itself at first simple and only an illusory
being ＇Schein＇； so that the moments of the difference are immediately the totality of the Notion
and are simply the Notion as such。
Secondly； however； because it is absolute negativity； it sunders itself and posits itself as the
negative or as the other of itself； and further； because as yet it is only the immedia