phenomenology of mind-第124节

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conscious　of　performing　merely　pure　duty　and　nothing　else　but　that：　i。e。　in　fact；　when　I　do　not　act。
When；　however；　I　really　act；　I　am　conscious　of　an　〃other〃；　of　a　reality　which　is　there　before　me；
and　one　which　I　want　to　bring　about；　I　have　a　definite　end　and　fulfil　a　definite　duty。　There　is
something　else　therein　than　the　pure　duty；　which　alone　was　supposed　to　be　kept　in　view。

Conscience；　on　the　other　hand；　is　the　sense　that；　when　the　moral　consciousness　declares　pure　duty
to　be　the　essence　of　its　action；　this　pure　purpose　is　a　dissemblance　of　the　actual　fact。　For　the　real
fact　is　that　pure　duty　consists　in　the　empty　abstraction　of　pure　thought；　and　finds　its　reality　and
content　solely　in　some　definite　actual　existence；　an　actuality　which　is　actuality　of　consciousness
itself　—　not　of　consciousness　in　the　sense　of　a　thought…entity；　but　as　an　individual。　Conscience　for
its　own　part；　finds　its　truth　to　lie　in　the　direct　certainty　of　itself。　This　immediate　concrete　certainty　of
itself　is　the　real　essence。　Looking　at　this　certainty　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　opposition　which
consciousness　involves；　the　agent's　own　immediate　individuality　constitutes　the　content　of　moral
action；　and　the　form　of　moral　action　is　just　this　very　self　as　a　pure　process；　viz。　as　the　process　of
knowing；　in　other　words；　is　private　individual　conviction。

Looking　more　closely　at　the　unity　and　the　significance　of　the　moments　of　this　stage；　we　find　that
moral　consciousness　conceived　itself　merely　in　the　form　of　the　inherent　principle；　or　as　ultimate
essence；　qua　conscience；　however；　it　lays　hold　of　its　explicit　individual　self…existence
（Fürsichseyn）；　or　its　self。　The　contradiction　involved　in　the　moral　point　of　view　is　resolved；　i。e。　the
distinction；　which　lay　at　the　basis　of　its　peculiar　attitude；　proves　to　be　no　distinction；　and　melts　into
the　process　of　pure　negativity。　This　process　of　negativity　is；　however；　just　the　self：　a　single　simple
self　which　is　at　once　pure　knowledge　and　knowledge　of　itself　as　this　individual　conscious　life。　This
self　constitutes；　therefore；　the　content　of　what　formerly　was　the　empty　essence；　for　it　is　something
actual　and　concrete；　which　no　longer　has　the　significance　of　being　a　nature　alien　to　the　ultimate
essence；　a　nature　independent　and　with　laws　of　its　own。　As　the　negative　element；　it　introduces
distinction　into　the　pure　essence；　a　definite　content；　and　one；　too；　which　has　a　value　in　its　own　right
as　it　stands。

Further；　this　self　is；　qua　pure　self　…identical　knowledge；　the　universal　without　qualification；　so　that
just　this　knowledge；　being　its　very　own　knowledge；　being　conviction；　constitutes　duty。　Duty　is　no
longer　the　universal　appearing　over　against　and　opposed　to　the　self；　duty　is　known　to　have　in　this
condition　of　separation　no　validity。　It　is　now　the　law　which　exists　for　the　sake　of　the　self；　and　not
the　law　for　the　sake　of　which　the　self　exists。　The　law　and　duty；　however；　have　for　that　reason　not
only　the　significance　of　existing　on　their　own　account；　but　also　of　being　inherent　and　essential；　for
this　knowledge　is；　in　virtue　of　its　identity　with　itself；　just　what　is　inherently　essential。　This　inherent
being　gets　also　separated　in　consciousness　from　that　direct　and　immediate　unity　with　self…existence：
so　contrasted　and　opposed；　it　is　objective　being；　it　is　being　for　something　else。

Duty　itself　now；　qua　duty　deserted　by　the　self；　is　known　to　be　merely　a　moment；　it　has　ceased　to
mean　absolute　being；　it　has　become　degraded　to　something　which　is　not　a　self；　does　not　exist　on
its　own　account；　and　is　thus　what　exists　for　something　else。　But　this　existing…for…something…else
remains　an　essential　moment　just　for　the　reason　that　self；　qua　consciousness；

constitutes　and　establishes　the　opposition　between　existence…for…self　and　existence…for…another；
and　now　duty　essentially　means　something　immediately　actual；　and　is　no　longer　a　mere　abstract
pure　consciousness。

This　existence　for　something　else　is；　then；　the　inherently　essential　substance　distinguished　from　the
self。　Conscience　has　not　given　up　pure　duty；　the　abstract　implicit　essence：　pure　duty　is　the　essential
moment　of　relating　itself；　qua　universality；　to　others。　Conscience　is　the　common　element　of　distinct
self…consciousnesses；　and　this　is　the　substance　in　which　the　act　secures　subsistence　and　reality；　the
moment　of　being　recognized　by　others。　The　moral　self…consciousness　does　not　possess　this
moment　of　recognition；　of　pure　consciousness　which　has　definite　existence；　and　on　that　account
really　does　not　〃act〃　at　all；　does　not　effectually　actualize　anything。　Its　inherent　nature　is　for　it　either
the　abstract　unreal　essence；　or　else　existence　in　the　form　of　a　reality　which　has　no　spiritual
character。　The　actual　reality　of　conscience；　however；　is　one　which　is　a　self；　i。e。　an　existence
conscious　of　itself；　the　spiritual　element　of　being　recognized。　Doing　something　is；　therefore；　merely
the　translation　of　its　individual　content　into　that　objective　element　where　it　is　universal　and　is
recognized；　and　this　very　fact；　that　the　content　is　recognized；　makes　the　deed　an　actuality。　The
action　is　recognized　and　thereby　real；　because　the　actual　reality　is　immediately　bound　up　with
conviction　or　knowledge；　or；　in　other　words；　knowledge　of　one's　purpose　is　immediately　and　at
once　the　element　of　existence；　is　universal　recognition。　For　the　essence　of　the　act；　duty；　consists　in
the　conviction　conscience　has　about　it。　This　conviction　is　just　the　inherent　principle　itself；　it　is
inherently　universal　self…consciousness　—　in　other　words；　is　recognition　and　hence　reality。　The
result　achieved　under　conviction　of　duty　is　therefore　directly　one　which　has　substantial　solid
existence。　Thus；　we　hear　nothing　more　there　about　good　intention　not　coming　to　anything　definite；
or　about　the　good　man　faring　badly。　What　is　known　as　duty　is　carried　out　completely　and
becomes　an　actual　fact；　just　because　what　is　dutiful　is　the　universal　for　all　self　…consciousnesses；
that　which　is　recognized；　acknowledged；　and　thus　objectively　is。　Taken　separately　and　alone；
however；　without　the　content　of　self；　this　duty　is　existence…for…another；　the　transparent　element；
which　has　merely　the　significance　of　an　unsubstantial　essential　factor　in　general。

If　we　look　back　on　the　sphere　where　spiritual　reality　first　made　its　appearance；　we　find　that　the
principle　involved　was　that　the　utterance　of　individuality　is　the　absolutely　real；　the　ultimately
substantial。　But　the　shape　which；　in　the　first　instance；　gave　expression　to　this　principle；　was　the
〃honest　consciousness〃（2）　which　was　occupied　and　concerned　with　abstract　〃fact　itself〃。　This　〃fact
itself〃　was　there　a　predicate。　In　conscience；　however；　it　is　for　the　first　time　a　Subject；　which　has
affirmed　within　it　all　aspects　of　consciousness；　and　for　which　all　these　moments；　substantiality　in
general；　external　existence；　and　essence　of　thought；　are　contained　in　this　certainty　of　itself。　The
〃fact　itself〃　has　substantiality　in　general　in　the　ethical　order　（Sittlichkeit）；　external　existence　in
culture；　self　…knowing　essence　of　thought　in　morality；　and　in　conscience　it　is　the　Subject；　which
knows　these　moments　within　itself。　While　the　〃honest　consciousness〃　is　for　ever　grasping　merely
the　bare　and　empty　〃fact　itself〃；　conscience；　on　the　other　hand；　secures　the〃fact　itself　〃　in　its
fullness；　a　fullness　which　conscience　of　itself　supplies。　Conscience　has　this　power　through　its
knowing　the　moments　of　consciousness　as　moments；　and　controlling　them　because　it　is　their
negative　essential　principle。

When　conscience　is　considered　in　relation　to　the　single　features　of　the　opposition　which　appears　in
action；　and　when　we　consider　its　consciousness　regarding　the　nature　of　those　features；　its　attitude
towards　the　reality　of　the　situation　where　action　has　to　take　place　is；　in　the　first　instance；　that　of
knowledge。　So　far　as　the　aspect　of　universality　is　present　in　such　knowledge；　it　is　the　business　of
conscientious　action　qua　knowledge；　to　compass　the　reality　before　it　in　an　unrestricted　exhaustive
manner；　and　thus　to　know　exactly　the　circumstances　of　the　case；　and　give　them　due　consideration。
This　knowledge；　however；　since　it　is　aware　of　universality　as　a　moment；　is　in　consequence　a　kind
of　knowledge　of　these　circumstances　which　is　conscious　all　the　while　of　not　embracing　them；　is
conscious　of　not　being　conscientious　in　its　procedure。　The　genuinely　universal　and　pure　relation　of
knowledge　would　be　one　towards　something　not　opposed；　a　relation　to　itself。　But　action　through
the　opposition　essentially　implied　in　action　is　related　to　what　negates　consciousness；　to　a　reality
existing　per　se。　This　reality　—　being；　as　contrasted　with　the　simple　nature　of　pure　consciousness；
the　absolute　other；　multiplicity　per　se　—　is　a　sheer　plurality　of　circumstances　which　breaks　up
indefinitely　and　spreads　in　all　directions　—　backwards　into　their　conditions；　sidewards　in　their
associations；　forwards　in　》　


Transfer　interrupted！

scientious　mind　is　aware　of　this　nature；　of　〃the　fact〃　and　of　its　relation　thereto；　and　knows　it　is　not
acquainted　to　the　full　and　complete　extent　require　with　the　situation　in　which　i