concrete within itself。 Its first activity is formal； Aristotle was the first to say that is the thought of
thought。 The result is the thought which is at home with itself； and at the same time embraces the
universe therein； and transforms it into an intelligent world。 In apprehension the spiritual and the
natural universe are interpenetrated as one harmonious universe； which withdraws into itself； and in
its various aspects develops the Absolute into a totality； in order； by the very process of so doing；
to become conscious of itself in its unity； in Thought。 Philosophy is thus the true theodicy； as
contrasted with art and religion and the feelings which these call up … a reconciliation of spirit；
namely of the spirit which has apprehended itself in its freedom and in the riches of its reality。
To this point the World…spirit has come； and each stage has its own form in the true system of
Philosophy； nothing is lost； all principles are preserved； since Philosophy in its final aspect is the
totality of forms。 This concrete idea is the result of the strivings of spirit during almost twenty…five
centuries of earnest work to become objective to itself； to know itself：
Tant？ molis erat； se ipsam cognoscere mentem。
All this time was required to produce the philosophy of our day； so tardily and slowly did the
World…spirit work to reach this goal。 What we pass in rapid review when we recall it； stretched
itself out in reality to this great length of time。 For in this lengthened period； the Notion of Spirit；
invested with its entire concrete development； its external subsistence； its wealth； is striving to bring
spirit to perfection； to make progress itself and to develop from spirit。 It goes ever on and on；
because spirit is progress alone。 Spirit often seems to have forgotten and lost itself； but inwardly
opposed to itself； it is inwardly working ever forward （as when Hamlet says of the ghost of his
father； “Well said； old mole！ canst work i' the ground so fast？”（1）） until grown strong in itself it
bursts asunder the crust of earth which divided it from the sun； its Notion； so that the earth
crumbles away。 At such a time； when the encircling crust； like a soulless decaying tenement；
crumbles away； and spirit displays itself arrayed in new youth； the seven league boots are at length
adopted。 This work of the spirit to know itself； this activity to find itself； is the life of the spirit and
the spirit itself。 Its result is the Notion which it takes up of itself； the history of Philosophy is a
revelation of what has been the aim of spirit throughout its history； it is therefore the world's history
in its innermost signification。 This work of the human spirit in the recesses of thought is parallel with
all the stages of reality； and therefore no philosophy oversteps its own time。 The importance which
the determinations of thought possessed is another matter； which does not belong to the history of
Philosophy。 These Notions are the simplest revelation of the World spirit： in their more concrete
form they are history。
We must； therefore； in the first place not esteem lightly what spirit has won； namely its gains up to
the present day。 Ancient Philosophy is to be reverenced as necessary； and as a link in this sacred
chain； but all the same nothing more than a link。 The present is the highest stage reached。 In the
second place； all the various philosophies are no mere fashionable theories of the time； or anything
of a similar nature； they are neither chance products nor the blaze of a fire of straw； nor casual
eruptions here and there； but a spiritual； reasonable； forward advance； they are of necessity one
Philosophy in its development； the revelation of God； as He knows Himself to be。 Where several
philosophies appear at the same time； they are different sides which make up one totality forming
their basis； and on account of their one…sidedness we see the refutation of the one by the other。 In
the third place we do not find here feeble little efforts to establish or to criticize this or that
particular point； instead of that； each philosophy sets up a new principle of its own； and this must
be recognized。
If we glance at the main epochs in the whole history of Philosophy； and grasp the necessary
succession of stages in the leading moments； each of which expresses a determinate Idea； we find
that after the Oriental whirl of subjectivity； which attains to no intelligibility and therefore to no
subsistence； the light of thought dawned among the Greeks。
1。 The philosophy of the ancients had the absolute Idea as its thought； and the realization or reality
of the same consisted in comprehending the existing present world； and regarding it as it is in its
absolute nature。 This philosophy did not make its starting…point the Idea itself； but proceeded from
the objective as from something given； and transformed the same into the Idea； the Being of
Parmenides。
2。 Abstract thought； became known to itself as universal essence or existence； not as subjective
thought； the Universal of Plato。
3。 In Aristotle the Notion emerges； free and unconstrained； as comprehending thought； permeating
and spiritualizing all the forms which the universe contains。
4。 The Notion as subject； its independence； its inwardness； abstract separation； is represented by
the Stoics； Epicureans and Sceptics： here we have not the free； concrete form； but universality
abstract and in itself formal。
5。 The thought of totality； the intelligible world； is the concrete Idea as we have seen it with the
Neo…Platonists。 This principle is ideality generally speaking； which is present in all reality； but not
the Idea which knows itself： this is not reached until the principle of subjectivity； individuality； found
a place in it； and God as spirit became actual to Himself in self…consciousness。
6。 But it has been the work of modern times to grasp this Idea as spirit； as the Idea that knows
itself。 In order to proceed from the conscious Idea to the self…conscious； we must have the infinite
opposition； namely the fact that the Idea has come to the consciousness of being absolutely
sundered in twain。 As spirit had the thought of objective existence； Philosophy thus perfected the
intellectuality of the world； and produced this spiritual world as an object existing beyond present
reality； like Nature； … the first creation of spirit。 The work of the spirit now consisted in bringing
this Beyond back to reality； and guiding it into self…consciousness。 This is accomplished by
self…consciousness thinking itself； and recognizing absolute existence to be the self…consciousness
that thinks itself。 With Descartes pure thought directed itself on that separation which we spoke of
above。 Self…consciousness； in the first place； thinks of itself as consciousness； therein is contained
all objective reality； and the positive； intuitive reference of its reality to the other side。 With Spinoza
Thought and Being are opposed and yet identical； he has the intuitive perception of substance； but
the knowledge of substance in his case is external。 We have here the principle of reconciliation
taking its rise from thought as such； in order to abrogate the subjectivity of thought： this is the case
in Leibnitz's monad； which possesses the power of representation。
7。 In the second place； self…consciousness thinks of itself as being self…consciousness； in being
self…conscious it is independent； but still in this independence it has a negative relation to what is
outside self…consciousness。 This is infinite subjectivity； which appears at one time as the critique of
thought in the case of Kant； and at another time； in the case of Fichte； as the tendency or impulse
towards the concrete。 Absolute； pure； infinite form is expressed as self…consciousness； the Ego。
8。 This is a light that breaks forth on spiritual substance； and shows absolute content and absolute
form to be identical； … substance is in itself identical with knowledge。 Self…consciousness thus； in
the third place； recognizes its positive relation as its negative； and its negative as its positive； or； in
other words； recognizes these opposite activities as the same； i。e。 it recognizes pure Thought or
Being as self…identity； and this again as separation。 This is intellectual perception； but it is requisite
in order that it should be in truth intellectual； that it should not be that merely immediate perception
of the eternal and the divine which we hear of； but should be absolute knowledge。 This intuitive
perception which does not recognize itself is taken as starting…point as if it were absolutely
presupposed； it has in itself intuitive perception only as immediate knowledge； and not as
self…knowledge： or it knows nothing； and what it perceives it does not really know；… for； taken at
its best； it consists of beautiful thoughts； but not knowledge。
But intellectual intuition is knowledge； since； in the first place； in spite of the separation of each of
the opposed sides from the other； all external reality is known as internal。 If it is known according
to its essence； as it is； it shows itself as not existing of itself； but as essentially consis