Commentary on Subjective Spirit, Chapter 27

How It Continues — and Where To

§ 482 says what free spirit at first only is: “the rational will, or in itself, the idea, hence only the concept of absolute spirit.”

From this the division that orders the rest of the system: free spirit must actualize itself, and this happens in two ways. In objective spirit it becomes world — right, morality, ethical life; there willing predominates. In absolute spirit it becomes transparent to itself — art, religion, philosophy; there cognizing predominates.

Both are sublations of cognizing and willing, only with different emphases. [KF]