found to be in conformity with the rest。
c。 Beginnings of Philosophy in Greece。
Philosophy proper commences in the West。 It is in the West that this freedom of
self…consciousness first comes forth； the natural consciousness； and likewise Mind disappear into
themselves。 In the brightness of the East the individual disappears； the light first becomes in the
West the flash of thought which strikes within itself； and from thence creates its world out of itself。
The blessedness of the West is thus so determined that in it the subject as such endures and
continues in the substantial； the individual mind grasps its Being as universal； but universality is just
this relation to itself This being at home with self； this personality and infinitude of the 〃I〃 constitutes
the Being of Mind； it is thus and can be none else。 For a people to know themselves as free； and
to be only as universal； is for them to be； it is the principle of their whole life as regards morality
and all else。 To take an example； we only know our real Being in so far as personal freedom is its
first condition； and hence we never can be slaves。 Were the mere arbitrary will of the prince a law；
and should he wish slavery to be introduced； we would have the knowledge that this could not be。
To sleep； to live； to have a certain office； is not our real Being； and certainly to be no slave is such；
for that has come to mean the being in nature。 Thus in the West we are upon the soil of a veritable
Philosophy。
Because in desire I am subject to another； and my Being is in a particularity； I am； as I exist； unlike
myself； for I am 〃I；〃 the universal complete； but hemmed in by passion。 This last is self…will or
formal freedom； which has desire as content。 Amongst the Greeks we first find the freedom which
is the end of true will； the equitable and right； in which I am free and universal； and others； too； are
free； are also 〃I〃 and like me； where a relationship between free and free is thus established with its
actual laws； determinations of the universal will； and justly constituted states。 Hence it is here that
Philosophy began。
In Greece we first see real freedom flourish； but still in a restricted form； and with a limitation；
since slavery was still existent； and the states were by its means conditioned。 In the following
abstractions we may first of all superficially describe the freedom of the East； of Greece； and of
the Teutonic world。 In the East only one individual is free； the despot； in Greece the few are free；
in the Teutonic world the saying is true that all are free； that is； man is free as man。 But since the
one in Eastern countries cannot be free because that would necessitate the others also being free
to him； impulse； self…will； and formal freedom； can there alone be found。 Since in Greece we have
to deal with the particular； the Athenians； and the Spartans； are free indeed； but not the
Messenians or the Helots。 The principle of the 〃few〃 has yet to be discovered； and this implies
some modifications of the Greek point of view which we must consider in connection with the
History of Philosophy。 To take these into consideration means simply to proceed to the dividing
up of Philosophy。
Introduction
C。 Division； Sources； and Method Adopted
in Treating of the History of Philosophy。
1。 Division of the History of Philosophy。
Since we set to work systematically this division must present itself as necessary。 Speaking
generally； we have properly only two epochs to distinguish in the history of Philosophy； as in
ancient and modern art…these are the Greek and the Teutonic。 The Teutonic Philosophy is the
Philosophy within Christendom in so far as it belongs to the Teutonic nations； the
Christian…European people； inasmuch as they belong to the world of science possess collectively
Teutonic culture； for Italy； Spain； France； England； and the rest； have through the Teutonic nations；
received a new form。 The influence of Greece also reaches into the Roman world； and hence we
have to speak of Philosophy in the territory of the Roman world； but the Romans produced no
proper Philosophy any more than any proper poets。 They have only received from and imitated
others； although they have often done this with intelligence； even their religion is derived from the
Greek； and the special character that it has； makes no approach to Philosophy and Art； but is
unphilosophical and inartistic。
A further description of these two outstanding opposites must be given。 The Greek world
developed thought as far as to the Idea； the Christian Teutonic world； on the contrary； has
comprehended Thought as Spirit； Idea and Spirit are thus the distinguishing features。 More
particularly the facts are as follows。 Because God； the still undetermined and immediate Universal；
Being； or objective Thought； jealously allowing nothing to exist beside Him； is the substantial
groundwork of all Philosophy； which never alters； but ever sinks more deeply within itself； and
through the development of determinations manifests itself and brings to consciousness； we may
designate the particular character of the development in the first period of Philosophy by saying
that this development is a simple process of determinations； figurations； abstract qualities； issuing
from the one ground that potentially already contains the whole。
The second stage in this universal principle is the gathering up of the determinations manifested
thus； into ideal； concrete unity； in the mode of subjectivity。 The first determinations as immediate；
were still abstractions； but now the Absolute； as the endlessly self…determining Universal； must
furthermore be comprehended as active Thought； and not as the Universal in this determinate
character。 Hence it is manifested as the totality of determinations and as concrete individuality。
Thus； with the vo？s of Anaxagoras； and still more with Socrates； there commences a subjective
totality in which Thought grasps itself； and thinking activity is the fundamental principle。
The third stage； then； is that this totality； which is at first abstract； in that it becomes realized
through the active； determining； distinguishing thought； sets itself forth even in the separated
determinations； which； as ideal； belong to it。 Since these determinations are contained unseparated
in the unity； and thus each in it is also the other； these opposed moments are raised into totalities。
The quite general forms of opposition are the universal and the particular； or； in another form；
Thought as such； external reality； feeling or perception。 The Notion is the identity of universal and
particular； because each of these is thus set forth as concrete in itself； the universal is in itself at
once the unity of universality and particularity； and the same holds good of particularity。 Unity is
thus posited in both forms； and the abstract moments can be made complete through this unity
alone； thus it has come to pass that the differences themselves are each raised up to a system of
totality； which respectively confront one another as the Philosophy of Stoicism and of
Epicureanism。 The whole concrete universal is now Mind； and the whole concrete individual；
Nature。 In Stoicism pure Thought develops into a totality； if we make the other side from
Mind…natural being or feeling…into a totality； Epicureanism is the result。 Each determination is
formed into a totality of thought； and； in accordance with the simple mode which characterizes this
sphere； these principles seem to be for themselves and independent； like two antagonistic systems
of Philosophy。 Implicitly both are identical； but they themselves take up their position as
conflicting； and the Idea is also； as it is apprehended； in a one…sided determinateness。
The higher stage is the union of these differences。 This may occur in annihilation； in scepticism； but
the higher point of view is the affirmative； the Idea in relation to the Notion。 If the Notion is； then；
the universal…that which determines itself further within itself； but yet remains there in its unity and in
the ideality and transparency of its determinations which do not become independent…the further
step is； on the other hand； the reality of the Notion in which the differences are themselves brought
to totalities。 Thus the fourth stage is the union of the Idea； in which all these differences； as
totalities； are yet at the same time blended into one concrete unity of Notion。 This comprehension
first takes place without constraint； since the ideal is itself only apprehended in the element of
universality。
The Greek world got as far as this Idea； since they formed an ideal intellectual world； and this was
done by the Alexandrian Philosophy； in which the Greek Philosophy perfected itself and reached
its end。 If we wish to represent this process figuratively；
A。 Thought； is （a） speaking generally abstract； as in universal or absolute space； by which empty
space is often understood； （b） then the most simple space determinations appear； in which we
commence with the point in order that we may arrive at the line and angle； （c） what comes third is
their union into the triangle； that which is indeed concrete； but which is still retained in this abstract
element of surface； and thus is only the first and still formal totality and limitation which
corresponds to the vo？s。
B。 The next point is； that since we allow each of the enclosing lines of the triangle to be again
surface； each forms itself into the totality of the triangle and into the whole figure to which it
belongs； that is the realization of the whole in the sides as we see it in Scepticism or Stoicism。
C。 The last stage of all is； that these surfaces or sides of the triangle join themselves into a body or
a totality： the body is for the first time the perfect spatial determination； and that is a reduplication
of the triangle。 But in as far as the triangle which forms the basis is outside of the pyramid； this
simile does not hold good。
Grecian Philosophy in the Neo…platonists finds its end in a perfect kingdom of Thought and of
bliss； and in a potentially existent world of the ideal； which is yet unreal because the whole only
exists