Science of Logic
II.1. Essence as Reflection into Self
Section summary
The short heading of Section One. Essence comes out of being, and what stands opposed to it is only Show, essence’s own self-positing. The section will treat reflection, then the determinations of reflection (the essentialities), and then ground, through which essence passes into existence and appearance.
Essence comes out of Being; and in so far, it is not immediate in and for itself, but is the result of that movement. Or if Essence is provisionally taken as immediate, it is a determinate existence, to which another stands opposed: it is essential only as against unessential existence. But Essence is Being transcended in and for itself, and what is opposed to it is only Show. Now Show is the self-positing of Essence.
Essence is, first, Reflection. This Reflection determines itself; its determinations are a positedness which also is Reflection into Self.
Thirdly, Essence, as the Reflection of determining into itself, becomes Ground, and passes over into Existence and Appearance.