Page:Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion volume 2.djvu/364

 because of its infinitude, is driven to do away with this antithesis or opposition which is just what has so deepened it as to make it realise its infinitude. The antithesis consists in this, that I am subject, free, a person existing for myself, and therefore I leave the Other free as something which is in another sphere and remains there. The ancients did not attain to a consciousness of this antithesis or division, which can be tolerated only by Spirit when it exists for itself. Spirit, in fact, simply means that which comprehends itself in an infinite way in antithesis or opposition. Our present standpoint implies that we have on the one side the notion of God, and on the other Being as opposed to the Notion. What accordingly is demanded is the reconciliation of the two in such a way that the Notion will force itself to take on the form of Being, or that the nature of Being will be deduced from the Notion and the Other, the antithesis or contrasted element will proceed out of the Notion. It is necessary to explain briefly the mode and manner in which this takes place, as also the forms of the understanding which belong to it.

The form in which this mediation appears is that of the Ontological Proof of the existence of God, in which we start from the Notion. What then is the notion of God? It is the most real of all things, it is to be conceived of affirmatively only, it is determined in itself, its content has no limitation, it is all reality, and only as reality is it without limit, and consequently all that really remains outside of it is a dead abstraction, as has been already remarked. The possibility of this Notion, i.e., its identity having in it no element of contradiction, is exhibited in the form proper to the Understanding. The second point is involved in the statement, Being is a reality, Non-being is negation, defect, simply the opposite of Being. The third point consists of the conclusion, Being is therefore reality, and this belongs to the notion or conception of God.

The objections brought by Kant against this mode of