226 THE WORLD-ENERGY 



a self-contradictory process, which is as much as to say 

 that it would be no process. 



In its very nature, too, as the sum and substance of 

 all reality, it is, necessarily, a completely self-active, 

 self-unfolding system. And, not only so, but a system 

 is in its very nature a method; that is, an expression of 

 thought. In other words, an absolutely self -unfolding 

 system must of necessity be an expression of absolutely 

 self-consistent thought. 



Thus, the World-Energy, is seen to be a process, 

 unfolding as a perfect system, which system is but the 

 explicit development of absolute thought. But thought 

 thus unfolded in a perfect system is already the realiz- 

 ation of consciousness in its absolute form of ^//"-con- 

 sciousness. This is the very core of spontaniety; and 

 without spontaneity there could be no First Cause, no 

 World-Energy, no process at all. 



Thus, it appears that the World-Energy is in truth 

 a self-knowing process, the perfect system, the spon- 

 taneous development of which is now to be the special 

 object of our inquiry. 



And, in this connection, we have first to remark, that 

 the process of self-realization on the part of the World- 

 Energy is first of all a process of self-revelation. For the 

 World-Energy, as spontaneous process, is at once product 

 and producer, while as self-conscious process it is at once 

 knowing subject and known object. And, further, as 

 absolutely conscious process it must eternally recognize 

 and absolutely comprehend that process. It is absolutely 

 self-knowing and, hence, is an absolute process of self- 

 revelation. It would thus seem that Thought is the cen- 

 tral truth and essence of the world. 



