Section 27
Original German
27 Die absolute Bestimmung oder, wenn man will, der absolute Trieb des freyen Geistes (§. 21.), daß ihm seine Freyheit Gegenstand sey — objectiv sowohl in dem Sinne, daß sie als das vernünftige System seiner selbst, als in dem Sinne, daß dieß unmittelbare Wirklichkeit sey (§. 26.) — um für sich, als Idee zu seyn, was der Wille an sich ist; — der abstracte Begriff der Idee des Willens ist überhaupt der freye Wille, der den freyen Willen will.
Musean translation
Machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from Hegel's German in the Berlin Nicolai first edition, dated 1821. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360, including the author's remarks and notes; no later Gans additions.
27 The absolute determination—or, if one prefers, the absolute drive—of free spirit (§ 21) is that its freedom should be its object: objective both in the sense that freedom is the rational system of spirit itself, and in the sense that this system is immediate actuality (§ 26); so that the will may be for itself, as Idea, what it is in itself. The abstract concept of the Idea of the will is, in general, the free will that wills the free will.
Plain English translation
Independent machine-assisted Plain English translation made directly from the German first-edition source, not from the Musean edition or an existing English translation. Complete preface, introduction and sections 1–360 with the author's remarks and notes.
27 The absolute determination—or, if one prefers, the absolute drive—of free spirit (§ 21) is to have its freedom as its object. This object is to be objective both as the rational system of spirit itself and as immediate actual reality (§ 26), so that spirit may be for itself, as Idea, what the will is in itself. In general, the abstract concept of the Idea of the will is the free will that wills the free will.
About this section
Section 27 is part of Elements of the Philosophy of Right by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. This page sets the German original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 29 of 362 in the work, which is kept in the European tradition.
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