Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit:
95.
ARGUMENT:
if we ask 'what is This?' - in the twofold shape of its being as 'Now' and 'Here' - the
answer is 'This' itself is
to the question - 'what is now?' - if we answer e.g. 'Now is night' - write this down
and the read it when now is noon - we will say it has become stale
COMMENTARY:
to the question 'what is this?' - yes we can say - 'This' itself is -
the point is there is no real elucidation here
to answer with 'here' and 'now' - is just to expand the meaning of 'this' - to introduce
into it categories of space and time -
the real point is that the essence is unknowable
one way of putting it is to say it cannot be located in space / time
the categories of space and time - are of no use to a discussion of essence
best to drop essence and keep your bearings
