 Starting from the immanent conception of truth as accordance with a rule, Windelband distinguishes from among the infinite possible combinations of representations that might or might not be formed by empirical consciousness a subset of combinations: the subset that accords with universal and necessary rules, and which hence ought to be formed (1881: 135–139: 1882a: 72–73). This subset is what he calls “normal consciousness” (1881: 139). Thought is related to and valid for an object if of the infinite possible combinations of our representations, our thinking forms exactly those judgments that “ought to be thought” (1881: 135). One might say that empirical consciousness contains (parts) of the system of absolute values as its “normal consciousness”. To the extent that philosophy seeks not only to reveal the absolute system of values, but also to inquire into how they can be norms for empirical—embodied, psychological and historically situated—human beings, critical philosophy is not only a “science of values”, but also a “science of normal consciousness” (1882b: 46).