Rescheduled Lecture notes Hegel's preface part 1

Dutch Philosophical Society : Dutch Philosophical Society

Preface to the Phenomenology : Preface to the Phenomenology Part 1 The structure of Hegel's Philosophy Dr. Robbert A. Veen © 2009

Lectures on the Preface : Lectures on the Preface Introduction: The System of Hegel's philosophy 2. Par. 1-5: Task of philosophy Par. 6 – 16: Philosophy as System 3. Par. 17 – 25: Truth as substance and subjectivity 4. Par. 26, 27: Spirit as self-knowledge Par. 28 – 57: Philosophical Method 5. Par. 58 – 72: The speculative proposition 6. Conclusions: The idea of the Phenomenology

Method of lectures : 45 minute introduction 15 – 30 minute discussion Weekly lectures Focussed on text at hand Presuppositions: Preface is Preface to the System; elucidation of introduction (Werner Marx) Phenomenology is first part of philosophy as such Hegel thought it was the first part of the System Method of lectures

Hegel's own view: : Hegel's own view: Phenomenology > Logic > System of Philosophy Nature and Spirit > Separate disciplines: Hist of phil, phil of right, art, religion, science of logic = detailed version of Encyclopedic logic.

http://www.hegel.net/en/spirit.htm : http://www.hegel.net/en/spirit.htm 3. The Subdivisions of Spirit/Mind For Hegel there are three divisions of the philosophy of Spirit/Mind ('Geist'): * The Subjective Spirit/Mind -- that deals with, among other things, Anthropology and Psychology. * The Objective Spirit/Mind -- that explores the philosophical questions of Law/Jurisprudence, Moral Philosophy, Political Philosophy, History and more. * The Absolute Spirit/Mind -- that explores Fine Arts, Religion and Philosophy itself, as the Science of the General.

Jan Hollak : Jan Hollak Dutch philosopher Professor of Modern Philosophy in Nijmegen and Amsterdam Dissertation: The Structure of Hegels Philosophy (1962)

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK b. Natural consciousness understanding itself a, Immediate natural consciousness How do we get from a to b?

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Phenomenology: Consciousness understanding itself through its object Substance becoming subjectivity Natural consciousness Result: Science of the pure concept

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Logic System Nature Spirit Phenomenology Natural consciousness Result: philosophy as the conceptual understanding of the Spirit as subjective, objective and absolute. Philosophy as the ultimate and total science

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Phil. of History Logic System Nature Spirit Phenomenology Natural consciousness (The philosophical understanding of:) Absolute Spirit realizing itself Philosophy as science is the middle term.

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Phil. of History Logic System Nature Spirit Phenomenology Natural consciousness Independent versions and additions to the System: Science of Logic;Jenaer Logic Jenaer phil. of nature, spirit Phil. of Right

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Phil. of History Logic System Nature Spirit Phenomenology Natural consciousness Derivations from the PhoH: Phil. of Art, Phil. of Religion, History of Philosophy

JAN HOLLAK : JAN HOLLAK Natural consciousness Phil. of History Logic System Nature Spirit Phenomenology Natural consciousness Phil. of Art, Religion, History of Philosophy Science of Logic Jenaer phil. of nature, spirit Phil. of Right

Philosophy of Spirit : Philosophy of Spirit Appearance of the Spirit in its being in-itself: Phenomenology The Spirit in its pure self-knowledge: the pure concept in its being for-itself System of Philosophy (Encyclopedia) The Spirit in its selfrealization in-itself becoming completely for itself Philosophy of History

The Problem : The Problem 1. Hegel has different views on the status of the Phenomenology of Mind

Sc of Logic about PhdG 1812 : Sc of Logic about PhdG 1812 As regards the external relation, it was intended that the first part of the System of Science which contains the Phenomenology should be followed by a second part containing logic and the two concrete [realen] sciences, the Philosophy of Nature and the Philosophy of Spirit, which would complete the System of Philosophy. But the necessary expansion which logic itself has demanded has induced me to have this part published separately; it thus forms the first sequel to the Phenomenology of Spirit in an expanded arrangement of the system. http://marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/hl/hlintro.htm

Sc of Logic about PhdG 1831 : Sc of Logic about PhdG 1831 In the Phenomenology of Mind, I have exhibited consciousness in its movement onwards from the first immediate opposition of itself and the object to absolute knowing. The path of this movement goes through every form of the relation of consciousness to the object and has the Notion of science [of] as its result. http://marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/hl/hlintro.htm

Encyclopedia on PhdG : Encyclopedia on PhdG The Kantian philosophy may be most accurately described as having viewed the mind as consciousness, and as containing the propositions only of a phenomenology (not of a philosophy) of mind. (par. 415)

The Problem : The Problem 2. It is unclear how the Phenomenology of Mind is related to the Phenomenology section of the Encyclopedia

Enc. Par 78: the resolve to think... : Enc. Par 78: the resolve to think... To require such a scepticism accomplished is the same as to insist on science being preceded by universal doubt, or a total absence of presupposition. Strictly speaking, in the resolve that wills pure thought, this requirement is accomplished by freedom which, abstracting from everything, grasps its pure abstraction, the simplicity of thought.

Differences Enz. – PhdG : Differences Enz. – PhdG Only consciousness, self-consciousness and Reason: 3 parts Pure concept History as objective Worldhistory of States +Spirit, Religion and Absolute knowledge: 5 parts Developed through dialectics History in-itself as social ethics of the Greek state, for itself as inner development in absolute knowledge

The Problem : The Problem 3. The Phenomenology of Mind cannot simply be the Preface to the System as a whole

The Problem : The Problem 4. The original setup was discarded Phenomenology of Spirit suggests: first part of a work in three parts Science of the experience of consciousness suggests something akin to a transcendental philosophy

The Problem : The Problem Hegel has different views on the status of the Phenomenology of Mind It is unclear how the Phenomenology of Mind is related to the Phenomenology section of the Encyclopedia The Phenomenology of Mind cannot simply be the Preface to the System as a whole The original setup was discarded

Older solutions : Older solutions The PhdG is a propedeutic (Gabler) The PdhG is a presupposition of science The PhdG is identical to the Encyclopedic Phenomenology with added passages that systematically belong to phil of history and philosopby of Spirit.

The Encylopedic argument : The Encylopedic argument The Phenomenology is the exposition of subjective knowledge according to the three syllogisms of philosophy – par. 574 This concept of philosophy is the self-thinking idea, truth aware of itself (§ 183), or logic with the significance that it is generality preserved in concrete content. In this way science returns to its beginning, with logic as the result. The presupposition of its concept, or the immediacy of its beginning and the aspect of its appearance at that moment, are suspended.

Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 : Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 575: The Encyclopedia proper This initial appearance is formed by the syllogism, which has logic basically as its starting point, with nature for the middle term and is linked ultimately to spirit. Logic becomes nature, and nature becomes spirit. Nature, which stands between the spirit and its essence, divides itself though not to the extremes of finite abstraction. For the syllogism is in the idea and nature is essentially determined as a transition point and negative moment. But the mediation of the concept has the external form of transition, and science takes the form of being.

Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 : Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 576: Assumption: PhdG In the second syllogism this appearance is suspended, for the spirit is the mediating factor. This is a syllogism which is already the standpoint of the spirit itself presupposes nature and joins it with logic. It is the syllogism of reflection on the idea; science appears as subjective cognition.

Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 : Encyclopedia par. 575 – 577 577 Assumption These appearances are suspended in the idea of philosophy, which has self-knowing reason, the absolutely general, for its middle term a middle which divides itself into spirit and nature, with the former as its presupposition, and the latter as its general extreme. Thus immediate nature is only a posited entity, as spirit is in itself not a presupposition, but rather totality returning into itself. In this way the middle term, the self-knowing concept, has as its reality primarily conceptual moments and exists in its determinacy as general knowledge, persisting immediately by itself.

No dice! : No dice! On the contrary: The logical syllogisms at the end of the Encyclopedia are about Philosophy, which always has a subjective mode – for that reason we have the second syllogism. The whole of the System is philosophy – according to all three syllogisms.

First syllogism: : First syllogism: First figure: Logic - Nature - Spirit "This initial appearance is formed by the syllogism, which has logic basically as its starting point, with nature for the middle term and is linked ultimately to spirit." (Par. 575)

Second syllogism : Second syllogism Second figure: Nature - Spirit - Logic "This is a syllogism which is already the standpoint of the spirit itself presupposes nature and joins it with logic. [Spirit therefore is the middle term, RAV] It is the syllogism of reflection on the idea; science appears as subjective cognition." (par. 576)

Third syllogism: : Third syllogism: Third figure: Spirit - Logic - Nature "These appearances are suspended in the idea of philosophy, which has self-knowing reason, the absolutely general, for its middle term a middle which divides itself into spirit and nature, with the former as its presupposition, and the latter as its general extreme." Par. 577)

Encylopedia: : Encylopedia: It is easy to see that we can traverse the Encyclopedia (and that means philosophy as system of pure conceptual cognition) starting from Logic (first figure): Logic – Nature – Spirit nature (second figure) Nature – Spirit – Logic Spirit (third figure) Spirit – Logic – Nature

A solution : A solution Hegel's philosophy as a whole is a philosophy of History Jan Hollak (1962) As speculative knowledge, philosophy is the contemporary self-understanding of the Spirit and in this self-understanding of its present it runs through its past in the form of its own conceptual moments, while these moments have been run through consecutively in the form of independent constellations.

Evidence (1) : Evidence (1) Spirit is essentially the result of its own activity; its activity is the transcending of immediate, simple, unreflected existence, — the negation of that existence, and the returning into itself.

Evidence (2) : Evidence (2) Universal history - as already demonstrated - shews the development of the consciousness of Freedom on the part of Spirit, and of the consequent realization of that Freedom. The very essence of Spirit is activity; it realises its potentiality - makes itself its own deeds its own work - and thus it becomes an object to itself; contemplates itself as an objective existence.

Evidence (3) : Evidence (3) While we are thus concerned exclusively with the Idea of Spirit, and in the History of the World regard everything as only its manifestation, we have, in traversing the past, - however extensive its periods, - only to do with what is present; for philosophy, as occupying itself with the True, has to do with the eternally present. Nothing in the past is lost for it, for the Idea is ever present; Spirit is immortal; with it there is no past, no future, but an essential now.

Evidence (4) : Evidence (4) This necessarily implies that the present form of Spirit comprehends within it all earlier steps. These have indeed unfolded themselves in succession independently; but what Spirit is it has always been essentially; distinctions are only the development of this essential nature. The life of the ever present Spirit is a circle of progressive embodiments, which looked at in one respect still exist beside each other, and only as looked at from another point of view appear as past. The grades which Spirit seems to have left behind it, it still possesses in the depths of its present.

Conclusions : Conclusions Hegel's philosophy is essentially a philosophy of History, but the System and the separate “Philosophy of History” stand in a dialectical relationship. Hegel's philosophy is the purest expression of the principle of the “Christian-Germanic world”. By expressing this principle, it also points toward the dawning of a higher or at least other principle.