Introduction and Context(s) Matt Bennett mpb74@cam.ac.uk Hegel Introduction and Context(s) Matt Bennett mpb74@cam.ac.uk

Structure of the lectures Introduction and context(s) Sense certainty Recognition I – self-consciousness and desire Recognition II – the need for other people Subjective freedom Objective freedom Dialectic Absolute idealism

GWF Hegel 1770-1831 Born Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel in Stuttgart, 1770 Studied at a seminary school in Tübingen with Friedrich Hölderlin and Fredrich von Schelling Joined Schelling in Jena 1801 – 1807, completed Phenomenology of Spirit 1807 – 1817 worked as headmaster of a school in Nuremburg, and published the Science of Logic and the Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences 1817 – 1831 Chair of Philosophy in Berlin Published Elements of the Philosophy of Right and lectured broadly

Hegel’s Style “I found by actual experience of Hegel that conversancy with him tends to deprave one’s intellect. The attempt to unwind an apparently infinite series of self–contradictions, …really if persisted in impairs the acquired delicacy of perception of false reasoning & false thinking which has been gained by years of careful mental discipline... For some time after I had finished the book all such words as reflexion, development, evolution, &c., gave me a sort of sickening feeling which I have not yet entirely got rid of.” JS Mill

Hegel’s Style “…the height of audacity in serving up pure nonsense, in stringing together senseless and extravagant mazes of words, such as had previously been known only in madhouses, was finally reached in Hegel, and became the instrument of the most barefaced general mystification that has ever taken place, with a result which will appear fabulous to posterity, and will remain as a monument to German stupidity.” Arthur Schopenhauer

Hegel’s Influence

Historical context - Kant’s critical project Transcendental Idealism Analysis of the innate structures of the mind Basic form and concepts that reason brings to experience include Space Time Causality Unity Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind

Hegel’s objections to Kant

Hegel’s objections to Kant 1. You can’t swim without getting wet Reply to 1: there is a difference between the exercise of reason as such, and metaphysics 2. Kant dogmatically assumes that reality cannot be structured in the same way as thought 3. The limits of Kant’s reason are contingent, not necessary Reply to 2 and 3: Kant doesn’t simply assume that reason cannot do more

From dualism to freedom Hegel resists Kant’s dualism in the name of freedom But why think Kant’s philosophy restricts our freedom? Freedom as liberty – not a problem for Kant Freedom as autonomy – not a problem for Kant (arguably) Freedom as non-alienation (Hegel’s concept of freedom) – a problem for all dualism Hegel’s goal: a philosophy of absolute freedom