What is Hegel’s critique of Kant? THREE parts.
- Kant assumes that there is a difference between ourselves and this cognition (i.e. reason/logic).
- Cognition/reason is part of the ultimate reality, not independent of it.
- We try to understand ultimate reality/the absolute and do that by trying to understand the nature of our capacities. However, Hegel says this is wrong - use our own rational capacities to examine our own rational capacities.
What is Hegel’s critique of Kant: ‘We try to understand ultimate reality by trying to understand the nature of our capacities.’
Hegel says this is wrong
- Use our own rational capacities to examine our own rational capacities.
What is Hegel’s critique of Kant’s use of reason/cognition?
Kant assumes that there is a difference between ourselves and this cognition (i.e. reason/logic).
What is Hegel’s critique of Kant: ‘cognition is independent and separated from the Absolute. I.E. If reason wasn’t there, then the ultimate reality would still be there.’
COGNITION/REASON IS PART OF THE ULTIMATE REALITY, not independent of it.
- We are already ‘in’ the truth.
What is Hegel’s Central Point?
- We are part of reality from the very start.
- Therefore our knowledge is originally connected to and is part of reality.
What is logic according to Hegel?
Hegel believes that logic is “the realm of pure thought”.
- Therefore, logic is the ‘explanation’ of God because He existed before everything else (is eternal) and has a finite mind.
What is the metaphysical principle according to Hegel?
Self consciousness.
Why is self-consciousness in direct contact with the ultimate reality? THREE things.
- It’s the divine part of us.
- Not physical, has a form that can serve as a basic principle that underlies everything.
- Involves a unity of opposites in its fusion of subject and object.
Example of unity of subject/object.
I (subject) realise THAT (object) is ME (subject/object).
What is the basis of the structure of dialectic logic?
The structure of self consciousness.
According to Hegel, the entire universe is thinking. If this is so then what does this mean for our own thinking?
Our own thinking is an aspect of (microcosm) the very thinking process that is the universe as a whole.
According to Hegel what is the ‘whole’ composed of?
The full process of a thing.
Plan > Development > Product
This is the Full Process.
What is ‘spirit’ according to Hegel?
communal social consciousness, the “I” that is “we” and the “we” that is “I”
What does Hegel mean by substance?
Substance means the outer world.
What are four ways of describing Hegel’s term ‘logic’?
- pure concepts.
- non-empirical.
- abstract.
- universal.
What are three ways of describing Hegel’s term ‘nature’?
- Spatio-temporal.
- empirical.
- concrete.
Explain Hegel’s reality. FOUR parts.
- Reality begins with LOGIC (a pure concept), which develops into a complex system of pure thought.
- When developed it transforms into (its opposite) NATURE (spatio-temporal).
- NATURE then manifests into plants, animals and humans.
- These pure concepts then manifest as human society in world history, culture, social consciousness, freedom - FUSION of LOGIC and NATURE into SPIRIT.
What does logic progress into?
LOGIC progresses into NATURE.
What does nature progress into?
NATURE progresses into SPIRIT.
What is the core structure of self-consciousness?
A subject (S) thinks of an object (O).
The subject (S) recognises the object (O) as being itself (S).
S > O > S/O
What are the FOUR criteria for a direct expression of the ultimate reality? Hegel.
- Spontaneous creativity.
- Freedom.
- A unity of opposites.
- Not physical - its form can be the basic principle of everything.
What is Marx’s critique of Hegel? FOUR parts.
- Subjects are actual people, not abstract ideas.
- First people, then abstractions - not the other way around.
- An abstract concept cannot be experienced. - impractical.
- Hegel has a fact of logic outlook (versus logic of fact).
What is the relationship between humans and the Spirit?
Humans are the vehicles through which “Spirit” (communal social consciousness) realises itself in a rational form.
Hegel’s system of philosophy begins with what?
God the creator.
