Hegel's Ontology and the Theory of Historicity (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought)

This was Herbert Marcuse's first book on Hegel, written in the early 1930s when he was under the strong influence of Martin Heidegger. It provides a still unequaled Heideggerian reading of Hegel's thought that seeks the defining characteristics of "historicity" - what it means to say that a historical event happens. These ideas were foundational for Marcuse; they express a tradition known as "phenomenological Marxism," subsequently represented by Jean-Paul Sartre and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and by some members of the Praxis group in Yugoslavia.The book is in two parts. The first analyzes Hegel's Logic in order to identify its ontological problematic or theory of being; by focusing on Hegel's Early Theological Writings and the "Phenomenology of Spirit," the second part argues that the concept of Life in its historicity was in fact the original foundation of Hegelian ontology. Clearly this is a "purer" form of philosophizing than Marcuse was to pursue after he joined the Institut fur Sozialforschung, discovered Freud, and distanced himself from Heidegger's philosophy. But there is a definite connection between his analysis of historicity in this important early work and his later attempts to understand the underlying dynamic of contemporary history and society in such books as "One-Dimensional Man "and "Eros and Civilization.""Hegel's Ontology and the Theory of Historicity" is included in the series Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought, edited by Thomas McCarthy, Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Table of Contents......Page 4 Translator's Introduction......Page 7 Bibliographic Note......Page 39 List of Bibliographic Abbreviations......Page 41 Introduction......Page 43 I. Interpretation of Hegel's Logic in the Light of Its Ontological Problematic: Being as Motility......Page 48 1. The Analytical and Historical Problem at the Origin of Hegel's First Published Writings......Page 49 2. The Attainment of a New Concept of Being through an Analysis of Kant's Concept of Transcendental Synthesis......Page 62 3. The Absolute Difference within Being: Equality-with Self-in-Otherness. Being as Motility......Page 79 4. Motility as Change: The Finitude of Beings......Page 90 5. Finitude as Infinity. Infinity as Characteristic of Motility......Page 97 6. The Emergence of a New Dimension of Being and Motility: The "Recollection" of Immediate Beings as "Essence"......Page 105 7. The Motility of Essence in Its Two Dimensions. The "Ground" and the "Unity" of Beings......Page 111 8. Being as Existence......Page 120 9. Actuality as the Fulfillment of Being......Page 129 10. A Summary Characterization of Actuality as Motility......Page 143 11. The Comprehending Being (the Concept) as True Being. Substance as Subject......Page 151 12. The Mode of Being of the Concept: The Individuation of Universality. Judgment and Conclusion......Page 161 13. The Unfree Reality of the Concept: Objectivity......Page 175 14. The Free and True Reality of the Concept: The Idea......Page 184 15. Life as the Truth of Beings. The Ideas of Life and Cognition......Page 193 16. The Absolute Idea......Page 211 17. Overview of the Preceding and Transition to Part II......Page 227 II. The Ontological Concept of Life in Its Historicity as the Original Foundation of Hegelian Ontology......Page 238 18. Life as the Fundamental Concept of the Early Theological Writings......Page 239 19. Life as the Form of "Absolute Spirit" in the Jena Logic......Page 257 20. Introduction and General Definition of the Concept of Life......Page 266 21. The Immediacy of the Life Process......Page 288 22. The Historicity of the Life Process: The Actualization of Self-Consciousness as Reason......Page 302 23. The Historicity of the Life Process: The Actualization of Self-Consciousness in the "Doing of Each and Everyone." The Object of "Work" and the "Thing Itself"......Page 314 24. The Transformation of the Concept of Life into the Ontological Concept of Spirit......Page 330 25. The Transformation of the Process of Knowing into the Process of Absolute Knowledge. The Fundamental Determinations of "History" in the Conclusion to the Phenomenology of Spirit......Page 343 26. Conclusion: Hegel's Fundamental Definition of Historicity as Presented in Dilthey's "The Construction of the Historical World in the Human Sciences"......Page 357 Notes......Page 363 Glossary......Page 371 Index......Page 384 Introduction: The Problem Of Historicity As The Starting Point And Goal Of This Work. The Purpose Of The Present Interpretation -- The Analytical And Historical Problem At The Origin Of Hegel's First Published Writings -- The Attainment Of A New Concept Of Being Through An Analysis Of Kant's Concept Of Transcendental Synthesis -- The Absolute Difference Within Being: Equality-with-self-in-otherness. Being As Motility -- Motility As Change. The Finitude Of Beings -- Finitude As Infinity. Infinity As Characteristic Of Motility -- The Emergence Of A New Dimension Of Being And Motility: The Recollection Of Immediate Beings As Essence -- The Motility Of Essence In Its Two Dimensions. The Ground And The Unity Of Beings -- Being As Existence -- Actuality As The Fulfillment Of Being -- A Summary Characterization Of Actuality And Motility -- The Comprehending Being (the Concept) As True Being. Substance As Subject --^ The Mode Of Being Of The Concept: The Individuation Of Universality. Judgment And Conclusion -- The Unfree Reality Of The Concept: Objectivity -- The Free And True Reality Of The Concept: The Idea -- Life As The Truth Of Beings. The Ideas Of Life And Cognition -- The Absolute Idea -- Overview Of The Preceding And Transition To Part Ii -- Life As The Fundamental Concept Of The Early Theological Writings -- Life As The Form Of Absolute Spirit In The Jena Logic -- Life As An Ontological Concept In The Phenomenology Of Spirit -- Introduction And General Definition Of The Concept Of Life -- The Immediacy Of The Life Process -- The Historicity Of The Life Process: The Actualization Of Self-consciousness As Reason -- The Historicity Of The Life Process: The Actualization Of Self-consciousness In The Doing Of Each And Everyone. The Object Of Work And The Thing Itself -- The Transformation Of The Concept Of Life Into The Ontological Concept Of Spirit --^ The Transformation Of The Process Of Knowing Nito The Process Of Absolute Knowledge. The Fundamental Determinations Of History In The Conclusion To The Phenomenology Of Spirit -- Conclusion: Hegel's Fundamental Definition Of Historicity As Presented In Dilthey's The Construction Of The Historical World In The Human Sciences. Herbert Marcuse ; Translated By Seyla Benhabib. Translation Of: Hegels Ontologie Und Die Theorie Der Geschichtlichkeit. Includes Bibliographies And Index. This was Herbert Marcuse's first book on Hegel, written in the early 1930s when he was under the strong influence of Martin Heidegger. It provides a still unequaled Heideggerian reading of Hegel's thought that seeks the defining characteristics of "historicity" - what it means to say that a historical event happens. These ideas were foundational for Marcuse; they express a tradition known as "phenomenological Marxism," subsequently represented by Jean-Paul Sartre and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and by some members of the Praxis group in Yugoslavia. The book is in two parts. The first analyzes Hegel's Logic in order to identify its ontological problematic or theory of being; by focusing on Hegel's Early Theological Writings and the Phenomenology of Spirit , the second part argues that the concept of Life in its historicity was in fact the original foundation of Hegelian ontology. Clearly this is a "purer" form of philosophizing than Marcuse was to pursue after he joined the Institut fur Sozialforschung, discovered Freud, and distanced himself from Heidegger's philosophy. But there is a definite connection between his analysis of historicity in this important early work and his later attempts to understand the underlying dynamic of contemporary history and society in such books as One-Dimensional Man and Eros and Civilization . Hegel's Ontology and the Theory of Historicity is included in the series Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought, edited by Thomas McCarthy,