Hegel's Phenomenology of Self-Consciousness: Text and Commentary (SUNY Series in Hegelian Studies)

Offering a new translation of the famous chapter IV ("Self-Consciousness") of Phenomenology of Spirit, this book reflects the far-reaching insights of contemporary Hegelian scholarship. Included is extensive commentary as well as a review of its reception by such important twentieth-century thinkers as Kojeve, Heidegger, Sartre, Gadamer, Bataille, Deleuze, Lacan, and Habermas. Interest in Hegel has historically centered around the Phenomenology of Spirit. In particular chapter IV, including Hegel's celebrated "master-slave dialectic," has influenced philosophers, political theorists, social psychologists, cultural anthropologists, and literary theorists alike. Hegel began this chapter with an influential discussion of the nature of human "desire," and then described a hypothetical encounter between two pre-social human beings who engage in a life-and-death struggle for recognition. Out of this struggle that gave rise to self-identity, emerged such forms of consciousness as master and slave, stoicism, skepticism, and what Hegel referred to as "the unhappy consciousness," which he took to be paradigmatic of early Christianity. These forms of consciousness, in turn, are transcended by other, more comprehensive, forms of consciousness that ultimately come to reflect the highest elaborations of societal life. The impetus for these dynamic changes comes from the dialectical contradictions that inhere within our most basic conceptions of personhood. Presents a new translation with commentary of chapter IV (“Self-Consciousness”) of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit.Offering a new translation of the famous chapter IV (“Self-Consciousness”) of Phenomenology of Spirit, this book reflects the far-reaching insights of contemporary Hegelian scholarship. Included is extensive commentary as well as a review of its reception by such important twentieth-century thinkers as Kojeve, Heidegger, Sartre, Gadamer, Bataille, Deleuze, Lacan, and Habermas.Interest in Hegel has historically centered around the Phenomenology of Spirit. In particular chapter IV, including Hegel's celebrated “master-slave dialectic,” has influenced philosophers, political theorists, social psychologists, cultural anthropologists, and literary theorists alike. Hegel began this chapter with an influential discussion of the nature of human “desire,” and then described a hypothetical encounter between two pre-social human beings who engage in a life-and-death struggle for recognition. Out of this struggle that gave rise to self-identity, emerged such forms of consciousness as master and slave, stoicism, skepticism, and what Hegel referred to as “the unhappy consciousness,” which he took to be paradigmatic of early Christianity. These forms of consciousness, in turn, are transcended by other, more comprehensive, forms of consciousness that ultimately come to reflect the highest elaborations of societal life. The impetus for these dynamic changes comes from the dialectical contradictions that inhere within our most basic conceptions of personhood.Leo Rauch was Professor of Philosophy of Babson College and the author of several books including Hegel and the Human Spirit: A Translation and Discussion of the Jena 1805–6 Lectures. David Sherman is a doctoral candidate at the University of Texas at Austin. Offering A New Translation Of The Famous Chapter Iv (self-consciousness) Of Phenomenology Of Spirit, This Book Reflects The Far-reaching Insights Of Contemporary Hegelian Scholarship. Included Is Extensive Commentary As Well As A Review Of Its Reception By Such Important Twentieth-century Thinkers As Kojeve, Heidegger, Sartre, Gadamer, Bataille, Deleuze, Lacan, And Habermas.--jacket. Introduction / David Sherman -- G.w.f. Hegel Phenomenology Of Spirit: Self-consciousness / Leo Rauch -- Chapter Iv: The Truth Of Self-certainty -- Hegel's Summary Of Self-consciousness From The Phenomenology Of Spirit In The Philosophical Propaedeutic (1809) -- A Discussion Of The Text / Leo Rauch -- What Is Self-consciousness?: An Overview -- On Hegel's Aims And Methods -- Before Self-consciousness -- Self-consciousness And Self-certainty (para. 1-12) -- Mastery And Slavery (para. 13-31) -- Stoicism, Skepticism, And The Unhappy Consciousness (para. 32-65) -- After Self-consciousness -- Early-twentieth-century European Criticism -- The Denial Of The Self: The Repudiation Of Hegelian Self-consciousness In Recent European Thought / David Sherman -- Georges Bataille -- Gilles Deleuze -- Jacques Lacan -- Jurgen Habermas And Axel Honneth. Leo Rauch And David Sherman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-231) And Index. "Offering a new translation of the famous chapter IV ("Self-Consciousness") of Phenomenology of Spirit, this book reflects the far-reaching insights of contemporary Hegelian scholarship. Included is extensive commentary as well as a review of its reception by such important twentieth-century thinkers as Kojeve, Heidegger, Sartre, Gadamer, Bataille, Deleuze, Lacan, and Habermas."--BOOK JACKET. Title Page......Page 3 ©......Page 4 CONTENTS......Page 5 PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 7 INTRODUCTION by David Sherman......Page 9 PART I......Page 19 PART II......Page 61 PART III......Page 169