Understanding Hegelianism (Understanding Movements in Modern Thought)

"Understanding Hegelianism" explores the ways in which Hegelian and anti-Hegelian currents of thought have shaped some of the most significant movements in twentieth-century European philosophy, particularly the traditions of critical theory, existentialism, Marxism and poststructuralism. The first part of the book examines Kierkegaard's existentialism and Marx's materialism, which present two defining poles of subsequent Hegelian and anti-Hegelian movements. The second part looks at the contrasting critiques of Hegel by Lukacs and Heidegger, which set the stage for the appropriation of Hegelian themes in German critical theory and the anti-Hegelian turn in French poststructuralism. The role of Hegelian themes in the work of Adorno, Habermas and Honneth are explored. In the third part, the rich tradition of Hegelianism in modern French philosophy is considered - the work of Wahl, Kojeve, Hyppolite, Lefebvre, Sartre, de Beauvoir as well as the radical critique of Hegelianism articulated by Derrida and Deleuze. Although the focus is primarily on German and French appropriations of Hegelian thought, the author also explores some of the recent developments in Anglophone Hegelianism. Annotation. Understanding Hegelianism explores the ways in which Hegelian and anti-Hegelian currents of thought have shaped some of the most significant movements in twentieth-century European philosophy, particularly the traditions of critical theory, existentialism, Marxism, and poststructuralism. Robert Sinnerbrink begins with an examination of Kierkegaard's existentialism and Marx's materialism. He looks at the contrasting critiques of Hegel by Lukacs and Heidegger as well as the role of Hegelian themes in the work of Adorno, Habermas, and Honneth. Sinnerbrink also considers the rich tradition of Hegelianism in modern French philosophers such as Wahl, Kojeve, Hyppolite, Lefebvre, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Derrida and Deleuze, who articulated a radical critique of Hegelianism. Throughout Understanding Hegelianism Sinnerbrink foregrounds the Hegelian themes of the unhappy consciousness, the master/slave dialectic, and the struggle for recognition and shows how each has provided fertile concepts for both the development of German critical theory and for French philosophy. He examines the problem of modernity, theories of recognition, and the deconstruction of metaphysics in order to show the legacy of Hegelian thought and also explores some of the recent developments in Anglophone Hegelianism Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Preface and acknowledgements......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 12 Introduction: Hegel and the Enlightenment......Page 14 I. The adventures of Hegelianism......Page 26 1. Introducing Hegelian idealism......Page 28 2. Adventures in Hegelianism......Page 52 II. German Hegelianism......Page 72 3. Reification and metaphysics: Lukács and Heidegger......Page 74 4. Enlightenment, domination and non-identity: Adorno's negative dialectics......Page 96 5. Modernity, intersubjectivity and recognition: Habermas and Honneth......Page 114 III. French Hegelianism......Page 136 6. French Hegelianism and its discontents: Wahl, Hyppolite, Kojève......Page 138 7. Between existentialism and Marxism: Sartre, de Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty......Page 160 8. Deconstructing Hegelianism: Deleuze, Derrida and the question of difference......Page 184 Conclusion: The future of Hegelianism......Page 214 Questions for discussion and revision......Page 220 Further reading......Page 224 References......Page 230 Untitled......Page 234 Explores the ways in which hegelian and anti-Hegelian currents of thought have shaped some of the most significant movements in 20th century European philosophy, particularly the traditions of critical theory, existentialism, Marxism and poststructuralism