799

[R Srivatsan]

799.  Absolute knowing is thus the being-for-itself of self consciousness:  It is the I, this I, but at the same time, the universal I; it is the manifestation of the universal in the particular, the individual.  As being-for-itself that is pure negativity (I am not "that"!) it differentiates a part of itself, objectifies it and is conscious of it as different.  And yet, this other is comprehended because the I is unified with itself only in otherness, in the We -- "self cognition in absolute otherness" as Hegel puts it in paragraph 26 of the Preface.

The content of this "absolute" self consciousness is precisely this movement of separation of the individual consciousness.  This is because spirit as a for-itself (I am not "that") dirempts -- through amoebic fission -- and thus the individual that is formed is its own content.   The concept that drives spirit is the objective manifestation of the individual.

Comments:  

1.  Thus Hegel is very far from liberal individualism and the celebration of the individual's brilliance or greatness.  The individual is the speartip of Spirit.  It has no value other than as this speartip, and simply exists.  Its own "drive, determination, heroism, etc., are simply expressions of the variation of Spirit.

2.  Thus, for Hegel, it becomes apparent that the outcome, the speartip of the Phenomenology of Spirit is not community, culture, state, religion: It is the specific kind of individual that approaches Spirit philosophically.  Hegel's is not a sociology -- it is rather a metaphysical comprehension of what constitutes the philosophical self, and how that self should conduct itself if, true to its calling, it pursues the Truth about itself and the World.  All other insights (about community, religion, spirit, reason, consciousness) are peripheral to this central objective.

3.  How is Hegel different from Marx?  At a simple level, it is possible to say that Hegel does not have a concept of class. He has not abstracted this notion  yet.  But, is he a bourgeois individual who Marx castigates?  No he is not -- his individuality is an expression of the community spirit.   A bit like the artist in the Marxist notion of art -- one who expresses the working class consciousness.  Hegel's notion of the community finds its expression in the singularity of specific individuals.  Thus, in the Philosophy of Right (I think) the universal individual in practice is Napoleon Bonaparte, and the same in thought or the concept, is none other than Hegel himself.

Srivats 

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R Srivatsan
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There is only one solution if old age is not to be an absurd parody of our former life, and that is to go on pursuing ends that give our existence a meaning – devotion to individuals, to groups or to causes, social, political, intellectual or creative work … in old age we should wish still to have passions strong enough to prevent us turning in on ourselves. One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation, compassion. - Simone de Beauvoir