Dialectical Critique of the Hegelian System: Absolute Spirit and the Relation of Religion, the State and Philosophy

Abstract

<p>Starting from the presupposition, common in some circles of Continental philosophy, that Hegel's system is unsurpassed and yet to be overcome, this thesis attempts to formulate an immanent dialectical critique of that system. As such, the thesis is not an attempt to simply disprove Hegel, but rather show how, on its own ground, Hegel's system is forced to transcend itself in a movement that, at least in principle, is also capable of comprehending Hegel's philosophical system, as well as subsequent history and philosophy. The first three chapters of the thesis layout Hegel's philosophical position by means of a detailed examination and exposition of the final sections of Hegel's Philosophy of Spirit and the central category of Hegel's entire system, absolute spirit. Using this as its background and presupposition, the final chapter shows how Hegel's entire philosophical system and the concept of absolute spirit presupposes a stable, concrete relation between religion, the state and philosophy and yet how, due to the very manner in which these three and their relationship is conceived by Hegel, that this relationship is ultimately self-destructive. Consequently this relationship is undermined, but thus so is Hegel's philosophical system and his very concept of absolute spirit. Insofar as this thesis only offers a negative lesult, it remains merely prefatory. The conclusion thus offers hints at how the final result of the dialectical movement can be seen as also positive by pointing out the similarities of this conclusion to the philosophical position of Emmanuel Levinas, arguing that both he and Hegel need to be overcome in a comprehensive dialectical movement.</p>