Half Hour Hegel: The Complete Phenomenology of Spirit (Perception, sec. 122-124)

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In this forty-ninth video in the new series on G.W.F. Hegel's great early work, the Phenomenology of Spirit, I read and comment on paragraphs 122, 123, and 124 of the text, continuing our study of the second portion of the section "Consciousness," i.e "Perception: Or the Thing and Deception".
Hegel now turns back from Consciousness to the Thing, revealing a twofold structure existing and working itself through within the thing just as much as within consciousness. The Thing is a unity, a One, but it is also the indifferent medium, within which properties are determinate by their opposition to each other -- so it is both of these aspects.
But the Thing is a unity precisely by its opposition to and difference from its Other -- another Thing (or other Things), for which it itself is an an other. It's being in-itself and being-for-itself thus involves its being-for-another, and its being so for consciousness.
In this video series, I will be working through the entire Phenomenology, paragraph by paragraph -- for each one, first reading the paragraph, and then commenting on what Hegel is doing, referencing, discussing, etc. in that paragraph.
This series is designed to provide an innovative digital resource that will assist students, lifelong learners, professionals, and even other philosophers in studying this classic work by Hegel for generations to come. If you'd like to support this project -- and also receive some rewards for your support -- please contribute! - / drgbsadler
I'll be using and referencing the A.V. Miller English-language translation of the Phenomenology, which is available here: amzn.to/1jDUI6w
The introductory music for the video is: Johann Sebastian Bach, Flute Sonata in Eb, BWV 1031 (Trumpet arr.), is available in the public domain, and can be found at musopen.org.
#Hegel #Phenomenology #Philosophy #Idealism #German #Dialectic #Spirit #Absolute #Knowledge #History

[@GregoryBSadler]

The fifth video (#49 in the series) about the section "Perception" -- Hegel turns back to the Thing and finds within in a complex structure, which places it in opposition to other Things

[@MrMarktrumble]

I need to review this....but for now, I will be in itself, and go be the holy hermit of Ouroboros.

[@andrewcarteducation5718]

got to say it again what you are doing is great. I found myself in the park looking at thinness of a tree....and its also's the bark texture twig ness.. and pushingness of it roots in the soil nourished by and moving the soil ...I don't know but the soil as part of the organic matter that is chemically making the tree is part of the tree... we are giving thingness to the soil and the tree. .... and they are not the same the soil and the tree... but consciousness has made this....the tree becomes a focus or nodal point of different substances , qualities and energy which we call tree. May be from a different angle the whole way of seeing the park could break down ,,, the plants are a manifestation of qualities in the soil sunlight water.... and ecosystem...of course to speak i have to go ...this tree... or the trees.. any way ...its great what you have done

[@allisonstafford9119]

idk why but i also am struggling with 123, but i'll keep at it

[@ligottifan1]

Not to shoot down Antti's comment but I found this video very clear. Section 124 in particular seems to be a prelude to setting up the Master-Slave concept as it begins laying the groundwork between difference and differentiation. And in Section 123 the explanation of a single thing begetting many many other things was helpful in understanding that passage. Then again, this may be a reflection that Antti actually understood the sections and I totally missed the points. Either way; Thanks!

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome!

[@Skythikon]

In the Pinkard translation of 123, there's a line that goes "The thing is One, reflected into itself; it is for itself, but it is also for an other, namely it is an other for itself as it is for an other." Would you say this is just a wonky translation? I'm struggling to understand how the thing is an other for itself.

[@GregoryBSadler]

That being an other for itself is all through Hegel - and a good bit of other philosophers.

[@SequinBrain]

Maybe later this happens? but from seeing how discrete math labors itself to prove things we've understood since 3rd grade, I could see how eventually we could similarly prove the existence of what we're perceiving? This may be an entirely separate field of study.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Hegel isn't particularly interested in proving the existence of what we're perceiving in some sort rigorous manner. He's much more interested in examining it's meaning - how it is, and what it turns into, for consciousness

[@Bruh-el9js]

We cannot prove the existence of what we're perceiving and never will, that requires some sensibility to that which is perceived, which thus brings us to the start of the book once again, which effectively refutes such a notion.

[@SequinBrain]

@@Bruh-el9js which is why I said, "Maybe later (in the book) this happens (or is explained further). whether possible or why it isn't. since he enjoys an excruciating amount of detail in minutia, not having read yet more than 1/8th of the work leaves plenty of room for this idea to be explored further than just saying it's not possible. But rather give details on what it is and why it can't be.

[@Second247]

I find this video be pretty hard to grasp and i don't know if subject itself is so abstract, or is it that your don't bring up the chalk or someother example to tie up what you talk and write. But this is first tie i'm left wondering if i've understood. Overall i really like the way you lecture. Came from reading Kierkegaard with opinion that this Hegel-geezer is rubbish... Boy was i wrong!

[@GregoryBSadler]

So, you're saying that this one is more abstract than the other videos in the series?

[@Second247]

Gregory B. Sadler That is my impression.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Well. . . I'd say stick with it, and see if things get clearer. The video format is a bit artificial, since we're focusing on just a few paragraphs, rather than on the entire section of paragraphs together

[@Second247]

Gregory B. Sadler That is the plan.

[@SequinBrain]

I have this same reaction off & on whether just reading the text or watching any of the videos. I'll guess it's my own adjusting to abstract thinking, but I won't decide since I don't know what it is yet. Maybe we could consider this unidentified phenomenon to be the "Thing" to be grasped?

[@odalchiszaratutu6793]

"a thing reflecting upon itself", how can a thing can refelct at all let alone into itself? the contradiction seems absolute, but that's how hegel works, he was really thinking outside the box on this paragraph

[@GregoryBSadler]

Indeed

[@odalchiszaratutu6793]

one thing i love about hegel is how even when he articulate all those incredible complex ideas, they're always so attractive, you always want to overcome the difficulty and understand what hegel is saying, because you know it will pay off at the end reading hegel i always end up thinking the same thing"this will be so worthy once i understand it"

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@odalchiszaratutu6793 That is a useful attitude for plowing through Hegel

[@Shpoogen]

two forks in a drawer lmao true