Hegel argues that there is no static, stable position, truth is dynamic. But what then is the final position?
If you are to take that there is nothing worthwhile in life, you will be depressed, you will feel completely useless, devoid of value to yourself, others, the universe…
Socrates held that one must retract from their community, friends, and the external world, to discover the things that are independent, that need nothing to exist. By denying interest in all kinds of things, and concentrating on things that are imperishable you can uphold your identity.
If you need to find things, you can find them yourself.
This stands in stark contrast to Hegel, who argues that achieving this is impossible on your own. There is nothing inherently in the self, we are what we become, what we desire, and what we desire is what we are not. We do not follow a path of knowledge which is already there, it comes to exist in our interaction with the world. It is not stable, it is dynamic, it changes on the historical moment, on what is at stake, what is relevant. In a community, the Geist is evolving, it changes over time.
From the Hegelian perspective, we shouldn’t think that there are universal, natural laws, that we need to self-evidently follow. What we perceive as right and wrong is of our own making.
There are reasons, reasons we may be able to defend, but it can all be rearranged and reshaped.
By interacting with opposites we are able to cognize the fact that all of our ideas are manmade, and through that confrontation we are able to refine our perspective, see if our ideas had any mistakes.
The final stage is one where we are able to recognize another’s position, where we can identify with others, and when others can identify with you.
In the moment of reconciliation, in acknowledging that you have made mistakes, you recognize yourself and others as human beings that can be mistaken. There’s no one completely correct person and way of life.
To attempt to gain importance through confrontation, through violence, through trying to be the best, through trying to conquer others, is something that constantly goes on.
We can be so strict towards ourselves that we may not be able to stand ourselves.
Everything we will study from now on will be a result of a certain interpretation of Hegel.
Hegel is difficult to study (no way!!!)
Jeremy Bentham
Older than Hegel, lived more or less in the same period. Father of utilitarianism.