Hegel: Phenomenology of Spirit (Week 3)

Hegel refers to his 1807 Phenomenology of Spirit as “the path of the soul wandering through the series of ways it takes shape, as if these were stations put forward in advance to it by its own nature”.

The idea here is that we can become self-consciously aware of how we understand ourselves and how that understanding shapes and is shaped by the life we share. But it turns out that in any effort to understand ourselves, we inevitably underestimate ourselves—are, in some way, untrue to our very nature as knowers.

It is our own understanding that underestimates itself, that becomes dissatisfied with itself, but also moves on from its own deficiencies by reflecting on them. Hegel takes it that these moments matter for understanding ourselves, and that they point the way to knowing what it means for us to know.

Whether you’re new to discussing philosophical texts or just feel like you aren’t using the middle voice enough, we’d be happy to have you join!

Please read ahead and be prepared to discuss Hegel’s text in detail.

**Reading schedule by week:

1. Introduction: §§73–89
2. Consciousness: §§90–111, §§112–131
3. Consciousness: §§132–165
4. Self-Consciousness: §§166–177, §§178–196
5. Self-Consciousness: §§197–230
6. Reason: §§231–297, §§298–346
7. Reason: §§347–393, §§394–437
8. Spirit: §§438–483, §§484–537
9. Spirit: §§538–595, §§586–671
10. Religion: §§672–747, §§748–787
11. Absolute Knowing: §§788–808
12. Preface: §§1–72

For a translation, we're recommending Miller’s, but others will do just fine.