Hegel, Alienation, and the Phenomenological Development of Consciousness

Abstract

While it has long been recognized that the concept ‘alienation’ plays a crucial role in Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and indeed his overall philosophical project, too often commentators simply note its importance without providing an in-depth discussion of this important concept. I aim to remedy this by providing an extended discussion of the role that alienation plays in the phenomenological development of consciousness. To do so, I first, briefly, outline the project that Hegel undertakes in the Phenomenology of Spirit, before undertaking an analytic of the concept ‘alienation’ to show that: (a) Hegel distinguishes between ‘alienation as estrangement’ (Entfremdung) and ‘alienation as externalisation’ (Entaüsserung); and (b) the two senses of the term are intimately, if differently, related to concepts such as objectivity and objectification. I then show that, while he recognizes that the experience of alienation may be an undesirable aspect of consciousness’s existence, Hegel maintains that experiencing a particular combination of the two senses of alienation allows consciousness to overcome its alienation. The conclusion drawn is that properly understanding Hegel’s subtle and multi-dimensional account of alienation provides us with insight into this concept, Hegel’s conception of consciousness, and his wider philosophical project.

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