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

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.

My videos are used by students, lifelong learners, other professors, and professionals to learn more about topics, texts, and thinkers in philosophy, religious studies, literature, social-political theory, critical thinking, and communications. These include college and university classes, British A-levels preparation, and Indian civil service (IAS) examination preparation

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[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

[ligottifan]

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!

[andrewcarteducation]

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

[allisonstafford]

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

[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.

[Second]

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!

[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.

[odalchiszaratutu]

"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