Hegel: the master-servant dialectic

Professor Ellie Anderson, co-host of Overthink philosophy podcast, introduces the dialectic of recognition in the master-servant dialectic, sometimes translated as the master-slave dialectic, in G.W.F. Hegel's The Phenomenology of Spirit.

This video was created just for our YouTube subscribers (thank you for your support!) based on Professor Anderson's Continental Thought course at Pomona College.

For more from Dr. Anderson, check out Overthink podcast!

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at @overthink_pod

[Arisleo-aumlg]

I think this was also a big part of Marx's theory. The relationship that the "servant" has with his work. When the capitalist takes that "surplus" of the servant's work, they are taking "the person" or "their humanity". Because of that bond created between the servant/worker and its work (the work is now an extension of the person) . He learned that from Hegel.

[camillevandenboer]

Never heard someone explain Hegel this clear, thank you. I'm definitely going to start listening to your podcast (after my exam tho)!!!

[VincentEdwardCastro]

I keep trying to go back and read phenomenology of the spirit and its just such a thick read. Thank you for these videos to help me understand and start an internal dialogue of what I read or am going to read. Motivates me to pick it back up and continue.

[rafeeqwarfield]

I’m so happy I’ve found these videos. Binging the past couple days ❤

[jiahongao]

Absolutely love this channel, very clear explanations!

[incognitoanonymous]

One cannot expect a better explanation than this.
I read about this yesterday but I missed a lot because the writer assumes a lot from the reader.

As for the part that elucidate the master-slave dialectics in Hegel's Phenomenology, I could not keep up with those long "monsters of abstraction".

Hegel stated that he wanted to make philosophy speak German. His writing certainly testifies his struggle lol

[pakiretic]

Conceptualizing the concept never so easy as you make it, hats off to you, Professor.

[hanscastorp]

Wow, that was such a great video! The older translation is really problematic (the newer one as "master and servant", too, in my opinion). Originally, Hegel used "Herr" (Lord?) and Knecht (a farm worker, not a servant - that would be "Diener" in German). The wording relates to the the very intimate relationships of owners and workers in a rural setting of a pre-modern society and thereby puts so much more weight into the "recognition" of the theory. "Master and Servant" always sounds like Jane Austen, who describes a rural world were those above the stairs and those below the stairs were already very disconnected.

[khandkersalahuddin]

Awesome, brilliant! wonderful presentation, beautiful subject, precise and thought provoking. Thank you,

[IamJsb]

This channel is highly underrated. Hope you get more views and subscribers. Cheers! 🍹

[TWMoore]

Great coverage of that section. It is definitely one of the more salient sections. That and the one that tells about individuality and university. Great video

[joshv.]

The assumption Hegel makes in a consciousness encountering another consciousness with an immediate sense of hostility strikes me as a perspective rooted in cultural biases. I'm not saying it doesn't still have value in what he is able to derive from the dialectic, but I find it worthwhile to consider that this shouldn't be taken as an absolute. In an environment where there is the tighter bonds of community established and a prioritization of the community, one could as easily look at another consciousness with a sense of comfort and security. We are a social creature, and as much as we are clearly our own worst enemies, simultaneously we require each other for community, legacy, and meaningfulness. What good is it to tell a joke, should no one be around to laugh at it?

[Abbaas]

Keep up the high spirit. It's helping a lot. Thanks

[bleach]

Thank you! As a shmuck with no formal understanding of philosophy, this was incredibly valuable

[JoshGrube]

Fantastic video! Amazingly clear and effective explanation of such a complex concept

[maceogillies]

Thank you for the help, I began reading Hegel's Independence, Dependence and Self-consciousness section and found it quite tricky, this vid is a great help to go back and re read. thanks!

[kehindeonakunle]

You are a professorial genius, explaining highly complex idea, simply.

[nissetuta]

You're so good at explaining Hegel:)

[davidellis]

I think the issue is more about the rapacious drive for survival that leads to fight when threatened. Anything that is not familiar is instinctively viewed as a potential threat until it is proven not to be. Anytime that hasn’t happened (Europeans come to the New World) it has had tragic results for the ones who trust without question. In some cases, the only thing we have to fear is the lack of fear itself. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is being afraid and doing the right thing anyway

[angelikaauer]

This reminds me of a psychological and personal struggle widely discussed as the "narcissist & empath" dynamic, which in essence refers to a co-dependent relationship dynamic... Thank you for your amazing content btw!