The Mind from
Descartes to Hegel
Talk by Andy Blunden, 15 February 2011
Descartes and Consciousness
Rene Descartes (1596-1650)
“De omnibus dubitandum” – Doubt everything
“I think, therefore I am!”
?
Mind/matter: Ontological distinction
Subject/Object:Epistemological relation
Descartes’ mistakeKant
Herder and CultureThe Romantic reaction to the Enlightenment
Johann Gottfried Herder
(1744-1803)
God/Nature is Active
Everyone has their Schwerpunkt !
Herder
God/Nature is Active
Everyone has their Schwerpunkt !
Goetheand Romantic Science
Gestalt
(1749-1832)
UrphänomenGoethe
Hegel(1770-1831)
Thought-object / Artefact
Subject-Object
Thought-object / Artefact
Subject-Object
• Way of thinking
• Way of Life
• Constellation of artefacts
The Phenomenology of Spirit (1807)
Formation of Consciousness
Hegel
• Way of thinking
• Way of Life
• Constellation of artefacts
Concept
Hegel
Hegel’s Idealism
Hegel
Hegel’s Psychology
Soul (Feeling)
Consciousness(Sensation)
Intellect(Symbols)
Immediate, no relation
Relative to an Other
Relates to Subject-Object
ActivityActivity
Herder↓
Fichte↓
Hess↓
Marx
““Unit of Analysis”Unit of Analysis”
Herder↓
Goethe↓
Hegel↓
Marx
In Conclusion
http://lchc.ucsd.edu/mca/Paper/Genealogy-CHAT.htm
Genealogy of CHAT:http://lchc.ucsd.edu/mca/Paper/Genealogy-CHAT.htm
Andy Blunden’s Home Pagehttp://home.mira.net/~andy
History of Philosophy on M.I.A.:http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/
Available for consultation:
2:30pm – 5pm Tuesday 15th February1:30pm – 4pm Wednesday 15th February2:30pm – 5pm Friday 18th February1:30pm – 4pm Monday 21st February2:30pm – 5pm Tuesday 22nd February2:30pm – 5pm Wednesday 23rd February12:30pm – 5pm Friday 25th February Please book a time with Carol on 082 562 1050
Program of TalksTuesday 15th Staff Lounge The Mind from Descartes to HegelW’sday 16th Senate Room Marx & Modernity: Mind, Culture & ActivityFriday 18th Staff Lounge Vygotsky & Concept of ConsciousnessMonday 21st Senate Room Is Science a Humanity?Tuesday 22nd Staff Lounge Units & Motives in Activity TheoryW’nsday 23rd Staff Lounge Projects & the Problem of ContextMonday 28th Staff Lounge Vygotsky’s Theory of Child Development