Recognition: Fichte and Hegel on the Other(SUNY series in Hegelian Studies)

Table of Contents:
Preface Abbreviations Part One: Introduction 1. Introduction The Hidden Theme of Intersubjectivity in German Idealism Phenomenology and German Idealism Phenomenology in German Idealism The Problem of the Other in Contemporary Philosophy Plan and Overview Part Two: Fichte 2. Between Kant and Fichte The Problematic Transcendental in Kant Reaction to Kant: Reinhold's Quest for Certainty Fichte and The Crisis in First Principles First Introduction to Wissenschaftslehre Fichte's Antifoundationalism From Transcendental Philosophy to the Pragmatic History of Spirit Fichte's Foundationalism? 3. Fichte on Recognition The Status and 'Location' of the Problem of the Other The Naturrecht in the Development of Fichte's Thought The Concept of Right Freedom as Intersubjective The Other as a Summons (Aufforderung) to Freedom Aufforderung and the Anstoss The Ambiguity: Aufforderung as Transcendental Fact Recognition (Anerkennung) Critical Evaluation Part Three: Hegel 4. The Early Hegel and Fichte Hegel's Earliest Social Theory Heteronomy and Domination in Hegel's Early Theological Writings Love and Reconciliation in the Early Theological Writings Hegel's Theory of Love Love as Intersubjective The Limits and Fate of Love Hegel's Critique of Fichte Problems in Appropriating Anerkennung Transformation of Anerkennung Love and Anerkennung Anerkennung in the Mode of Conflict Conclusion 5. Hegel and Phenomenology Husserl The Phenomenological Reduction or Epoche The Theoretical Inversion of the World of the Natural Attitude Reduction as Reversal of the Positivist Reversal The Abyss of Groundlessness: Philosophy without Foundations Hegel and Husserl? Hegel's Treatment of Skepticism Turning the Tables Alterity and Truth 6. Hegelian Phenomenology The Task of the Phenomenology of Spirit Hegel's Hermeneutical Critique of Critique The Problem of the Criterion Intentional Analysis of the Gestalts of Consciousness Consciousness Tests Itself Self-Accomplishing Skepticism: The Highway of Despair Between Panlogism and Existential Anthropology 7. Hegel's Eidetics of Intersubjectivity Life as a Category Towards an Eidetics of Recognition Overview of Hegel's Eidetics Hegel's Eidetics: Translation and Commentary Hegel 1 Commentary: The Doubling of Self-Consciousness Recognition and the Problem of Relation Hegel 2--3 Commentary: Othering and the Other Hegel 4 Commentary: The Sublation of Otherness and the Other Hegel 5--6 Commentary: Reciprocal Recognition Hegel 7 Commentary: The Interplay of Intersubjectivity Summary 8. The Empirics of Recognition Towards the Life and Death Struggle Phenomenology of Mastery Phenomenology of Servitude Summary Love as a Form of Recognition 9. Recognition and Geist The Social Dimension of Recognition Two Levels of Recognition Hegel's Departure from Transcendental Philosophy The Social Context and Mediation of Reason Spirit and the World Recognition in its Tragic Realization Tragic Recognition: Antigone Tragedy in Estranged Spirit Beyond Tragedy: Conscience and Forgiveness 10. Absolute Spirit, Recognition, and Tragedy Anomalies in Hegel's Treatment of Religion in the Phenomenology An Intersubjective-Social Conception of Religion Religion as Quest for Recognition Tragic Recognition The Religion of Art Hegel's Changing Assessment of Tragedy The Revelatory Religion Absolute Geist and Tragedy The Death of God: Hegel's Theological Atheism The Death of God and Tragedy 11. Recognition and Absolute Knowledge Absolute Knowledge Two Models The Problem of Relating the Two Models From Vorstellung to Begriff Towards a Non-Foundational Absolute Knowledge Hegel's Critique of Positivity The Triadic Structure of Absolute Spirit Hegel's Triadic Holism: Two Possibilities Conclusion 12. Hegel and Phenomenology: Husserl, Sartre, and Levinas Husserl Sartre Sartre's Reading of Hegel Hegel's Breakthrough Sartre's Criticism of Hegel Levinas Levinas and Hegel Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Robert R. Williams is Professor of German, Religious Studies, and Philosophy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Review :
"The most impressive aspect of this book is the full-length, detailed treatment of the idealist concept of intersubjectivity, or recognition, rarely studied in detail, virtually undiscussed in English at present. Williams' treatment of this concept is careful, informed, useful, and sticks closely to the primary text with appropriate reference to the available secondary literature and the relevant discussion by later thinkers. His study will redress many misconceptions about post-Kantian idealism, particularly concerning Fichte and Hegel. In his attention to Fichte, Williams breaks with the widespread, but often unjustified tendency to approach Hegel in terms of Schelling. He further shows the emergence of a significant form of phenomenology in the thought of Fichte and Hegel." - Tom Rockmore, Duquesne University "The scholarship is excellent, ranging from classical secondary literature to the most recent. Moreover, the topic is extremely important. The argument for Hegel's social ontology based upon a triadic social model for absolute spirit versus the dyadic idealist model, and the foundations of this found in the center concept of 'recognition,' is very important. Williams has here successfully made a case for Hegel and has contributed to the destruction of the 'block-universe' interpretation which has so badly distorted Hegel. Williams has made sense of this triadic social model without falling into the sort of incomprehensibility traditionally experienced when other commentators in the past have attempted to speak of the model. Williams succeeds." - Joseph C. Flay, Pennsylvania State University