Philosophy of Right: Hegel

Question

I may not be correct, but it seems based off of Hegel's idea on 'philosophy of right' that mere concepts are just concepts lacking in truth. I would question though, does philosophy not start off with mere concepts that people then look into finding truths about? Because it seems to me most of our greatest questions come from mere concepts that people question. Would you agree with me? Why or why not?   

Answer 1

You raise an interesting point in relation to Hegel's Philosophy of Right. Hegel's perspective on concepts and truth is indeed more nuanced than simply stating that mere concepts lack truth. To better understand this, let's delve into Hegel's philosophy.

Hegel's Philosophy of Right is concerned with the rational development of ethical life (Sittlichkeit) in human society. He sees this as an ever-evolving process. In this process, concepts play a crucial role, but they are not seen as static or isolated entities. Instead, they are part of a dialectical development that leads to a greater understanding of truth.

Hegel employs a dialectical method in his philosophy, which involves the development of ideas through the interaction of opposing concepts (thesis and antithesis), ultimately leading to a synthesis that resolves the initial contradictions. In this context, "mere concepts" can be seen as starting points or moments within this dialectical process. They do not represent the complete truth, but they are essential in the ongoing pursuit of truth.

To address your question about whether philosophy starts with mere concepts that people seek to find truths about: Yes, in many cases, philosophy does begin with concepts or questions that prompt further investigation and reflection. However, for Hegel, the process of engaging with these concepts and questions is not merely an intellectual exercise. It is a dynamic, dialectical process that continually unfolds and refines our understanding of truth.

In this sense, you are correct to observe that many great questions come from mere concepts that people question. The process of questioning, analyzing, and synthesizing these concepts is vital in the pursuit of truth. So, while Hegel might argue that mere concepts, in isolation, lack truth, they are nonetheless a crucial part of the dialectical process that ultimately leads to a more profound understanding of truth.

Answer 2

That seems right, that for Hegel, the phrase mere concepts indicates concepts that do not actually correspond to an essence in the world, something real in the world. For example, consider a cat. Now, the cat has an objective essence; it has a real nature. A mere concept would, then, seem to be a concept about the cat, but one that does not actually correspond to the reality of the cat. For Hegel, the real concept, or notion, of the cat, is not distinct from the essence of the cat itself. See the Phenomenology of the Spirit, paragraph 56. There, Hegel describes the notion, or genuine concept, of a thing, emerging from the essence of the thing itself: the genuine concept has a life of its own, and emerges organically from the object: it is the object.

I would say that philosophy does not begin with mere concepts, but instead, philosophy begins with the actual objects themselves: and that this fact is either obvious or veiled. For, our thinking has to be based in something real, lest we regard thinking, and the process of philosophy, as an imaginary, self-contained circle which does not correspond to anything. So then, philosophy partly consists in looking at different concepts, offered by various people, which propose to really describe what is out there, that is, the world. In the end, therefore, we can distinguish between a mere concept and a genuine concept. Only the latter corresponds to the essence of the object in the world, and indeed, it seems, Hegel holds that it is that object.

And so yes, your speculation seems correct, that philosophy emerges from critical examination of mere concepts. In that case, mere concepts, which do not correspond with the objects in themselves, would, through the power of this examination, would give way to genuine concepts which truly represent, capture, and embody the nature of the world, which is the goal of philosophy. Once again, such genuine concepts, for Hegel, it seems, are the world.