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