Reading Hegel's Preface to the
Phenomenology of Spirit
Alex Steinberg
Tuesdays, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
7 Sessions: October 30 – December 18 (no class November 20)
Tuition: $120 - $150, sliding scale
Hegel's Preface to the Phenomenology of Spirit is a brilliant and concise
statement of his revolution in philosophy. While it was written after he
finished the Phenomenology, it stands as an introduction to his entire
system of thought and can be read as a separate piece.
A close reading of this text can provide insights into some of the most famous,
and mostly misunderstood, statements attributed to Hegel. What did Hegel mean
when he said "The True is the Whole"? What is the “Dialectic”? What is “Spirit”?
What is the “Absolute”? What is “Freedom”? What is “Alienation”?
It has been said that one cannot understand much of what has transpired in terms
of art, culture, politics or philosophy in the last 200 years without having
read Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. For good reason, many have
considered this work to be the culmination of the Western philosophical
tradition that began in ancient Greece. In our study of the Preface, we will
consider Hegel's relationship to the Enlightenment, Romanticism, the French
Revolution, and to his student, Karl Marx.
Our text will be A.V. Miller's translation of the Phenomenology of Spirit
(widely available in paperback). There is a new translation by Yirmiyahu Yovel
of the Preface with a good commentary, Hegel's Preface to the "Phenomenology
of Spirit" (Princeton University Press, 2005), which students may wish to
consult.
Alex Steinberg has taught courses on Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit and Encyclopedia Logic at the New SPACE. He is facilitator of a philosophy and literature discussion group in Brooklyn and author of several essays, including "From Alienation to Revolution: A Defense of Marx's Theory of Alienation." Steinberg is also a member of the WBAI Local Station Board.
PRE-REGISTRATION IS STRONGLY ADVISED. SEE REGISTRATION PAGE.
This class will meet at TRS INC. Professional Suite
44 East 32nd Street, 11th floor (between Park and Madison Avenues) New York, NY 10016