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- Dec 4, 2018Jon,This is what Stephen Theron also suggested today -- there is a Trinitarian tendency throughout Hegel's work, which is most obvious in his Encyclopedia (1820) but also very plain in his PhG (1807).This is not to say that Hegel is always preaching Christian theology, however. Hegel's theology is Universalist, anyway, and he sees the Truth in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and even Magick in his LPR 2. There is a dialectical negative in all the Religions, that unifies them all.Yes, this may be called Trinitarian -- but if Hegel does not actually use the term, or explicitly refer to Christianity by name -- then we should consider calling it Dialectical Logic, or Dialectical Method, instead.I agree with the theists on most points -- but I agree with the secular reading on this point. Hegel also wanted to express himself in non-Christian terms in many cases. This is also what Fichte and Schelling deliberately did. (One may also argue that Kant did the same.)It was their effort to show that Philosophy could express the Divine, Absolute Idea, entirely by secular terms. Just this is what we call, German Idealism.All best,--Paul-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Monday, December 3, 2018, 8:22:33 AM CST, John Bardis jgbardis@... [hegel] <hegel@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Hello Bill,You would need to actually read the section on the Unhappy Consciousness. It isn't very long--maybe about 20 paragraphs. It is without question trinitarian. I am not reading that into it. I am just reading it.You were interested in the syllogism in the Phenomenology of Spirit. I was just trying to help you out.John-----Original Message-----
From: bill.hord bill.hord@... [hegel] <hegel@yahoogroups.com>
To: hegel@yahoogroups.com <hegel@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Fri, Nov 30, 2018 11:12 am
Subject: Re: [hegel] Some thoughts on Jean Wahl
John, nope, no use of the word "God" (after the Preface) until Spirit. In the Preface he says why:"Apart from the self that is sensuously intuited or, represented, it is above all the name as name that designates the pure Subject, the empty unit without thought-content. For this reason it may be expedient, e.g., to avoid the name 'God', since this word is not immediately also a Notion, but rather the proper name., the fixed point of rest of the underlying Subject; whereas, on the other hand, e.g. 'Being' or 'the One', 'Singularity', 'the Subject', etc. themselves at once suggest concepts. Even if speculative truths are affirmed of this subject, their content lacks the immanent Notion, because it is present merely in the form of a passive subject, with the result that such truths readily assume the form of mere edification." (Preface 66, Miller)
That one can find "trinitarian" views throughout Hegel shouldn't surprise anyone. This means that one can try to impose a form of Christian theology almost anywhere; but it doesn't mean, properly understood, that Hegel is advocating for such an understanding wherever three moments appear. That things have three moments (immediate being, negation, negation of the negation) is the ground rather than the reflection.
I don't mean or care to advocate for any religious view, including atheism.Bill
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Hello Bill,Oh, right, I did use the word "God". So Hegel doesn't use this word in the Unhappy consciousness section?However that may be, Hegel presents his Trinitarian Christian theology three times in the Phenomenology of Spirit.First in the Unhappy Consciousness section he presents it as a history of the development of Christianity in three moments.Then in what is called something like "The Struggle of Enlightenment with Faith" he presents it as something that is believed in. So, then, the Enlightenment wins this struggle--because the syllogistic development of the concept is not something to be believed in; it is, rather, the underlying essence of all reality.Then, finally, in the Revealed Religion section he presents it as the immanent development of the Godhead in and for itself in its relation to creation.And these three presentations actually do form a syllogism in themselves. Trinitarian theology as history is the universal moment; as something to be believed in it is the particular moment; and as the immanent development of the Godhead it is the individual moment.That Christianityperfectly embodies the concept does not mean, by the way, that religion is then replaced by logic. The logic is the underlying structure of all reality, whether nature or spirit--more or less adequately in different instances. That Christianity is a completely adequate embodiment of the syllogistic embodiment of the concept (while other religions embody the concept less adequately) is the reason Hegel calls Christianity the consummate religion.I imagine, though, that it is your wish to advocate some sort of atheism. Obviously I am not the person to talk to about that. But undoubtedly the atheists on the list will be more than happy to talk to you on this matter.John
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