Flogging the Dialectical Horse

Dear all,

Posted a version of this in the sadly abandoned Philosopher's Place; thought I might have better luck posting it here:


G.W.F. Hegel (may his surly bones rest in peace) invented (or, rather, was the first person to acknowledge) the dialectical nature of processes, whether of thought (epistemology and logic), history or ethics. The dialectic, according to Hegel, is not merely a philosophical process: it is an ontological principle (read: 'fact of life outside of philosophy'). The process of the dialectic moves (necessarily, according to Hegel) from inwardness and abstraction to outwardness and concretion. It does this by means of contradiction and negation.

What does this mean?

One possible way to understand this might be to see the dialectic, not as descriptive, but as proscriptive. That is to say, Hegel doesn't think the dialectic IS the fundamental mechanism of processes of history, thought etc. Rather, it's a way of interpreting these processes in order to give them value and meaning. On that reading, the dialectic becomes less mystical and easier to understand. History is successive cycles of decreasingly imperfect freedoms trying to actualise themselves because WE happen to be LIBERAL and the idea of freedom is IMPORTANT to us - not because freedom is some mystical energy turning the wheels of history and trying to break out. Unfortunately, this reading doesn't account for the necessity that Hegel's philosophy relies on for its claims to objective truth, rendering it merely (and unattractively) contingent.

Can anyone help me out? What exactly is Hegelian dialectic? How did he himself understand it?

My understanding of the dialectical process comes from Marx and Engles. Hegel could think them into the ground, abstractly. It would be interesting to know the subtle differences, but that is beyond my scope right now. It seems to take an expert on the subject.

I don't know much about Hegel either, but I wouldn't might continuing the discussion. What are the specific sources you are referencing, Joker?

I can see processes moving in terms of waves as a stock market chart. I can also see them moving in terms of punctuated equilibria, that is, periods of stasis punctuated when change occurs. One might be able to interpret these processes which I think have evidence supporting them with the terms used by Hegel. but I don't know what Hegel's terms mean. I may be imposing my meaning upon Hegel's ideas.