Summary

The provided web content discusses the philosophical perspectives of Gilles Deleuze in relation to Hegelian idealism, emphasizing the concept of unity and the primacy of consciousness in understanding reality.

Abstract

The article "Deleuze and Hegel 1" delves into the idealist philosophical tradition, with a focus on the works of Gilles Deleuze and their relation to Hegel's idealism. It outlines the foundational aspects of idealism, distinguishing between ontological and epistemological forms, and traces its historical roots from ancient Indian Vedic beliefs to German Idealism. The text highlights the contributions of key philosophers such as Plato, Plotinus, Kant, Hegel, and Schopenhauer, and introduces Hegel's concept of absolute idealism, which seeks to overcome dualities and posits a teleological view of history as the self-awareness of Geist, or spirit. The article also hints at the similarities and contrasts between Hegel's and Deleuze's philosophies, setting the stage for further exploration in subsequent parts of the series.

Opinions

Idealism is presented as a diverse philosophical stance that prioritizes the role of the mind or consciousness in the nature of reality, with both ontological and epistemological dimensions.
The author suggests that the mind is not only a prerequisite for knowledge of reality but may also be the origin of reality itself, indicating a superiority of consciousness over the physical.
German Idealism, particularly Hegel's philosophy, is highlighted for its significant influence on Western thought, proposing an organic unity of reality that evolves through a dialectical process.
Hegel's concept of Geist is central to his philosophy, representing an objective, non-material essence that is the ultimate reality, striving for self-awareness and self-knowledge.
The dialectic, a core component of Hegelian thought, is described as a historical process of resolving oppositions through thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, leading to the self-det

Deleuze and Hegel 1

Perspectives on Deleuze: Unity

Idealism

Idealism is a varied body of thought that in one way or another asserts the primacy of the idea, spirit, mind, consciousness, reason or will over the physical or material.

Idealism can be ontological or epistemological. Ontological idealism is the assertion that the ideal is the foundation of all reality, or in some cases, all there is to reality. Epistemological idealism grants that there may be something to reality that is independent of the mind, but insists that all of the reality available to us as humans is mind-dependent.

In the former sense, the mind is the origin of reality; in the latter, the mind is a prerequisite to having knowledge of reality. In both senses, mind or consciousness is superior to the physical.

This consciousness may be subjective insofar as reality is an idea formed in the mind of someone. Or it may be objective, and exist prior to and beyond human consciousness.

Idealism, broadly considered, is older than western philosophy, and can be traced back to Indian Vedic belief in a unitary consciousness as the true nature of reality (a form of ontological idealism). And idealism can be found in certain schools of Buddhist thought, that believe reality lies behind the world of appearances (a form of epistemological idealism).

Ancient Greek idealism is found in Plato’s Forms having primacy over the material world, as well as with Plotinus, who believed reality is nothing more than the soul.

German Idealism

German Idealism, and in particular, the philosophy of GWF Hegel (1770–1831) and Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860), has been a highly influential idealist philosophy in the West. Hegel and Schopenhauer provide us with a comprehensive view of what are some of the most widely accepted elements of an idealist vision.

Their philosophies dramatically demonstrate what results if transcendence is taken to its logical limits and conclusions. And their ideas highlight some unexpected similarities with Gilles Deleuze.

German Idealism really begins with Immanuel Kant (1724–1804). Kant’s Transcendental Idealism posits a real world of things in themselves, but asserts that our knowledge of the world is confined to principles of reason.

His philosophy is a combination of ontological realism and epistemological idealism: the world exists in reality and is not based on an idea, objective or subjective; but the world can only be known via the mind’s a priori rules of perception, cognition and understanding (eg., space and time).

Absolute Idealism

Hegel developed a highly complex form of idealism, sometimes referred to as absolute idealism, in which all dualities are overcome: mind and matter, subject and object, thinking and being.

Hegel views reality as an organic unity that is in an ongoing process of development. Reality is historically conditioned, and history is teleological, its purpose being the self-aware one-ness of everything.

Hegel believed the goal of history is the resolution of all oppositions, including mind and non-mind, and accordingly he denies the duality posited by Kant of the phenomenal and the noumenal.

Geist

The process of development or change Hegel refers to is not in relation to a mental idea. The process of history relates to what Hegel refers to as Geist.

Geist does not translate well from German into English, but most agree it means something midway between “mind” and “spirit.”

Geist is the stuff of existence, the ultimate essence of being; and the historical process of reality is the development of Geist toward self-awareness and self-knowledge.

Geist is objective and non-material: it is beyond any subjective mind: it is objectified spirit. It is Absolute, including both the subjective and the objective: it is monist. In Kantian terms, it is the thing in itself and it is knowable to reason.

The Dialectic

Hegel viewed the march of history as the resolution of oppositions. In what he termed a dialectical process, or the dialectic, there are three main stages: thesis, antithesis and synthesis.

The thesis, whatever there is, always produces its opposite, and the conflict between the two eventually resolves into a new situation which contains elements of both.

This process continues to occur until Geist, the stuff of the universe, comes to know itself as the ultimate reality. Once subject comes to recognize itself as object, that both are Geist, self-determination is complete, history is complete.

In human terms, once the collective mind comes to know it is one and the same as the universe itself, Geist becomes Absolute Geist, absolute spirit.

Deleuze and Hegel 2

Perspectives on Deleuze: Unity

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