Call for Papers: Philosophy of Nature and the Nature of Spirit

The Journal Estudos Hegelianos invites you to submit papers until February 29, 2024 for a thematic issue on the various dimensions of nature in Hegel’s philosophy. Contributions exploring this topic are welcome, for example,  (1) from a historical-philosophical perspective, contextualizing Hegel’s views within classical German philosophy and debates throughout the nineteenth century, (2) from the contemporary debate on the formation of conceptual capacities and the Hegelian concept of second nature, and (3) from contemporary issues on the Anthropocene and the crisis or emergence of climate change.

Already in a fragment from 1803, “The Essence of Spirit,” Hegel asserts that the “essence of spirit is that it finds itself in opposition to nature, combats this opposition, and comes to itself as the winner over nature.” In the version of the Encyclopedia from 1817, Hegel states that the “spirit has for us nature as its presupposition,” and that in the concept of spirit the “nature has disappeared” [seinem Begriffe ist die Natur verschwunden]. Spirit then presents itself as an idea, as an identity between subject and object, but this identity is “absolute negativity,” because the concept of spirit has in nature its “perfect external objectivity” [vollkommene äusserliche Objectivität]. By suspending this “exteriorization” (or “emptying”) [Entäusserung], the spirit becomes “identical with itself.” The suspension of exteriorization means, however, that nature is preserved as a presupposition of the spirit: “It is thereby this identity only as returning from nature” [Er ist diese Identität somit nur, als Zurückkommen aus der Natur.] In the Encyclopedia from 1830, nature appears as what is exterior not only in relation to the logical idea [so ist die Natur nicht äußerlich nur gegen diese Idee]: “exteriority” [Aeußerlichkeit] constitutes the very determination of nature as the existence [Dasein] of the idea.

This intricate relationship between nature and spirit also raises a series of questions when spirit is addressed in its relation “to itself.” For example: what does it mean to consider the “system of right,” the “realm of actualized freedom,” as a “second nature”? What is this “second nature” that replaces the “natural will” and presents itself as the simple identity of individuals with the ethical [das Sittliche], posed as “custom” or “habit”? Why do principles of world history present themselves to Hegel as “immediate natural principles”? What are the implications for thinking of contemporary issues of global justice when the national state is considered the “natural form” of a people? [Nation ist das, was ein Volk in natürlicher Form ist.]

These are just some questions raised to provoke debate – by no means to restrict it.

Submissions should be made through the journal’s website and following the publication guidelines (https://ojs.hegelbrasil.org/index.php/reh/about/submissions)

Deadline for submissions: February 29, 2024

Publication expected in the first half of 2024

For further information, please contact: estudoshegelianos@gmail.com