THE CONCEPT OF SPIRIT AND ITS HISTORICAL ORIGIN

The characteristic concept which distinguishes Hegel from the rest of modern age philosophy is that of “spirit.” Modern philosophy since Descartes and Hobbes has been a philosophy of reason and subjectivity. Of course, there have been tendencies to radically criticize reason and subjectivity in modern philosophy as well: From Nietzsche to existentialism, critical theory in its early phase and the so-called “post-modern” philosophy. But in general “Reason” and “Rationality” are approved of as crucial and positive concepts and values in the science and philosophy, politics, and economics of modern times.

Hegel does not belong to the camp of the critics of reason. He even defends “understanding” (Verstand) against the philosophy, literature, and theology of immediacy, feeling, and faith. But understanding and reason are steps on a scale with reason on top. It is Hegel's message to the age of reason and enlightenment that reason must be transformed into spirit. It is the task of the Phenomenology of Spirit to prove that it is a fundamental misjudgment to take reason as the highest human faculty, the fundament of moral and legal action, and the goal of history.

The Phenomenology attributes the concept of spirit to the “modern age and its religion” (22, ¶25).