The master-slave dialectic in Hegel’s philosophical system

Abstract

Presented is the development of self-knowledge as it is emerging out of consciousness. First, as its reflective orientation towards itself, and secondly, as an object of reason, a non-sensual essence of the object becoming the Soul that animates the body. At first both of these subjects-objects relate to each other as contrasts: the opposition (and unity) between Thought and Being – which is so fundamental in Hegel's philosophy – relate to each other as different denotations of their mutual attitudes: the essential thing in Master is Thought (self-knowledge) while Being (life) serves as its subordinate. The opposite is true in case of the Slave. Animal life serves Hegel as a pattern of the Spirit assuming (just not only sexual) relations between individuals. This frames the primary relationship between Master and Slave – that of unequal consideration of each other. The appearance, in the end, of self-consciousness, the object of which no longer consists of “I” but “We”, renders the Spirit as some detached general space in which combined self-knowledge is immerged of all individuals. Highlighted in this article are also some religious clues leading to the dialectic of domination and slavery and to the Hegelian concept of the Spirit.