Idealismo Alemão: a Teoria da Consciência em Ficht e Hegel/ German Idealism: Theory of Consciousness in Fichte and Hegel

• Diogo Falcão Ferrer

Objectives of the curricular unit and competences:

a) knowing the main questions concerning the study of subjectivity;

b) acquiring competences of argumentative and critical intervention about the theme of consciousness and subjectivity;

c) knowing thoroughly classical texts and arguments about the philosophical questions regarding subjectivity and consciousness;

d) acquiring competences of research and writing of texts of international level about the philosophical theories of consciousness;

e) acquisition of competences to an autonomous research in the field of the Philosophy of German Idealism.

Syllabus:

1. The philosophical problem of consciousness

1.1. The question about the objective representation of consciousness

1.1. The status of the “qualia”

1.2. Causal and formal theories of consciousness

2. The perspectives of J. G. Fichte

2.1. The methodological and fundational function of the “I”

2.2. The analysis of the pressupositions of consciousness

2.3. The theory of consciousness as “image”

3. G. W. F. Hegel’s theory of consciousness

3.1. The idea of system

3.2. The function of subjectivity

3.3. “Spirit” and subjectivity.

Demonstration of the syllabus coherence with the curricular unit’s objectives:

The curricular contents, that starts with a general presentation of relevant problems of the theory of consciousness, followed by a thorough study of texts and themes of two main representative authors of the Philosophy of German Idealism, answers to the proposed objectives of the curricular unit, both regarding the acquisition of research instruments and capacities to an autonomous intervention in the philosophical debate, and the acquisition of historically relevant knowledge. This historical knowledge inserts concepts in its historical origin, and the history of concepts in a renewed debate.

Reading and interpreting texts in order to a critical reconstruction of arguments is a main instrument to endowing the students with the competences and knowledge which is required to an informed and fruitful participation in philosophical discussions.

Teaching methodologies (including evaluation):

a) Lecturing by the professor in charge;

b) reading and analytical commentary of selected passages;

c) presentation of papers written by the students about selected texts;

d) exercise of discussion and argumentation;

e) intervention by invited lecturers.

Students are continuously evaluated. Evaluation is made through the papers wrote along the semester, the exercises of discussion and argumentation and a final paper written under the direction of the professor in charge, and discussed orally.

Demonstration of the teaching methodologies coherence with the curricular unit’s objectives:

a) the lecturing by the professor in charge prepares, gives a general theoretic frame and introduces into the knowledge to be acquired;

b) the analytical reading of texts inserts central notions in the context of its argumentation, in order to specialization of knowledge;

c) the writing of papers is a moment of assimilation of knowledge and an essay of autonomous research;

d) the exercise of discussion and argumentation develops the competences in order to an active intervention in the philosophical debate;

e) the intervention of invited lecturers allows a comparison of points of view and a critical reflection.

Bibliografia principal:

J. G. Fichte, Gesamtausgabe der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, ed. R. Lauth, H. Gliwitzky et al., Friedrich Frommann, Stuttgart, 1962.

G. W. F. Hegel, Gesammelte Werke, ed. Rheinisch-Westfälischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, F. Nicolin, G. Schüler et al., Felix Meiner, Hamburg.

G. W. F. Hegel, Werke [1970], Redaktion E. Moldenhauer & K. Michel, 20 vols., Suhrkamp, Frankfurt a. M., 1992.

J. G. Fichte, Oeuvre philosophiques choisies 1794/1797, trad. A. Philonenko, Paris, 2003.

J. G. Fichte, Doctrine de la science. Exposée de 1812, trad. I. Thomas-Fogiel, Paris, 2005.

J. G. Fichte, The Science of Knowing. J. G.. Fichte's 1804 Lectures on the Wissenschaftslehre, trad. W. E. Wright, Albany, 2005.

G. W. F . Hegel, Science de la logique, trad, P.-J. Labarrière & G. Jarczyk, Paris, 2. vols., 1972, 1981.

G. W. F. Hegel, Encyclopédie des sciences philosophiques, trad. B. Bourgeois, Paris, 3 vols., 1971, 1992, 2004.