The Dual Dimension Of Recognition In Hegelian Philosophy

German classical philosophy is used be regarded as a kind of philosophy ofconsciousness, with the characteristic of idealism of subjectivity. And Hegel is a master ofit. However, more and more studies have shown that, in the german idealism there is ahidden theme of intersubjectivity, which is the dimension that Hegel’s philosophyobviously has and could be found in his explanation of the problem of recognition.Although the problem of recognition never becomes subjects of Hegel’s philosophy, whichare spirit and freedom, it serves as a valid and operative concept for the explanation ofthose subject concepts throughout the whole system of Hegel’s philosophy. Withintersubjectivity implicated in the concept of recognition, he has completed his sublationof conscious philosophy inside subjective philosophy.Hegel’s recognition problem appears itself in the formation of self-consciousness.The process of recognition is just the process of generalization of self-consciousness, thatis, the transformation from specific self-consciousness to universal self-consciousness.Recognition-to-each-other is determined by the nature of speculative motion of spirit’sself-realization. And its dynamic force is caused by desire. The speculative motion desirehas pushed the formation of self-consciousness of recognition. Only through labor andcultivation of the slave could the self-consciousness, which is in the relation ofmaster-slave, become a universal self-consciousness and realize the reconciliation of bothself-consciousness. The master-slave dialectic takes an important place in Hegel’srecognition problem and is not only a metaphor of self-consciousness or dialecticalmovement of subjective spirit, but also a symbol of the actual process of world history.The master-slave dialectic owns a meaning of methodology.The recognition problem is not just restricted in the stage of self-consciousness. Italso exists in the whole process of alienation and self-realization of spirit. During the past,most studies were focused on the description of concrete manifestation of recognitionproblem in objective spirit. The hidden existence of the structure ofrecognition-to-each-other inside the absolute spirit was neglected. Because of the speculative metaphysical nature of Hegel’s philosophy, we also have to put recognitionproblem onto the level of absolute spirit. In art, apocalypse religion and philosophy, therecognition problem represents the intersubjectivity of spiritual life in different ways. Andeventually actuality and spirit reach their reconciliation. The absoluteness of spirit alsomakes Hegel’s recognition problem outstride the realm of speculative metaphysics. It hasa clear direction to actuality and practice. With his preference for politics, Hegel is notonly speculative philosopher but also practical philosopher. Without understanding of hispractical and political purpose, his speculative p hilosophy could not to really beunderstood. Hegel’s description of the process of world history and ideal society fullymanifested by his concern on actual practice and politics. Just for these, we have thereason to say that Hegel’s recognition problem has both the dimension of speculativephilosophy and political philosophy.There are obviously awareness of problems and theoretical purposes in Hegel’sdiscussion of recognition problem. Hegel thought that his time is a split time, which iscaused by the intellectual way of thinking in traditional philosophy and predeterminedsetting of atomic and isolated individual. This split reality arose an urgent need forphilosophy. Just by putting forward the concept of recognition of intersubjectivity as hisunity power, Hegel conceived the ideal country as ethical substance and reached thereasonable unity of classical politics with the modern. And he realized the unity ofindividual with community and provided a reasonable project for overcoming theuniversal split.