Hegel’s Conception of Contradiction: Logic, Life and History

Hegel’s philosophy is notorious for its claim that all things are contradictory. Whereas Marxists took this to mean that the social-political world exhibits real contradictions, non-Hegelian philosophers argued that Hegelian dialectic annihilates the very principle of scientific reasoning. Recently, however, various researchers have started to move away from this dichotomy in order to explore the potential of Hegel’s conception of contradiction in more fruitful ways. The workshop aims to bring together researchers who address this crucial element of Hegel’s philosophy. It (1) addresses the role of contradiction, negativity and life in works such as the Science of Logic, (2) brings Hegel’s understanding of the contradictions that animate historical processes to bear on contemporary conflicts and contradictions, and (3) assesses the ways in which philosophers such as Marx, Kierkegaard and Adorno appropriated, criticized and modified Hegel’s account of contradiction and/or negativity.

For any questions, please contact Karin de Boer at [email protected]

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