Hegel on the Productivity of Action: Metaphysical Questions, Non-Metaphysical Answers, and Metaphysical Answers. Issue 3 (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maraguat, Edgar
• Editors: Sandis, Constantine; Maraguat, Edgar
• Is Part Of: Hegel bulletin. Volume 40:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 425
• Page End: 443
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: Philosophy, German -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 193
• DOI: 10.1017/hgl.2019.13
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2051-5367

Abstract

Abstract: Charles Taylor claims that not only Kant, but also successors of Kant such as Fichte and Hegel, advocate a primitive concept of action, namely, a basic, irreducible, indispensable concept allegedly essential to our self-understanding. This paper shows how philosophers like Robert Brandom agree with Taylor explicitly with regard to Hegel, and attribute to him transcendental non-metaphysical arguments in support of such a concept. It then proceeds to challenge this attribution (both of the concept and the type of argument), offering a brief presentation of an alternative non-transcendental metaphysical approach to the Hegelian idea of giving actuality to a concept (or end) through a productive activity.