Externality in Hegel's Philosophy of Nature Martin Krahn
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Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Fall 12-21-2018 Externality in Hegel's Philosophy of Nature Martin Krahn Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Part of the Philosophy Commons Recommended Citation Krahn, M. (2018). Externality in Hegel's Philosophy of Nature (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1745 This One-year Embargo is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. EXTERNALITY IN HEGEL’S PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE A Dissertation Submitted to the McAnulty College & Graduate School of the Liberal Arts Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Martin Krahn December 2018 Copyright by Martin Krahn 2018 EXTERNALITY IN HEGEL’S PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE By Martin Krahn Approved November 12, 2018 ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Jennifer Bates Dr. Jay Lampert Professor of Philosophy Professor of Philosophy (Committee Chair) (Committee Member) ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. Daniel Selcer Dr. Wolfgang Neuser Associate Professor of Philosophy Professor Emeritus of Philosophy (Committee Member) (Outside Reader) ________________________________ ________________________________ Dr. James Swindal Dr. Ron Polansky Dean, McAnulty College & Graduate Chair, Department of Philosophy School of the Liberal Arts Professor of Philosophy Professor of Philosophy iii ABSTRACT EXTERNALITY IN HEGEL’S PHILOSOPHY OF NATURE By Martin Krahn December 2018 Dissertation supervised by Professor Jennifer Bates The topic of my dissertation is the metaphysics of laws of nature in Hegel’s philosophy of nature. I argue that Hegel differentiates laws of nature from norms of culture through a concept of “externality,” according to which the universals or laws of nature stand outside of, apart from, independent from their particulars. He contrasts this with norms of culture, where the universals are internal to the particulars, such that in culture the particular events or actions shape the norms, whereas in nature, the laws remain the same through their independence from the particular events. I then address the consequences this particular understanding of “externality” has for Hegel’s philosophy of nature, including its rejection of the role of induction in favor of a transcendental arguments for the laws of nature given only the idea that nature is this externalized structure; a metaphysical realist position about the existence of nature as entailed by an idealist epistemology pertaining to the laws and universals of nature; and finally, a defense of iv specific theories, universals, or laws of nature, which are derived from those a priori transcendental arguments. I conclude that while Hegel’s philosophy of nature is a necessary consequence of his epistemological assumptions, which are plausible and defensible in their own right, these assumptions ultimately commit Hegel to problematic claims regarding the particular structures in nature. In particular, I show how Hegel’s epistemology is fundamentally committed to a specific understanding of life and health that has since been challenged by evolutionary biology. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would first like to thank my dissertation director, Dr. Jennifer Bates, who devoted all of her time and energy into making sure that I was delivering the best possible work that I could. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Daniel Selcer, Dr. Jay Lampert, and Dr. Wolfgang Neuser, who together with Dr. Bates, were responsible for continually challenging me, in order that I could rise to new heights as a scholar and philosopher. I would like to thank the US-Germany Fulbright Commission and Dr. Neuser for supporting my research in Kaiserslautern. I would also like to think the McAnulty College & Graduate School of Liberal Arts for supporting research on my dissertation. Thanks goes out to all my friends in the Duquesne University Philosophy Department, especially Kelsey, Tristana, Boram, Jeff, Bethany, Tom, Zach, Angela, Matt, Alex, Dan, Thomas, Christopher, Jim, Sila, Karim, Dave, and Jacob. Words cannot describe how meaningful the discussions with and encouragement from all of you have been to me. Finally, I want to thank my family, who have supported and encouraged me to pursue whatever path I’ve taken, and this path in particular. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................................... vi List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... ix Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... x Chapter Outline ....................................................................................................................... xvii Chapter 1: The Otherness of the Idea ............................................................................................. 1 1.1. Absolute Idea and the Completion of the Logic .................................................................. 3 1.1.1. Definitions of the Absolute Idea ................................................................................... 6 1.1.2. Relations between the Definitions .............................................................................. 13 1.2. Modes of the Idea: Logic and Nature ................................................................................ 25 1.2.1. The Non-Conceptual: Nature or Objectivity ............................................................... 36 1.3. Logic’s Transition into Nature ........................................................................................... 39 1.4. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 54 Chapter 2: “The Impotence of Nature”: Singulars, Contingency, and Stages .............................. 57 2.1. Universal and Singular ....................................................................................................... 59 2.2. Necessity and Contingency ................................................................................................ 70 2.2.1. Logical Modality ......................................................................................................... 72 2.2.2. Natural Modality ......................................................................................................... 84 2.3. System of Stages ................................................................................................................ 93 2.4. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 105 Chapter 3 - Ontology and Empirical Science: Mechanics, Physics and the Categories of Inorganic Nature ......................................................................................................................... 107 3.1. Abstract and Immediate Externality: Space and Time .................................................... 110 3.1.1. Space ......................................................................................................................... 111 3.1.2. Time .......................................................................................................................... 120 3.1.3. From Ideality to Reality: Place, Motion, and Matter ................................................ 127 3.1.4. Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 132 3.2. Finite and Total Process: The Emergence of Subjectivity from Chemistry .................... 135 3.2.1. Division of Kinds of Chemical Processes ................................................................. 136 3.2.2. Unifying Philosophy and Science ............................................................................. 145 Chapter 4: The Mutability of Species in Hegel’s Philosophy of Biology .................................. 155 4.1. The Development of Life ................................................................................................. 157 vii 4.1.1. Nature, Subjectivity, and Animals ............................................................................ 158 4.1.2. Subjectivity and Development .................................................................................. 171 4.1.3. Development and Evolution of Organisms ............................................................... 177 4.2. The Species Problem in Hegel’s Philosophy of Nature ................................................... 184 4.2.1. Sex and Species......................................................................................................... 186 4.2.2. Species then Sex, or Sex then Species ...................................................................... 192 4.2.3. Hegelian Systematics and the Species Concept .......................................................