Hegel, Heidegger, and the Quest for the “I” by Bubbio, Paolo Diego;

Short description:

This thought-provoking study explores the philosophical resources provided by Hegel and Heidegger to grasp the nature of the “I” and combines those resources in a theoretical analysis of “I-hood” in its connection with nature and history, experience and myth.

Long description:

This thought-provoking study explores the philosophical resources provided by Hegel and Heidegger to grasp the nature of the “I” and combines those resources in a theoretical analysis of “I-hood” in its connection with nature and history, experience and myth.

The “I” has a fleeting, almost elusive character in the philosophies of Hegel and Heidegger. Yet, both philosophers strive to make sense of what it means to be an “I”. Their respective theories, though seemingly divergent, offer remarkable insights into the nature of the “I” and its relationship to the world. Through meticulous examination, this book explores the parallel journeys of Hegel and Heidegger, tracing their respective paths towards a comprehensive conception of identity beyond the subject/object dichotomy. Moreover, this study goes beyond being an exploration of Hegel’s and Heidegger’s conceptions of the self by actively employing their insights to chart a path towards a novel understanding of “I-hood”.

Hegel, Heidegger, and the Quest for the “I” will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working on Hegel, Heidegger, history of European philosophy, and contemporary theories of subjectivity and personal identity. Offering a fresh perspective on the work of these two seminal thinkers, the book contributes to the ongoing dialogue on the nature of the self and its place in the world.

"In this well-researched, well-argued study, Bubbio addresses an exceedingly important but frequently neglected topic in continental philosophy: the relation between the Hegelian and Heideggerian attempts to conceive of the "the I" or "the self" in a way that escapes the problematic dichotomizing of objectivity and subjectivity, nature and history, truth and freedom. Bubbio’s contribution is not only erudite and historically informed, but also philosophically original and insightful. Bubbio shows how we might better appreciate Hegel and Heidegger on their own terms, and also learn from their similarities and differences, in order to gain resources for developing our own non-dichotomizing account of the self, nature, freedom, history and experience."

Michael Baur, Fordham University, USA

"Marked by careful scholarship, clarity of style, and a rigorous philosophical imagination, Bubbio takes up the riddle that each of us lives as a constant question: the enigma of the self. He addresses this question through innovative readings of Hegel and Heidegger that open up a new paradigm for understanding the I.  An original contribution."

Dennis Schmidt, Western Sydney University, Australia

“An important addition to the literature on Hegel and Heidegger, Bubbio’s book is a stimulating and insightful exploration of a topic that has received relatively little direct philosophical attention. Going beyond mere exegesis or comparative critique, it constitutes a significant and original contribution to contemporary thought.” 

Jeff Malpas, University of Tasmania, Australia

“Despite recent scientific approaches to the mind, genuine answers to the question “who am I?” remain elusive. Building on transformations of Kantian ideas by Hegel and Heidegger, Paolo Diego Bubbio points towards a satisfying answer that evades the opposition of “subjective” to “objective” that has hitherto stymied thought.”

Paul Redding, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, The University of Sydney

Table of Contents:

Introduction  Part 1: Hegel  1. From the “I” to Geist  2. Nature and Experience  3. The “I”, Second Nature, and World History  Part 2: Heidegger  4. From the “I” to the Self: The Interpretation of Experience  5. The Self and Nature  6. Subjectivity and Normativity  Part 3: The Quest for the “I”  7. Hegel and Heidegger: Undeveloped Pathways  8. Myth and Experience  9. Prolegomena: Perspectival “I-hood”