Aufheben
Encyclopedia
Aufheben or Aufhebung is a German word with several seemingly contradictory meanings, including "to lift up", "to abolish", or "to sublate". The term has also been defined as "abolish," "preserve," and "transcend." In philosophy
, aufheben is used by Hegel to explain what happens when a thesis
and antithesis
interact, particularly via the term "sublate."
The British Marxian journal Aufheben takes its name from this concept.
Sublation can be seen at work at the most basic level of Hegel's system of logic. The two concepts Being and Nothing are each both preserved and changed through sublation in the concept Becoming. Similarly, determinateness, or quality, and magnitude, or quantity, are each both preserved and sublated in the concept measure.
stresses the importance of negative (the antithesis) in history–negative includes wars, etc., but not only. His conception of historical progress
follows a dialectic
spiral, in which the thesis is opposed by the antithesis, itself sublated by the synthesis. Hegel stated that it is uniquely exempt from the historical process in that it is supposed to be true for all time and never changes or develops further as in das absolute Wissen ("absolute knowledge"). The synthesis both abolishes and preserves the thesis and the antithesis, an apparent contradiction which leads to difficulties in interpreting this concept (and to translate Aufheben). In Hegel's logic, self-contradiction is legitimate and necessary.
For Hegel, history (like logic) proceeds in every small way through sublation. For example, the Oriental, Greek and Roman
Empires (in which the individual is ignored or annihilated, then recognized, and finally suppressed by the States) are preserved and destroyed in the First French Empire
, which, for Hegel, placed the individual in harmony with the State.
At the level of social history, sublation can be seen at work in the master-slave dialectic
.
Hegel approached the history of philosophy in the same way, arguing that important philosophical ideas of the past are not rejected but rather preserved and changed as philosophy develops.
In Hegel's view, one can always find another thing in reflective philosophy
upon which some "absolute" ground relies. With Fichte's ultimate ground, the "I" or "ego", for example, one can immediately see the reliance upon the "non-I", which allows Fichte to distinguish what he means by the "I". Reflection is circular, as Fichte unapologetically acknowledged.
For Hegel, reflective thought
is to be avoided due to its circularity
. It leads to covering the same problems and ground ever and anon for each philosophical generation. It is a philosophia perennis
.
Instead, Hegel calls on speculative thought
: two contradictory elements are held together, uplifted and sublated without completely destroying one another. Speculative thought seeks to avoid the idealism
inherent in reflective thought and allows one to think in concrete terms about how things work, both in the present, real world and in history.
, often translated as mind or spirit, Marx identifies it as the manner of development of material conditions.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, aufheben is used by Hegel to explain what happens when a thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
and antithesis
Antithesis
Antithesis is a counter-proposition and denotes a direct contrast to the original proposition...
interact, particularly via the term "sublate."
The British Marxian journal Aufheben takes its name from this concept.
Hegel
In Hegel, the term Aufhebung has the apparently contradictory implications of both preserving and changing, and eventually advancement (the German verb aufheben means "to cancel", "to keep" and "to pick up"). The tension between these senses suits what Hegel is trying to talk about. In sublation, a term or concept is both preserved and changed through its dialectical interplay with another term or concept. Sublation is the motor by which the dialectic functions.Sublation can be seen at work at the most basic level of Hegel's system of logic. The two concepts Being and Nothing are each both preserved and changed through sublation in the concept Becoming. Similarly, determinateness, or quality, and magnitude, or quantity, are each both preserved and sublated in the concept measure.
History
Hegel's philosophy of historyPhilosophy of history
The term philosophy of history refers to the theoretical aspect of history, in two senses. It is customary to distinguish critical philosophy of history from speculative philosophy of history...
stresses the importance of negative (the antithesis) in history–negative includes wars, etc., but not only. His conception of historical progress
Progress (history)
In historiography and the philosophy of history, progress is the idea that the world can become increasingly better in terms of science, technology, modernization, liberty, democracy, quality of life, etc...
follows a dialectic
Dialectic
Dialectic is a method of argument for resolving disagreement that has been central to Indic and European philosophy since antiquity. The word dialectic originated in Ancient Greece, and was made popular by Plato in the Socratic dialogues...
spiral, in which the thesis is opposed by the antithesis, itself sublated by the synthesis. Hegel stated that it is uniquely exempt from the historical process in that it is supposed to be true for all time and never changes or develops further as in das absolute Wissen ("absolute knowledge"). The synthesis both abolishes and preserves the thesis and the antithesis, an apparent contradiction which leads to difficulties in interpreting this concept (and to translate Aufheben). In Hegel's logic, self-contradiction is legitimate and necessary.
For Hegel, history (like logic) proceeds in every small way through sublation. For example, the Oriental, Greek and Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Empires (in which the individual is ignored or annihilated, then recognized, and finally suppressed by the States) are preserved and destroyed in the First French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, which, for Hegel, placed the individual in harmony with the State.
At the level of social history, sublation can be seen at work in the master-slave dialectic
Master-slave dialectic
The Master-Slave dialectic is a famous passage of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. It is widely considered a key element in Hegel's philosophical system, and has heavily influenced many subsequent philosophers...
.
Hegel approached the history of philosophy in the same way, arguing that important philosophical ideas of the past are not rejected but rather preserved and changed as philosophy develops.
In Hegel's view, one can always find another thing in reflective philosophy
Human self-reflection
Human self-reflection is the capacity of humans to exercise introspection and the willingness to learn more about their fundamental nature, purpose and essence. The earliest historical records demonstrate the great interest which humanity has had in itself...
upon which some "absolute" ground relies. With Fichte's ultimate ground, the "I" or "ego", for example, one can immediately see the reliance upon the "non-I", which allows Fichte to distinguish what he means by the "I". Reflection is circular, as Fichte unapologetically acknowledged.
For Hegel, reflective thought
Human self-reflection
Human self-reflection is the capacity of humans to exercise introspection and the willingness to learn more about their fundamental nature, purpose and essence. The earliest historical records demonstrate the great interest which humanity has had in itself...
is to be avoided due to its circularity
Circular definition
A circular definition is one that uses the term being defined as a part of the definition or assumes a prior understanding of the term being defined. Either the audience must already know the meaning of the key term, or the definition is deficient in including the term to be defined in the...
. It leads to covering the same problems and ground ever and anon for each philosophical generation. It is a philosophia perennis
Perennial philosophy
Perennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great...
.
Instead, Hegel calls on speculative thought
Speculative reason
Speculative reason or pure reason is theoretical thought , as opposed to practical thought...
: two contradictory elements are held together, uplifted and sublated without completely destroying one another. Speculative thought seeks to avoid the idealism
Idealism
In philosophy, idealism is the family of views which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing...
inherent in reflective thought and allows one to think in concrete terms about how things work, both in the present, real world and in history.
Marx
Whereas, in Hegel, sublation shows the movement of GeistGeist
Geist is a German word. Depending on context it can be translated as the English words mind, spirit, or ghost, covering the semantic field of these three English nouns...
, often translated as mind or spirit, Marx identifies it as the manner of development of material conditions.