The notion in Hegel’s subjective logic

The article considers the Notion within subjective logic in Hegel’s Science of Logic. Hegel defines the Notion as “self-relating negation” or negative self-referential free identity. The usual meaning of ‘notion’, that is as a rule of thinking an object (which Hegel calls ‘finite determinations of conceiving’), is to distinguished from the Notion in the specific Hegelian use. “The Notion” is the chapter that scrutinizes metaphysical categories of subjectivity and personhood from pragmatic, epistemological, and practical perspectives. Subjectivity is analyzed through its functions and operations that constitute the essence of (collective) subjectivity and are implemented by it in forms of judgement, inference, etc. Thus, the Notion is a “logical” (i.e. metaphysical) analysis of collective epistemic and practical agency or the system of science considered in its strictly abstract metaphysical structure. The universal Notion (der allgemeine Begriff) signifies the general ability of thinking (which Kant calls the I, Self) and the abstract (empty) universe of discourse. This minimal subjectivity and space of reasoning can perceive (in thought) and accommodate broad content, turning it into narrow content by placing it “ideally”, in our minds or as content of collective practices (science, etc.). The particular Notion (der besondere Begriff) is the ability to subsume under given rules or concepts or the ability to follow the already given rules (Kant called it conceiving, Verstand). The content of conceiving fills the abstract universe of reasoning, and we can interpret it as conceptual scheme. The particular Notion is adequate for thinking of content from the perspective of its seriality and regularity, general functions or rules. That is adequate for the cognition of physical processes in nature, rigid and pre-determined laws and regularities that captures things in their repeatability. The singular Notion (der einzelne Begriff) is the ability to reflect and think of the mind and reason themselves as the only unique thing and individual things in their singularity. All stages of the Notion are free and spontaneous, but the highest stage of freedom turns out to be the singular Notion. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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