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Hegel, Peirce, and Royce on the Concept of Essence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2012

John Kaag
John Kaag*
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article focuses on the role that Hegel’s concept of essence (Wesen) played in the thinking of Charles Sanders Peirce and Josiah Royce, two of the primary figures in the canon of classical American philosophy. It elaborates on Robert Stern’s discussion of Hegel and Peirce by claiming that the second book of Hegel’s Logic, entitled “The Doctrine of Essence,” can be understood as Hegel’s attempt to account for the experimental and turbulent character of human experience, a character that Peirce would term “Secondness.” While Pierce remained dissatisfied with Hegel’s relative neglect of Secondness, Peirce recognized the importance of this attempt in the yearly years of the twentieth century, with the help of the Josiah Royce’s detailed understanding of Hegel.

RÉSUMÉ: Cet article traite principalement du rôle que le concept hégélien d’essence (Wesen) a joué dans la pensée de Charles Sanders Peirce et dans celle de Josiah Royce, deux des figures les plus importantes parmi les classiques de la philosophie américaine. Il discute le commentaire de Hegel et de Peirce par Robert Stern en affirmant que le deuxième livre de la Logique de Hegel, intitulé «La Doctrine de l’essence», peut être compris comme une tentative de la part de Hegel de tenir compte du caractère expérimental et turbulent de l’expérience humaine, un trait que Peirce nomme «secondéité». Alors que Peirce est resté insatisfait du relatif désintérêt dont témoigne Hegel à propos de la secondéité, je maintiens qu’il en a reconnu l’importance dans les dernières années du XXe siècle grâce à la compréhension détaillée de Hegel par Josiah Royce.

Type
Articles
Information
Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review / Revue canadienne de philosophie , Volume 50 , Issue 3: Special Issue / Numéro spécial: Studies in Modern Philosophy: Études de philosophie moderne , September 2011 , pp. 557 - 575
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Philosophical Association 2012

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