G. W. F. Hegel · Philosophy

Master and Slave

In the most famous passage of the Phenomenology, two self-consciousnesses meet and fight to the death for recognition. The outcome - one becomes master, one becomes slave - sets in motion a dialectic in which, paradoxically, it is the slave who advances toward freedom through labour.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned that for Hegel self-consciousness requires recognition by another self-consciousness, leading to a life-and-death struggle that ends in the master-slave relation - and that the slave, through labour and the fear of death, paradoxically advances toward freedom while the master stagnates. Explain this dialec…

Leads to Hobbes.

Begin this lesson →
← All lessons on G. W. F. Hegel

epoché — a humanities education that remembers you.