Conclusion:
Self-consciousness is the becoming aware of another’s
awareness of oneself. This other’s awareness in conjunction with one’s own is
what eventually makes self-consciousness possible and complete.
“Self-consciousness has before it a self consciousness. Only
so and only then is it self-consciousness in actual fact; for here first of all
it comes to have the unity of itself in its otherness (pg. 70).”
Premises:
1. The immediate object of self-consciousness is a pure
undifferentiated ego. This ego is the fully realized development from
self-awareness to self-consciousness gained by reciprocity of another’s
self-awareness (pg. 69).
2. This development or “thoroughgoing meditation” has its
being through Desire. The fulfillment of one’s desire mirrors
self-consciousness into itself by finding nothingness in another consciousness;
by nothingness it affirms the truth of the other. In turn, after negating the
independent object, it obtains a true sense of self-certainty. This certainty
passes into objective truth (pg. 69-70).
3. The truth of this certainty is two-sided, in which the
reduplication of self-consciousness can be found. The object of desire, Life,
is found by negation within itself. This absolute negation of self and other,
however, is an object entirely independent and by this independence becomes
Consciousness. Therefore, self-consciousness develops within the continuity in
the distinction of its individual existence or a “living consciousness” (pg. 70).
If consciousness, in order to be so, needs the object to be independent and in its very self-negation; does that mean that our self-consciousness is just a desire trying to satisfy our ego? Self-consciousness is desire. Our self-consciousness is created by a communal ego. This is going to make us self-aware and it will create in us the sense of true certainty, a certainty in objective form. Self-consciousness lives for itself and in itself; it only exists by being recognized.
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ReplyDeleteIn almost every culture, ancient or modern, we tend to find a golden rule: "Treat others as you would like to be treated." Even Kant's categorical imperative, which tells us to universalize a maxim to test its morality, can be considered a version of this golden rule. Why exactly does this advice come up time and again?
ReplyDeleteIt's because, naturally, we are all hypocrites. Many of us don't make an effort to become selfless, yet we look down on those who are more selfish than us. Many of us deceive people by jumping to conclusions or omitting facts, yet we vilify politicians, news organizations or friends who do the same. Many of us look with contempt at others, but remain oblivious to the log in our own eyes.
And this is why self-consciousness cannot be achieved alone. We have an innate incentive to judge our own identity in a positive light, and that incentive obscures our reasoning. Only when we look through the perspective of others and compare it with our own, can we achieve objective truth.
Can self-consciousness exist in isolation? A person can only become aware of oneself if he or she knows something or someone that is not his or herself. Self-consciousness can reflect upon itself and creates its objects from within. If it really wants to “know” itself, it needs something to contrast with itself. So, self-consciousness needs something or an other to recognize its existence. If self-consciousness wants to be recognized, it needs something like itself, an other self-consciousness. Thus, self-consciousness cannot exist in isolation. Self-consciousness needs social interaction. Thus, self-consciousness seeks self-recognition, and that leads to social interaction.
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