The Critique of the Subject in Kant and Hegel

Abstract

The discussion of Kant and Hegel’s conceptions of the subject constitutes the main subject of this study. Until Kant and Hegel, some of the views of the subject in the history of philosophy will be shown in a chronologically superficial way. In order to reveal Kant’s conception of the subject, it will be discussed how the paradigm shift called the Copernican Revolution transformed the subject. This change in the perspective from which the subject is viewed will also bring about a change in knowledge. The relationship between the knowing subject and the known object is reorganized by Kant. In making this change regarding the position of the subject, Kant develops arguments against Descartes’ cogito. Since these criticisms will give us some clues to understand Kant’s views on the subject, the criticism of Descartes has an important place. Hegel, another German philosopher, finds it wrong to treat the subject in an abstract way and proposes to treat the subject in a historical way. Just like Kant’s criticism of Descartes, Hegel’s criticism of Kant will also be included since it will help us to understand Hegel’s view of the subject.