Love, Life and Logic: Another Dialectic with Hegelian scholar Karen Ng (from the archive)

Send a love message From the archive. First aired in Jan of 2025. A conversation about Hegel. Andrea talks with Karen Ng, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. The discussion delves into Hegel's ideas on contradiction, self-consciousness, life, and love, revealing how these notions are intricately intertwined in his work. Karen Ng brings forward her insights from her award-winning book 'Hegel's Concept of Life,' highlighting the radical nature of Hegel's thought and its relevance in modern contexts. Together, they explore deeply challenging philosophical concepts, making connections to contemporary issues in philosophy, environmental science, and cognitive theory. Join us as we navigate through Hegel’s complex ideas and uncover their enduring significance.00:00 Hegel's Contradictory Philosophy00:47 The Machine Model vs. Organic Unity02:55 Introduction to Karen Ng and Her Work06:40 Karen Ng's Journey with Hegel16:17 Kant's Influence and the Copernican Turn24:57 The Concept of Life and Internal Purposiveness39:55 Exploring the Conditions for Intelligibility40:27 Hegel's Radical Thought on Life and Meaning41:44 Primitive and Sophisticated Sense-Making42:09 Self-Conscious Forms of Life42:37 Hegel's Connection Between Life and Meaning43:56 The Speculative Identity Thesis44:41 The Shock of Hegel's Absolute Idea45:53 Thinking and Corporeality47:51 The Radical Nature of Self-Conscious Life48:52 Challenging Cartesian Dualism49:38 Kant's Dualism and Moral Philosophy50:37 The Speculative Identity Thesis and Cognition52:42 The Radical Connection Between Life and Cognition53:05 Contemporary Philosophers on Life and Mind53:32 Hegel's Influence on Modern Thought01:06:06 The Importance of Teaching Philosophy01:07:46 Hegel's Thoughts on Love and Life01:09:12 The Concept of Free Love01:10:03 The Role of Love in Hegelian Philosophy01:13:26 Concluding Thoughts on Hegel and LoveFull intro and notes here.Care is not the opposite of love. It is the very urge of life. 'Caring for what?' is the primary question. That we have a choice about what we care for and how is what makes us human, but it's quite the challenge and responsibility. Let's help one another handle it.Support the showBuy Holding Paradox: The Navigational Approach to Mind and Consciousness by Andrea HiottSign up for Making Ways newsletter and projects.Please rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.