V International Congress of Hegel Society of Spain

Universidad de Salamanca
16 18 October 21!
I am my desire.
The notion of desire in Hegels philosophy and the legacy of Spinoza
"r# $rancesca %rencio
&University of 'estern Sydney ()stralia*
Visiting $ello+ at (lbert,-)d+igs Universit.t in $reib)rg im %reisga) &/ermany*
&Comments are +armly +elcome0 brenciofrancesca1gmail#com*
(bstract0
23e aim of my tal4 is to s3o+ t+o t3eses0 1# t3e centrality of t3e notion of desire in Spino5a
and Hegel and t3e legacy of Spino5a6s conatus in Hegel6s concept of Begierde7 2# 23e iss)e of
desire is a matter of s)b8ectivity0 in t3is sense9 t3e desire is t3e gro)nd of t3e :I;# So9 t3e claim :I
am my desire; is t3e central point of self,conscio)sness in t3e Phenomenology of the Spirit# Hegel6s
claim is t3at conscio)sness is desire9 not merely t3at it is accompanied by desire# He means t3at t3e
distinctive c3aracter of desire is t3e :self,conscio)sness;7 t3e disting)is3ed actions are merely t3e
nat)ral e<pression of desire and a corresponding form of self,conscio)sness t3at is a mere sentiment
of self9 from actions )nderta4en in order to satisfy a desire9 t3e actions of a being t3at does not 8)st
embody its self,sentiment b)t can be said to act on s)c3 a self,conception# 23e transition from
desire to recognition is t3e central point for t3e s)b8ectivity and 3is social feat)re#
(t last9 I +ill )nderline t3e metamorp3oses of Hegel6s dialectics in -acan6s psyc3oanalysis
and t3e centrality of Hegel in t3e last -acan6s +or40 bot3 for t3e iss)e of desire and for t3e
s)b8ectivity#
=Complete version of t3is tal4 +ill be p)blis3ed in t3e vol)me dedicated to t3e V International
Congress of Hegel Society of Spain9 University of Salamanca9 Spain , 21!>