• Heiko
    519
    Hegels thought scatched roughly: The mind comes self-consciousness. Therefor it's being has to be a pure expression of itself, hence phrenology and physiognomy, i.e. concluding individual mental properties from the form of the skull or properties of the body, is perfecly justified.

    https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/ph/phc1ac.htm
  • Gregory
    4.6k
    I've read that book twice. His final conclusion is that phrenology and physiognomy are false. He thinks the human is expressed in skull and face but that there is little you can deduce about character from them
  • Heiko
    519
    He thinks the human is expressed in skull and face but that there is little you can deduce about character from themGregory

    So you cannot conclude any intent or property from an expression? Interesting...
  • Gregory
    4.6k
    The

    If you read that carefully, he doesn't say that we can learn anything from the structure of the head but only from human expressions which show emotions
  • Heiko
    519
    As those acts are reflected which makes sense when talking morals. Deducing potential would be false, concluding necessity would be okay.
  • Gregory
    4.6k
    As those acts are reflected which makes sense when talking morals. Deducing potential would be false, concluding necessity would be okay.Heiko

    What do you mean
  • Heiko
    519
    He roughly says the bodily form is exactly what was wanted to express. An act of freedom which only in the reflection of mind in itself becomes a passive form.
  • Gregory
    4.6k


    I don't know what you mean by "concluding necessity would be ok"
  • Gregory
    4.6k
    Hegel believed the human side of someone can be known by their body but not that specific structures necessarily indicate a certain temperament
  • Heiko
    519
    I don't know what you mean by "concluding necessity would be ok"Gregory
    The conclusion of a free, expressive act.

    Hegel believed the human side of someone can be known by their body but not that specific structures necessarily indicate a certain temperamentGregory
    I have to admit I read him fragmentary and partially horribly wrong. But nobody would ever think of someone's immediate appearance (e.g. their height) as a choice or expresion.
    I guess you are too admissive with your words: The "expession of the nature of free mind" is "human" only biologically.
  • Gregory
    4.6k


    This is a great subject. Some do say everything minus notta is from our choice, everything from our smells to our hair color. Those who believed skulls showed the character still blamed people for their characters, so they too at least implicitly thought we choose our facial and head structures. It makes it easier to judge people this way, but Hegel rejects this and says our character is freedom expressed through the body we happen to embody
  • Gregory
    4.6k
    I just finished reading the link. I hadn't read the book in awhile but that was one of my favorite parts of it. Thanks for the thread
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