- BA Studies: Philosophy, faculty of Art and Sciences at Ilia State University, from 10/2012 to 07/2016
- MA Studies: Philosophy, faculty of Art and Sciences at Ilia State University, from 10/2016 to 02/2020
Hegel’s practical philosophy: social ontology and its internally differentiated evaluative-normative structure
- W. F. Hegel’s social and political philosophy is deeply embedded in his systematic thought, his most important tractatus embodying the most extensive, systematic and “mature” treatment of the fundamental topics of “practical philosophy” is Grundlinien der Philosophie des Rechts. It is often said that what Hegel does in his tractatus is a “reconciliation” of the modern demand for autonomy, freedom and subjectivity with the ancient ideals of the polis and its essentially holistic character. My basic research question will be concerned with the unified issue with two basic elements: 1) How can we conceptualize the questions raised in Hegel’s practical philosophy (agency, institutionality) in its both overall and particular relationship with metaphysical and Logical elements of his thought? 2) How can Hegel reassure in his social ontology and political philosophy interpenetrative and non-reductionist relationship between individual freedom, its institutional conditions and the actualized normativity of the internally differentiated social whole (and how does it relate to its logical and systematic structure)?
I plan to further develop my research question, primarily, as a twofold structural unity, the first of which will be questioning the metaphysical “infrastructure” of Hegel’s practical philosophy. What kind of implications can it have for Hegel’s practical philosophy, or, to put it in more generic terms, for the “Objektiver Geist” and its internal self-differentiation as a social world. As a second part of the basic question, its central inquiry will be a study mainly concerned with evaluative and normative aspects that are internally constitutive of Hegel’s social ontology.
The joint Ph.D. program in Practical Philosophy “Democracy, Human Rights and Religion” is a great opportunity for young scholars to expand their research experience and actualize their academic potential. The overall thematic landscape of the program opens a great possibility for variety of philosophically-oriented research projects without further predefining their specific methodical and thematic scopes and therefore making it a very productive environment for my own research project. I am eager to be a part of this Ph.D. program, to advance my research project and at the same time to exchange academic interests and experience with fellow students and professors. I’m almost sure that this kind of newly opened spaces will be very productive for both students and for the overall academic cooperation and development, moreover, for countries like Georgia that definitely need certain stimulations, not least the academic ones.
