The Antinomy of Language

Abstract

Hegelian researches are often concerned with Hegel’s thought, its nature and movement. However, we must not overlook the fact that this thought expresses itself through natural language, and must do so necessarily. From the outset, then, the question of the exposition (Darstellung) is raised : is natural language capable of adequately expressing dialectical thought¹? It seems that it is not, in so far as natural language develops in a cultural environment that is stamped by formalism². Nevertheless, Hegel has detected in that language the ‘speculative spirit’ at work³. There is no reason to wonder about it : if dialectic contains some truth, then this must appear in one way or another, in reality in general and in language in particular⁴. If that is the case, then, long before we deal with it, dialectical activity is already present, deconstructing and reconstructing the structures of being, thought and language. And under that condition alone are we able to bring out its movement, so as to form a dialectical mode of philosophizing.