HEGEL'S ESSENCE-LOGICAL CAUSALITY CHAPTER AS THE IDENTITY THEORY OF CAUSALITY

In this paper, I will argue that the chapter on causality in Hegel's Doctrine of Essence resembles what nowadays is called an identity-theory of causation. To that end I will proceed in three sections. After a brief introduction and motivation of my aim I will first make some preliminary remarks concerning contemporary theories of causation and my general reading of the Doctrine of Essence (I). In the second most comprehensive section, I will give a detailed interpretation and analysis of the first two sections of the chapter on causality in the Doctrine of Essence (II). In the third section I will then argue for my main claim that Hegel's theory of causation, at least in the Doctrine of Essence, is an identity-theory of causation (III). In a last section I will then raise some questions and name some desiderata for further research on Hegel's theory of causation (IV).