In the intricate tapestry of Hegelian thought, the mirror emerges as a compelling metaphor for the philosophical notion of universality which is deeply embedded in the self’s relation to the world. The passage “‘I’ is a universal and the object is a universal” (64) from Hegel’s “Phenomenology of Spirit” suggests a profound kinship between the subject and the object, hinting at a shared fundamental essence that transcends individual differences. This notion of universality is further enriched by the assertion “In essence, the object is the same as the movement” (67), which implies that the essence of an object is bound up with the process of its continual becoming within the consciousness of the subject.
A mirror, a simple yet profound object in our daily lives, aptly embodies Hegel’s concepts. When we look into a mirror, we see more than our physical appearance; we see the universal ‘I’. The reflection is not our subjective experiences, but a facet of our existence that becomes a universal symbol and is recognizable to all who perceive it. This is a manifestation of not only our identity but the common experience of self-recognition, epitomizing Hegel’s idea of universality where the individual’s reflection becomes a shared human symbol. Moreover, the mirror’s reflection also serves as a universal object. It captures the universal act of reflection, where every individual’s encounter with their image in the mirror goes beyond personal identity and resonates with the universal nature of human reflection. Thus, the mirror serves as a unique object that mirrors our universal capacity for self-perception.
In Hegel’s dialectic, the mirror transcends its function as a static reflector; it becomes integral to a dynamic interplay of recognition and self-exploration. The act of reflection is more than physical—it’s a cognitive journey of seeing, understanding, and connecting with oneself. Hegel’s idea that the essence of an object is its continuous becoming is clear here: our reflection only truly exists as we perceive it, alive and responsive to our every move. This ongoing interaction is not just a passive observation but an active engagement, a dance of awareness where the ‘I’ meets its image, leading us toward deeper self-consciousness. Through this process, we grasp our consciousness, a universal experience rooted in the act of reflective perception.
Hello. I liked your explanation of how the mirror shows that the “I” is universal. I find you got your points across well, especially in your second paragraph. I am not sure Hegel himself explains this any better than you did, yet, my understanding would still benefit from further elaboration in the third paragraph as to how exactly perceiving our reflection leads to a deeper self-consciousness.
Greetings Kaiqing, I quite enjoyed reading this blog post which you’ve so graciously written and shared! Your diction made for a rather pleasant and stimulating read. The mirror is a splendid metaphor, indeed, not dissimilar to its application by the Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi, as I’ve come to learn in PHI 4905 (The Philosophy of Wandering). Principally, Zhuangzian skepticism maintains that our standard, categorically-enclosed method of conceptualization obfuscates the ever-melding continuum of reality, insofar that it hinders the embroadening of our perceptual horizons. As such, it behooves the aspiring sage to embark on a heuristic journey of discernment—to negate absolute knowledge and to become a mirror (‘to reflect, but not to store’). That is, to partake in and of the world, and to not let their prior commitments bar them from novel outlooks, experiences, and inquiries. In responding to your second paragraph —regarding the transcendence of personal identity and achieving universal resonance— I can’t help but bring up the etymology of ecstasy (no, not the unkosher kind, shall I say, but rather the classical sense of transcendence). To wit, Ancient Greek ἔκστασις (ékstasis); compound of ἐκ (ek, “out of”) and στᾰ́σῐς (stásis, “standing”), i.e., “to stand outside oneself.” Intriguingly, it is, perhaps aptly, intimated that one achieves exaltation in transcending their physiotemporal forms; for as Hegel states, spirit dissolves the structure of its previous world in the fullness of time.