Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's The Phenomenology of Spirit was an influential contribution to 19th century philosophy. High schoolers explore what happens when two conscious beings, both sure of their own freedom without restriction, encounter each other — and how that struggle leads to Hegel's master-slave dialectic.

Concepts

philosophers, conflict, freedom, socialization

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use in a philosophy class to introduce Hegel's work
• Have learners write short narratives or skits in which individuals struggle for their own unrestrained freedom
• Incorporate into a discussion on American slavery

Classroom Considerations

• Attempts to compare Hegel's master-slave dialectic to an example of street gangs, which may need an explanation all its own
• Refer to the publisher's website for a full analysis of the text, available with a free trial or paid subscription

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Versatile for use in many disciplines
• Engages learners with animation

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.9