Introduction: Hegel, Wittgenstein, Identity, Difference

Abstract

We cannot but begin this volume with Wittgenstein'sfamous remark that "Hegel seems to me to be always wanting to saythat thingswhich look different are really the same. Whereas my interest is in showing that thingswhich look the same are reallydifferent." (MDC: p.157) Thisis, however,acasual remark, and it seems that we should not put too much emphasis on it.(Foradiscussion of how the remark should properlybeunderstood, see Chapter 20.) In compilingthis collection of essays we adopted from this remark the idea that the problem of difference in identity is the common topic between Hegel and Wittgenstein.¹ The remark presents ac ertain interplay(or,o ne might say, dialectics) of identity and difference. And it is questions of identity and differencebetween Hegel and Wittgenstein (with respect to certain aspects of theirworks,under certain interpretations, etc.) that are addressed by the essays in this volume. There are systematic reasons for investigating commonalities and differences between two philosophers: for example, that they approached the same problem or topic using the same or different methods and arrivedatthe sameoropposed conclusions. Such an investigation might be conducted ahistorically, without taking into account possible lines of influence. This would, however,contradict Hegel'sa nd Wittgenstein'sp hilosophical doctrines. Before we seta bout looking at particularpoints of identityand difference discussed in this volume, let us look at the philosophical and historicalc ontext of this topic. Analytic-continental split One of the reasons for bringingH egel and Wittgenstein together is to overcome or even go beyond what is known as the "analytic-continental split".² As is well known, at the beginning of the 20th century Russell and Moore, the founding fathers of analytic philosophy, revolted against Hegelianism. Analytic philosophy  Forthe sake of brevity,throughout this introductory chapter Ishall use names of thinkers, par-ticularlyHegel and Wittgenstein, metonymically,with the names standingfor their philosophical thought and the works where their thought is expressed.  The analytic-continental split has been addressed in manydifferent ways (cf. Bell et al. (2016) for ar epresentative sample of recent debates).