Hegel's Metaphysics of Jena

Phenomenology of Spirit is commonly considered Hegel’s debut where he explained, for the first time, his unique dialectical approach. However, it is usually forgotten that the Phenomenology of Spirit is not an independent work, but a result of Jena's philosophizing period (1801-1806) which produced, in addition to a number of other texts, a collection of manuscripts of Jena’s system (Jenaer Systementwürfe). In this collection, Hegel initiates the idea of 'systematic truth' as a 'universal process'. One of the most essential parts of this system is Metaphysics, in which Hegel implies a dialectical transition from first grounds of human understanding (principle of contradiction) to the sublime form of truth (absolute spirit). The present paper analyzes three main parts of Jena’s Metaphysics – that is, transition from ‘Cognition as a System of First Principles’ to ‘Metaphysics of Objectivity’, and finally to ‘Metaphysics of Subjectivity’.