Toward a Type of Dialectics of Recognition——— The Development of Recognition Theory in Critiques

Hobbes's thought on the supremacy of self-preservation leads to the neglect of humanity's capacity for moral choice,damaging the moral foundation of political orders.To address this challenge,Paul Ricoeur draws upon the semantic framework of the French dictionaries to provide a systematic account of the theory of “recognition” as developed by Hegel and his successors,articulating the process in three stages: identification,self-recognition,and mutual recognition.Ricoeur did not realize that the “spontaneity of the intellect inherent in cognitive activity” mentioned in the first two stages,as well as the “dimension of alterity involved in respecting human capacity”,already highlight the limitations of Hobbes's understanding of human.At the stage of mutual recognition,the indeterminacy inherent in struggles for recognition is mitigated by”gift-giving”.However,Patchen Markell critiques this pursuit of recognition through an Arendtian perspective,arguing that its fixation on sovereignty dissolves the uncertainty of action.Faced with these opposing views,Jacques Derrida's concept of “messianicity without messianism” clarifies the limitations of both.Ultimately,a dialectic of recognition anchored in the “impossible possibility” allows us to remain perpetually open to the heterogeneous Other.Through the engagement of dialogue,we explore paths toward equal mutual recognition,thereby filling the moral void in Hobbes's conception of human nature.