The Priority of Intellectual Production and Creation in the Hegelian Understanding of Property

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Professor of Social Ethics, School X Newcastle University, United Kingdom

10.22034/jpiut.2025.21099

Abstract

Orthodox readings of Hegels’ expressivist theory of property rights putatively assume he is an apologist for free market capitalism in all spheres of production and distribution. However, greater attention played to his discussion of intellectual property reveals that he is a pluralist about property rights and the particular manifestation of economic distribution and ownership is contingent on structural, economic and technological aspects of a society. The following essays seeks to show that intellectual property rights are an example of pure intentional activity that is best understood as public, social and collective labour when there is an overcoming of rivalrous material limitations. At the end of history, when economic and social conditions allow, private property can be superseded by collective sharing of resources and this is the dynamic nature of sprit, what moves it, the coming out of itself into the world. Recognition for the creator is to be protected and for this reason intellectual labour is both the alpha and omega of property – it is where it begins to where it ends, in the individual being-with the community.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 53 - Serial Number 53
Articles
Issue 53, Winter 2026
December 2025
Pages 111-128

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