About this title: An English translation of Hegel's introduction to his lectures on the philosophy of history, based directly on the standard German edition by Johannes Hoffmeister, first published in 1955. The previous English translation, by J. Sibree, first appeared in 1857 and was based on the defective German edition of Karl Hegel, to which Hoffmeister's ...
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Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 1981-01-31
ISBN-13:9780521281454ISBN:0521281458
Description: Good. Mild shelf and corner wear; Mild tanning and soiling to page edges; Mild rubbing and wear to covers and spine; Minor yellowing to back cover; ** Free USPS tracking and confirm on US orders ** read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780521281454ISBN:0521281458
Description: New. Text in English, German. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 292 p. Cambridge Studies in the History and Theory of Politics. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 1980
ISBN-13:9780521281454ISBN:0521281458
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Description: Acceptable. Former Library book. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 1975
ISBN-13:9780521205665ISBN:0521205662
Description: New. BRAND NEW and ready for dispatch. Delivery normally within 4/7 days. Our reputation is built on our Speedy Delivery Service and our Customer Service Team. read more
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 1975
ISBN-13:9780521205665ISBN:0521205662
Description: BRAND NEW HARDBACK. 8.5 by.83 inches. This book is printed on demand. (allow 1-2 weeks for printing)(292 pages) an english translation of hegel's introduction to his lectures on the philosophy of history. an english translation of hegel's introduction to his lectures on the philosophy of history, based directly on the standard german edition by johannes hoffmaister, first published in 1955. an english translation of hegel's introduction to his lectures on the philosophy of history, based ... read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 1992
Description: Very Good. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Soft Cover. Publisher: CUP, 1992. 8vo, xxxviii, 252 pp. Condition: Very Good, some edge-wear, pages a little tanned, text clean throughout, binding sound. Overall a very good, used copy. read more
Description: New. An English translation of Hegel'Äôs introduction to his lectures on the philosophy of history, based directly on the standard German edition by Johannes Hoffmaister, first published in 1955. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Date Published: 2002
ISBN-13:9780521281454ISBN:0521281458
Description: New. Text in English, German. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 292 p. Cambridge Studies in the History and Theory of Politics. read more
Edition: NEW ED
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, UK
ISBN-13:9780521281454ISBN:0521281458
Description: New. Please note that deliveries to addresses in the UK and Europe will be in 4-14 business days. Other countries should refer to Alibris standard times. This translation provides for the first time a reliable English version of that portion of Hegel's work which Hegel himself seems to have regarded as a popular introduction to his philosophy as a whole, and which remains the most readable and accessible of all his philosophical writings. ISBN10: 0521281458. read more
"I am pursuing, with some fortitude, a policy of reading some difficult books, starting with Hegel. This particular volume was collated by students from Hegel's lectures on history. Hegel seems to think that history consists of God's developing self-understanding. I have read enough Marx and Feuerbach, however, to be aware that Hegel is susceptible to the following criticism. God's developing self-understanding consists largely of a developing human self-understanding. It is an argument that is difficult to get around. In short, is not the concept of God, as used here, merely redundant?
Hegel starts by claiming that there are three approaches to history, "Original History", "Reflective History" and his own topic, "Philosophical History". He claims that nature, both physical and psychic, is permeated with Reason or thought. The essence of psychic nature or "Spirit" (human thought about nature = divine self-consciousness) is, however, Freedom: "All the properties of Spirit exist only through Freedom. All are but means of attaining Freedom; all seek and produce this and this alone."
In self-consciousness, Spirit knows itself, and indeed, world history itself may be considered to be Spirit trying to attain knowledge of its own nature which is Freedom. In earlier periods of history and in other geographical places, Freedom did not become fully self-conscious. Hegel thinks that Oriental peoples (he may be thinking of the Ottomans)know that only the one (the despot) is free. The Ancient Greeks knew only that some were free - they had slaves for example. Only with German Christianity (Luther) was there a discovery that all people were free, and even here, it took many centuries for this truth to be manifested in the secular world.
Hegel says that the realization of the self-knowledge of the Spirit comes about through the passions and self-interested actions of human individuals.
Freedom, which for Hegel is the essence of the Spirit, is not, for Hegel, "the caprice of individuals". Rather, Freedom is enshrined in human institutions, in morality, law, religion, art and, above all, in the constitutional "State" which seems to incorporate all these others.
"A state is then well-constituted and internally vigorous when the private interest of its citizens is one with the common interest of the state and the one finds gratification and realization in the other." His conception here approaches that of Adam Smith (1786). Like Smith - who speaks of the "invisible hand", presumably God's - he assumes that morality and common welfare arises out of the selfish pursuit of individual passions. "These vast congeries of volitions, interests, and activities constitute the tools and means of the World Spirit for attaining its purpose, bringing it to consciousness, and realizing it." Hegel uses a simile of suggesting that the state resembles a house. In both contrasting pressures exerted by the different parts come together to create a well-constituted entire building or state.
Not all states, however, are well-constituted. At specific historical moments, when a state is in decline, world-historical individuals (heroes) make their appearance on the world's stage. Such heroes realize the Spirit's purpose which follows a higher law than their own individual interests. He thinks here of men such as Alexander, Caesar and Napoleon. These men, pursuing their own ambition, nevertheless align themselves with the purposes of the divine World Spirit and thereby advance the divine purpose.
However, these heroes, like many non-heroic individuals, are often mistreated by history. Hegel describes history as "the slaughter-bench at which the happiness of peoples, the wisdom of states, and the virtue of individuals have been sacrificed."
Hegel's philosophical history, therefore, tells of the progress of Spirit towards its own self-consciousness when freedom discovers itself embedded in human institutions. It is, therefore, a strange and rather mystifying tale."
"I read this book alongside Hegel's Philosophy of Right which had been assigned for Dave Schweickart's Social and Political Philosophy course taught at Loyola University Chicago during the second semester of 1980/1. Published posthumously and based on notes, Lectures on the Philosophy of History is not among Hegel's better works. It does, however, serve as a quick refresher."
"This is a difficult read primarily because it was taken from Hegel's lecture notes. I found the first fifty pages the most valuable in this small monograph. It might be beneficial to read Hegel with tertiary source, although be careful because there are so many different kinds of Hegelians writing about Hegel."
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