Debating the Political Philosophy of Hegel

by Kaufman; Gayle

• ISBN13: 9780202363493
• ISBN10: 020236349X
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2010-01-30
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Few philosophers have had as much influence as Hegel.When he died in 1831, he not only dominated Germanphilosophy, but also left his mark on the study of religionand art, on historical studies, and on political thought.Much later, Lenin insisted that no one could completelycomprehend Karl Marx unless he had first made a thoroughstudy of Hegel. Later, it became fashionable to linkHegel with Nazism and communism. There is today broadagreement that knowledge of Hegel’s thought adds a criticaldimension to our understanding of recent cultural andpolitical history.This volume, first published in 1970, focuses on Hegel’spolitical philosophy. It brings together ten essays by sixauthors who present sharply conflicting interpretations.Here are point-by-point discussions, from differing perspectives,on Hegel’s philosophy of the state and his ideasabout history and war, nationalism and liberty. Never beforehave these issues been joined in comparable fashionin a single volume.Sidney Hook sees Hegel as "the very model of a small -minded, timid Continental conservative" and accuseshim of "the most specious reasoning that ever disgraceda philosopher," and E. F. Carritt argues for a "totalitarian"reading of Hegel, while T. M. Knox and Shlomo Avineridefend Hegel against these and other charges. The bookalso contains a short contribution by Z. A. Pelczynski andWalter Kaufmann’s "The Hegel Myth and Its Method."Walter Kaufmann, an outstanding historian of Europeanideas in philosophy, furnished an introduction as wellas footnotes that help to clarify perplexing issues and insome cases seek to put an end to long-lived errors. Hisanalysis is itself a major contribution to Hegel’s politicaltheories.