Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #64267 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-01
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

Synopsis
With this work, Hegel introduced a scientific approach to the study of the history of philosophy. The author himself regarded this book as a popular introduction to his entire philosophy and it ranks among his most readable and accessible writings. Hegel develops the concept of history as a rational proceeding, rather than a series of random events. His doctrine of the historical process - governed according to the laws of evolution and embodying the spirit of freedom - exercised an enormous and enduring influence. Unabridged republication of the J.Sibree translation as published by The Colonial Press, New York, 1900.

From the Publisher

Customer Reviews

Survey all of Western History through the idea of Freedom.
Hegel's Philosophy of History is his easiest book to read. He angered some people by saying that History is Freedom, and so those countries which did not have Free States (in 1821, the year he wrote his book) were not truly part of History but part of the Pre-historic period. He begins with a narrative of Africa in 1821 which was steeped in Slavery, both internal and external. He stated that all nations were once at this level of Pre-history, where no king could last more than a year. But China was the first nation to make One but only One Person free, namely, the Emperor. This was the beginning of History. From this point Hegel traces those nations which increased Freedom slowly - from Egypt to Assyria to Babylon to Persia to Greece to Rome to Spain and then Europe as we know it today. The Idea of a Free Republic was born in Greece, but was first made material in Rome. Caesar opposed the Republic because he knew that the fullness of time had not yet come for it; so he opened up barbarian Europe instead. The Free Republic eventually grew to a point where a great, courageous World Historical Individual, Napoleon Bonaparte, overthrew the Medieval structures and paved the way for the eventual abolition of Slavery. Hegel was an Abolitionist and lived to see England and Spain renounce Slavery, but died long before Lincoln, so his view of the USA was pretty pessimistic.

"Rhymes with Bagel;" or, in a mouthful, running in circles!
Having just read the introduction (which is the theoretical core of the work), and having read a different translation, I can safely say that Sibree's translation progresses about as smoothly as one sloshing around in a Turtle(tm) pool full of runny egg-whites with three Sumatran carpet- sharks tied to one's back. This is an essential philosophical text; but try and get just the introduction (*Reason and History,* translated by Robert Hartman on Macmillan/Lib. Liberal Arts).
For a philosopher that one must LEARN to read, like Nietzsche (which should hopefully give the Nazism alarmists something to think about), the translation (non-indexed) reminds me of driving without a steering wheel, or like showering in Los Angeles - not something you want to repeat. A good text in that it's the only complete translation of PH that I know of. However, caveat emptor re: the stuff classical translation.

The Philosophy of History
Hmm, Hard one. Lets put it this way. The introduction is 103 pages long. However the factors Hegel puts forward which can affect historians portrayal of history are brilliant and is of great help to anyone trying to understand history and how it can be altered forever by the Historian.
A great introduction to his lectures on the Philosophy of History.