Summary Of Hegel's Theory

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Summary of Hegel's Philosophy of Mind Paul Trejo, August 1993 For over 180 years students have complained that Hegel's best-known book of philosophy, the PHENOMENOLOGY OF MIND (alias PHENOMENOLOGY OF SPIRIT), is too difficult to read. A few have tried to summarize Hegel's book, and often their summaries were longer than the original, and just as difficult to read. Today, right here on the INTERNET, I give to you a twelve page summary of this famous book, a book that inspired generations of European philosophers since it first appeared in 1807. This summary is meant for the beginner in phenomenological philosophy, to encourage more students to struggle with the book for themselves. This book has a colorful history, and is well praised by thinkers as David Strauss, Bruno Bauer, Marx, Engels, Ortega y Gasset, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Lacan, Camus, and many more. I hope some will try again to read this masterpiece. If you do, please find the translation by Miller (1971) and avoid the translation by Baillie (1907). And watch this space for more exciting Hegelian philosophy, right here on the INTERNET. Best regards, --PET DEFINITION 1. 'Phenomenon' is a word which refers to appearances. It's a Greek word used by Plato to distinguish mere temporal appearances from the eternal Noumena of the Ideal Realm. The student of philosophy should recall Plato's parable of the shadows in the cave, where appearances were taken for realities. Phenomena are appearances. Where is the reality? In Hegel's view, probably unique in Western Philosophy, we can only know Reality when we have completely mastered the appearances, since the appearances (phenomena) partially hide and partially reveal Reality (noumena, Geist) in a peculiar manner. 2. There are degrees of reality within various phenomena. This is the origin of Hegel's idea that there can be degrees of truth
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