Maverick Philosopher

Footnotes to Plato from the foothills of the Superstition Mountains

Category: Hegel

  • Hegel, Booze, and Fruit

    A Substack quickie.

  • Is Hegel the Protestant Aquinas?

    Substack latest. UPDATE (5/8/2024).  This from Kai Frederick Lorentzen: You write: " . . . It does annoy  me, however, that  Kainz doesn't supply any references.  For example, we read: Hegel was critical of Catholicism at times, in his writings and lectures. For example, he once made a scurrilous remark about the Catholic doctrine of…

  • Hegel on History: Another Case of Misattribution

    Misattributed to Hegel: "We learn from history that we do not learn from history." Close, but that's not what he says.  I haven't checked the following quotations, but they look good to the eye of one who has read his fair share of the Swabian genius. HT: Seth Nimbosa Was die Erfahrung aber und die…

  • Is Hegel Guilty of ‘Epochism’?

    Substack latest.  'Medieval' is not a pejorative term!

  • The Owl of Minerva and the Consolations of Philosophy

    It appears that a tipping point has been reached in America's decline. Our descent into twilight and beyond is probably now irreversible.  Collective race madness blankets the land, the dogs of destruction have been set loose, and the authorities have abdicated. Should any of this trouble the philosopher? Before he is a citizen, the philosopher…

  • This Platonizing Owl Feels a Little Guilty . . .

    . . . at deriving so much intellectual stimulation from the events of the day.  It is fascinating to watch the country fall apart. What is a calamity for the citizen, however, is grist for the philosopher's mill. Before he is a citizen, the philosopher is a "spectator of all time and existence" in a marvellous…

  • Senses of ‘Abstract’ with a Little Help from Hegel

    For Eric Levy, who 'inspired' me to dig deeper into this material. ………………………………… Keith Campbell and others call tropes abstract particulars.  But what is it for something to be abstract?  It may be useful to sort out the different senses of 'abstract' since this term and its opposite 'concrete' are thrown around quite a lot…

  • I Feel a Little Guilty . . .

    . . . at deriving so much intellectual stimulation from the events of the day.  It is fascinating to watch the country fall apart. What is a calamity for the citizen, however, is grist for the philosopher's mill. Before he is a citizen, the philosopher is a "spectator of all time and existence" in a marvellous…

  • Can Anyone Recommend a Good History of Philosophy?

    A graduate student in philosophy asks about histories of philosophy: Suppose I wanted, over time, to work through a text or series of texts. Which ones are worthy of consideration? I've heard good things about Copleston's 11 volumes. There's also Russell's history of western philosophy and Anthony Kenny has done a history as well. Do…

  • Hegel on Original Sin

    What follows is an excerpt from section 24 of the William Wallace translation of what is sometimes referred to as Hegel's "Lesser Logic," being Part One of The Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences (1830), Oxford UP first ed. 1873, 2nd 1892, 3rd 1975: We all know the theological dogma that man’s nature is evil, tainted…

  • Is Hegel the Protestant Aquinas?

    Howard Kainz writes, It’s a good question. Hegel and Aquinas are certainly comparable in the sense that they treated a wide variety of topics in philosophy and theology, and unified and organized them. Another similarity resides in the prominence of theology in their writings – but with the following caveat: Whereas, in the scholastic approach…

  • At the Supermarket: I Think of Hegel’s Logic

    I was cruising the booze aisle in the local supermarket yesterday in search of wines for Thursday's Thanksgiving feast.  I got into conversation with a friendly twenty-something dude who worked there.  I said I was looking for sweet vermouth.  He thought it was used to make  martinis and so I explained that martinis call for dry vermouth while…

  • The Owl of Minerva Spreads its Wings at Dusk

    Obama won, conservatism lost, and a tipping point has been reached in America's decline. Our descent into twilight and beyond is probably now irreversible.  The economy is bad, the opposition fought hard and well, and the incompetent leftist won anyway.  Why? The Left promises panem and the culture's circenses have kept the masses distracted from…

  • Hegel on Wall Street

    Here.

  • Is Hegel Guilty of ‘Epochism’?

    In these politically correct times we hear much of racism, sexism, ageism, speciesism, and even heterosexism. Why not then epochism, the arbitrary denigration of entire historical epochs? Some years back, a television commentator referred to the Islamist beheading of Nicholas Berg as “medieval.” As I remarked to my wife, “That fellow is slamming an entire…