Hegel

1 Product of history
2 Presentism
3 Therefore view of history changes with time. Know history to fix the present.
4 Negation/contradiction
5 Being vs becoming
6 Hegelian dialectic - inherent instability pushes history along, which is to say, thesis - antithesis -
synthesis.
7 But history is always moving forward through this process. History does not repeat itself. Linear
not cyclical understanding of history.

Hegel’s methodology: Worldwide, macro level, rather than being empirical and specific to a
particular time period.

Hegel’s perspective on history:

You cannot escape your history – everything is a product of our history. For that reason we need to
study it.

Our view of history changes according to the present. For e.g. Pompeii. The view of looking at what
happened at Pompeii has changed. 17 th century vs 21st century,

Why?

Because we are operating out of a different context. This argument is called presentism. (Your view of
past changes according to present). In that sense history is quite malleable and we must keep on visiting
it.

Says we must visit history to fix the gaps that exist in our political system, social system today.

No 4. Every person, every situation, every idea, carries within it its opposite. E.g. Black carries no
importance without white. So black carries within it white. This idea of negation is inherent in
everything.

For Hegel there is no such thing as being. It is always becoming. Constantly changing or evolving to
change the contradiction it holds within it. Everything is always in a state of flux.

This inherent instability pushes things into evolving into the next stage. The first situation which is in
inherent instability – is called the thesis – and the change that occurs to resolve it – is called the
antithesis. The antithesis will resolve the thesis. But this antithesis will also have a contradiction and to
resolve that further changes must take place. The third stage is called synthesis which will resolve the
first two contradictions. But this synthesis will be another thesis for an antithesis.

E.g. A political situation. A period of relative anarchy where there are no rules. Absolute freedom where
anybody can do anything. However, life and property not protected because anyone can do anything.
There is a feeling of freedom, but in another way you’re actually free because anyone can do anything to
you. So this is a contrary situation. It will evolve into another situation where you don’t have anarchy.
There is a police, a judiciary, a king, very strict about rules. So this is another situation where you have
security but now you don’t have freedom. This is the antithesis of the first thesis. Now this will evolve
into another situation, a democratic welfare state. You have taken the best parts of the first two and
come up with a new situation, however, this situation will also have a contradiction that it has taken
from the antithesis. So another cycle of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. So history is not cyclical, but it is
actually linear. Says history is always moving forward so you do not visit history to prevent new mistakes
but to understand who you are.

Spirit and idea.

????

‘Idea’ is god. Hegelian perspective is a spiritual perspective. A higher form of being.

Spirit is the aim that history is aiming towards in this somersaulting action. We are heading towards a
state of freedom. This end goal of the world, to head towards an ideal situation, is called spirit. Read the
link for more clarification.

Divides god, nature, and spirit.

God:

Free of all contradiction, not in a state of evolving or becoming. Rather God is because he is perfect.

Spirit is that state of perfection that all humans – specifically humans – are heading towards. The
ultimate purpose of that freedom, essence is freedom. Which humans are going towards, trying to reach
but they will never be actually able to quote reach to it.

Once we reach it that is god.