Question

Analyze Hegel’s idealism.

Hint:

Hegel's slogan: ``The Real is Rational''. Reality is the mind (Reason) unfolding itself through history.

Answer 1

Hegel's philosophy is known as Absolute Idealism.
He posits that the ultimate reality is not material but spiritual or rational, which he calls the "Absolute Idea", "World Spirit", or "Geist".
According to Hegel, this Absolute Spirit is not static; it is a dynamic process of self-development and self-realization.
The method of this development is the Dialectic, which proceeds in a triad:
1. Thesis: An initial position or affirmation.
2. Antithesis: The negation or opposite of the thesis.
3. Synthesis: A higher unity that resolves the conflict between thesis and antithesis, preserving the truth of both.
For Hegel, "The Rational is Real and the Real is Rational," meaning the structure of reality matches the structure of logical thought.
History, nature, and human consciousness are all stages in the unfolding of the Absolute Spirit towards total freedom and self-awareness.