Hegel

A Very Short Introduction

By: Peter Singer

Narrated by: Christine Williams

Hegel is regarded as one of the most influential figures on modern political and intellectual development. After painting Hegel's life and times in broad strokes, Peter Singer goes on to tackle some of the more challenging aspects of Hegel's philosophy. Offering a broad discussion of Hegel's ideas and an account of his major works, Singer explains what have often been considered abstruse and obscure ideas in a clear and inviting manner.

©1983 Peter Singer (P)2021 Tantor

A good place to start maybe?

I read this as primer to deep dive into Hegel’s philosophy as he’s been mentioned as an influence repeatedly mentioned in a number of books I’ve read. Singer explained several of Hegel’s core ideas thoroughly and clearly, or so it seems to me at least. May update this as dig deeper and can better affirm or retract that statement.

The most profound philosopher I’ve encountered

Hegel was a prodigious genius who revolutionized several fields and all human life. The largest challenge of it remains the unaddressed issues in Capitalism, which perhaps would have been resolved more organically had Marx not contrived to: “change the world”. Perhaps Hegel will have ultimately refuted himself by making us conscious of him, that is if he is read. Jung called him a psychologist in philosophers garb, which is wrong, as are any attempts to reduce philosophy to psychology. Instead, Hegel rejoined philosophy to our actual interests, rather than formulating ever more abstract conversations on the nature of truth as unconditioned, and uncontextual. His most beautiful idea, that of the birth of consciousness through another, not only is accurate as an account of evolution (apparently it is our sociality that makes us smart, and not the other way around, and our smartness is in fact largely of a social sort, with the neo cortex having surpassing functions precisely in the social context), but perhaps a new birth in the beingness of human. Hegel not only frees us as individuals from what enslaves us, but gives us a capacity for self-conception through the eyes of another. This is also what psychotherapy is, and in a sense Jung was correct: Hegel is the father of modern psychotherapy. Of human relating to human, and so being healed, and not relating merely to the idea of god in solitude.

Excellent explanation of Hegel’s ideas

The explanations are the clearest I have heard so far, I’m very glad I listened to it.

Hegel, Comprehensible

Far more understandable than Hegel’s own work, this is a much-appreciated overview of Hegelian thought. The performance was clear and comfortable, and I enjoyed the listen greatly.

Effective summary

A good, concise overview of a very complicated philosophical system. Recommend for anyone interested in understanding Hegel or as a precursor to Kierkegaard.