Frederick C. Beiser

Pretty interesting and well written introduction to Hegel. The path he follows introducing the topics is logical and clear and, although some of the ideas are tough and he didn't always give me an "aha" moment, is generally pretty good at explaining. He gives important Kantian/idealism/romantic background to each of Hegel's ideas and generally gives a very short prompt when ideas already explained are referenced later on. I didn't find myself lost at any point, even when I couldn't wrap my show more head around a few of the most difficult ideas.

The ideas themselves are fascinating and presented in a way that I was interested even when I thought they were total bollocks. Hegel's ideas about the perfect state are kind of amusing, but also interesting in the ways they prefigure social democrat policies. His dialectic and unity/identity/unity-in-identity path are surprisingly compelling. show less

This is a first-rate read. This tracks the major players in a
conversation about the viability of reason as the basis of philosophy and points out a number of people who were influential at the time but which have become eclipsed by later people. I had not realized, but should have, that the practice of philosophy then was so much like it is today - personalities as well as positions - and that they had all interacted with each other on both levels. Beiser does not stress the personal level, show more but doesn't hide it either. He gives concise summaries of positions and arguments which make the whole discussion a consistent story. Remarkably to me, the whole debate fit inside a 15 year interval and most of it within 10.

The issues being discussed, too, are of modern interest too - or at least I think they are. Being technology independent, the arguments are no less valid now than then - and no more either. show less

great

Addresses controversy around Spinoza.