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Reading G.W.F Hegel’s Introduction to the Philosophy of History. Though he didn’t actually write a book with this name, notes on his lectures on this topic were published after his death, and the first chunk of that serves as a good entrance point to Hegel’s very strange system.

How should a philosopher approach the study of history? Is history just a bunch of random happenings, or is it a purposive force manipulating us to fulfill its hidden ends? If you have asked yourself this question in this way, then you, like Hegel, are mighty strange.

Here we talk about the unfolding of the world-historical spirit, world-historical individuals (hint: not you), dialectic, his alternative to the social contract, the formation of the self based on what others label you, the geist of America, why a constitutional monarchy is obviously the best form of government, and heaps more.

Read with us: Pages 14-128 of http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/econ/ugcm/3ll3/hegel/history.pdf or, for a somewhat less intimidating experience (and to read the same translation I have), just pick up a paperback of just the part we’re concerned with: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0872200566/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used.

End Song: “Cold,” by Madison Lint (2004), described in my music blog.