GWF Hegel has long been considered one of the most influential and
controversial thinkers of the nineteenth century, and his work continues
to provoke debate in contemporary philosophy. This new book provides
readers with an accessible introduction to Hegel's thought, offering a
lucid and highly readable account of his Phenomenology of Spirit,
Science of Logic, Philosophy of Nature, Philosophy of History, and
Philosophy of Right. It provides a cogent and careful analysis of
Hegel's main arguments, considers critical responses, evaluates
competing interpretations, and assesses the legacy of Hegel's work for
philosophy in the present day.
In a comprehensive discussion of the major works, J.M Fritzman considers
crucial questions of authorial intent raised by the Phenomenology of
Spirit, and discusses Hegel's conceptions of necessity and of
philosophical method. In his presentation of Hegel's Logic, Fritzman
evaluates the claim that logic has no presuppositions and examines
whether this endorses a foundationalist or coherentist epistemology.
Fritzman goes on to scrutinize Hegel's claims that history represents
the progressive realization of human freedom, and details how Hegel
believes that this is also expressed in art and religion.
This book serves as both an excellent introduction to Hegel's
wide-ranging philosophy for students, as well as an innovative critique
which will contribute to ongoing debates in the field.
