The Philosophy of Hegel: A Systematic Exposition

The primary object of this book is to place in the hands of the philosophical student a complete exposition of the system of Hegel in a single volume. No book with a similar purpose, so far as I know, exists in our language. There are several books which expound, in more or less detail, the Logic. There are several books dealing with special aspects of Hegel, his ethics, his aesthetics, and so on. There are a number of books which set forth the general principles of his philosophy without entering upon the detailed deductions. And there are many books of criticism. The English reader, even by studying all these expository or critical books, cannot get a complete and connected view of the system. And if, eschewing expositors and commentators, he turns to the writings of Hegel himself, he is faced with the task of mastering at least ten or twelve appallingly difficult volumes before he can gain any adequate idea of the whole doctrine. (And even then, of course, he has read nothing like the whole of Hegel's works.) The present volume contains, in Part I., an explanation of general principles, and in the subsequent parts it sets forth the detailed deductions of the entire system with the exception of the philosophy of nature, of which only a short general account is given. This exception is justified by special reasons which are stated in their appropriate place. What they amount to is that no ordinary student requires a knowledge of the details of the philosophy of nature, which are out of date and valueless.