Table of Contents

Preface; Acknowledgements; Notes on the text; 1. Hegel's formation in Old Württemberg; 2. The Protestant seminary in Tübingen; 3. From Berne to Frankfurt to Jena: failed projects and fresh starts; 4. Texts and drafts: Hegel's path to the Phenomenology from Frankfurt to Jena; 5. The Phenomenology of Spirit: Hegel finds his voice; 6. Life in transition: from Jena to Bamberg; 7. Nuremberg respectability; 8. From the Phenomenology to the 'System': Hegel's Logic; 9. Heidelberg: coming into focus; 10. Berlin: reform and repression at the focal point (1818–1821); 11. Hegel's Philosophy of Right: freedom, history, and the modern European state; 12. Consolidation: Berlin, Brussels, Vienna (1821–1824); 13. Assertion: Berlin, Paris (1824–1827); 14. Thinking through modern life: nature, religion, art, and the absolute; 15. Home: 1827–1831; Notes; Chronology of Hegel's life; Hegel's works cited; Works cited; Index.

Promotional Information

A complete account of his life and an overview of the philosophical concepts in Hegel's work.

Reviews

'... this is the most rounded and reliable life of Hegel there has ever been.' London Review of Books 'Terry Pinkard's biography is of the first rank. ... [The] known material has never been marshalled with more spacious clarity.' Observer '... makes [Hegel] into a real human being whose philosophical odyssey becomes credible, even touching.' Peter Gay, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University 'The fullest and undoubtedly the best ever account of Hegel's life in the English language.' Sunday Telegraph 'Terry Pinkard offers the most rounded, richly filled-out picture of Hegel, as both philosopher and man, that we have ever had in English. This will quickly become the standard biography of Hegel, and richly deserves to do so. In an age of fine Hegel scholarship, this is a towering achievement.' Boston Book Review 'Terry Pinkard's biography is of the first rank. ... [The] known material has never been marshalled with more spacious clarity.' Observer 'An absorbing and thorough review of the great philosopher's life.' Observer 'This is the most extensive and full biography of Hegel to appear in English, a biography long overdue. It is a great pleasure to read.' Tijdschrift Voor Filosofie 'The English-speaking world has had to wait a long time for a good, detailed biography of Hegel. It now has this useful volume by Terry Pinkard to fill the gap ... The result is a more complete picture of the man than we have ever had in English. We are all in his debt.' Bulletin of the Hegel Society of Great Britain '... monumental book, written by a fine American Hegel scholar ... all students of Hegel and of Hegelian idealism should welcome this work ...' Journal of Ecclesiastical History

'... this is the most rounded and reliable life of Hegel there has ever been.' London Review of Books 'Terry Pinkard's biography is of the first rank. ... [The] known material has never been marshalled with more spacious clarity.' Observer '... makes [Hegel] into a real human being whose philosophical odyssey becomes credible, even touching.' Peter Gay, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University 'The fullest and undoubtedly the best ever account of Hegel's life in the English language.' Sunday Telegraph 'Terry Pinkard offers the most rounded, richly filled-out picture of Hegel, as both philosopher and man, that we have ever had in English. This will quickly become the standard biography of Hegel, and richly deserves to do so. In an age of fine Hegel scholarship, this is a towering achievement.' Boston Book Review 'Terry Pinkard's biography is of the first rank. ... [The] known material has never been marshalled with more spacious clarity.' Observer 'An absorbing and thorough review of the great philosopher's life.' Observer 'This is the most extensive and full biography of Hegel to appear in English, a biography long overdue. It is a great pleasure to read.' Tijdschrift Voor Filosofie 'The English-speaking world has had to wait a long time for a good, detailed biography of Hegel. It now has this useful volume by Terry Pinkard to fill the gap ... The result is a more complete picture of the man than we have ever had in English. We are all in his debt.' Bulletin of the Hegel Society of Great Britain '... monumental book, written by a fine American Hegel scholar ... all students of Hegel and of Hegelian idealism should welcome this work ...' Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Pinkard (philosophy, Georgetown Univ.) points out that Hegel occupies an ambivalent position in the philosophical world, where he is regarded by some as a consummate philosopher, ignored by others as having nothing of importance to say, and derided by still others as "humbug, poppycock, maybe even a fraud." Among the educated populace generally, Pinkard also sees Hegel as being stereotypically and incorrectly understood. His challenge here, then, is to examine Hegel's life in detail, to show how it "intersected with his thought in a variety of deep ways," and to reveal the real Hegel. The writing is fluid and engaging and the historical period vividly realized. The purely biographical material is kept separate, as much as possible, from discussion of the works. Hegel is notoriously difficult, and while it is doubtful that nonphilosophers will come away from this study with a deep understanding of the Hegelian system, they should be in a good position to study it more fully if so inclined. All philosophy collections should have this.--Leon H. Brody, U.S. Office of Personnel Mgt. Lib., Washington, DC Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.