Free eBooks Hegel: Elements Of The Philosophy Of Right (Cambridge Texts In The History Of Political Thought) Available To Downloads
This book is a translation of a classic work of modern social and political thought. Elements of the Philosophy of Right, Hegel's last major published work, is an attempt to systematize ethical theory, natural right, the philosophy of law, political theory, and the sociology of the modern state into the framework of Hegel's philosophy of history. Hegel's work has been interpreted in radically different ways, influencing many political movements from far right to far left, and is widely perceived as central to the communitarian tradition in modern ethical, social, and political thought. This edition includes extensive editorial material informing the reader of the historical background of Hegel's text, and explaining his allusions to Roman law and other sources, making use of lecture materials which have only recently become available. The new translation is literal, readable, and consistent, and will be informative and scholarly enough to serve the needs of students and specialists alike.
Series: Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Paperback: 569 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press; Revised ed. edition (October 25, 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0521348889
ISBN-13: 978-0521348881
Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.5 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
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Well first off a bit about Hegel: It was, until recently, quite fashionable in English speaking coutries to dismiss Hegel as a charlatan, an apologist for totalitarianism, and an embarassment to the title of philosopher. That's changing, and I tend to think it's for the good. There's a good bit of nonsense in Hegel, but there's also some very important philosophy.The problem with not dismissing Hegel is that he's one of the most difficult philosophers to make sense of; there are passages, and perhaps entire books, of Hegel's that no one honestly understands. Luckily, the "Elements Philosophy of Right" is not only one of the easier of Hegel's books to read (easy being a relative term), but also the most relevant for the general reader. Since Hegel is speaking of concrete institutions he's much easier to follow here than in most other works. Also, I tend to agree with Wood that Hegel's main contribution to philosophy is in the field of ethics and political philosophy, and this book is the best summation of Hegel's ethical theory.Okay enough about Hegel, onto this edition of the POR. This edition is great, and anyone who's had the misfortune of readng its predecessors will appreciate just how great. For one thing, the translation is good. Yes Hegel is tough to read, but not as hard to read as many English speaking people think; the English translations are generally terrible. This edition also has Hegel's notes on the work on the same page with what he initially published, unlike other editions, which generally put them at the end.
Hegel gives primacy to constitutional monarchy, but wants a government that allows civic participation. Citizens should participate in government as part of a subset of the whole–not as individuals. Hegel calls these subsets “corporations.” I don’t know to what extent corporations in the mid-19th century resemble corporations today. But we can view it another way by calling them “estates,” which is exactly how medieval many participated in the monarchical order.Hegel wants a constitutional monarchy, to which I have grave misgivings. I understand why, though. At that time in Europe, the old liturgical tradition had largely been eradicated. Institutions tended to reflect raw power. Hegel likely saw "traditional" monarchies as absolute monarchies and wanted to mute that tendency.Most interesting, he sees the monarch--properly understood--as the concrete embodiment of a culture's values. It's also important to point out that Hegel did not mean by "state" what we mean by it, simply the bureaucratic apparatus that takes away liberty. He meant the combined culture and volk.The Foundations of the Modern StateMonarchy as the Representative Individual: consistent with his earlier points, Hegel notes that there must be some way for the individual to retain his subjective right, yet at the same time freely and fully identify with the community (Staat). This happens by way of monarchy. Beneath the monarchy are Estates, who mediate the King to the people. Nowhere does Hegel mean representation according to our usage today. The King does not "represent" the will of the people, but through his kingly majesty allows the people to identify.
Hegel: Elements of the Philosophy of Right (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Hegel: Lectures on Natural Right and Political Science: The First Philosophy of Right Rousseau: 'The Discourses' and Other Early Political Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) (v. 1) Kant: Political Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) 7 BOOKS ON MENTAL POWER AND THOUGHT FORCE. THOUGHT-FORCE IN BUSINESS AND EVERYDAY LIFE; MEMORY CULTURE; DYNAMIC THOUGHT; THOUGHT VIBRATION; MENTAL POWER; ... OF LESSONS (Timeless Wisdom Collection) Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Wollstonecraft: A Vindication of the Rights of Men and a Vindication of the Rights of Woman and Hints (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Pufendorf: On the Duty of Man and Citizen according to Natural Law (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Nietzsche: 'On the Genealogy of Morality' and Other Writings: Revised Student Edition (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Hobbes: Leviathan: Revised student edition (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Montesquieu: The Spirit of the Laws (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) J. S. Mill: 'On Liberty' and Other Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Cicero: On Duties (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) Plato: 'The Republic' (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought) The Cambridge Companion to Arabic Philosophy (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy) American Interpretations of Natural Law: A Study in the History of Political Thought (Library of Liberal Thought) Giordano Bruno: Cause, Principle and Unity: And Essays on Magic (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy) Human Experience: Philosophy, Neurosis, and the Elements of Everyday Life (Suny Series in Contemporary Continental Philosophy) Books of Breathing and Related Texts -Late Egyptian Religious Texts in the British Museum Vol.1 (Catalogue of the Books of the Dead and Other Religious Texts in the British Museum) The Cambridge Companion to Duns Scotus (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)
