Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy: Volume 1 (of 3)Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Philosophy
Hegel's Lectures on the History of Philosophy: Volume 1 (of 3)
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich
Philosophy -- History
truth, and it is opposed to that which is revealed, given and positive.
This substitution of another ground than that of authority has been
called philosophizing.
The knowledge was then a knowledge of what is finite—the world of
the content of knowledge. Because this content proceeded through
the personal insight of human reason, man has become independent in
his actions. This independence of the Mind is the true moment of
Philosophy, although the Notion of Philosophy through this formal
determination, which limits it to finite objects, has not yet been
exhausted. This independent thought is respected, has been called
human wisdom or worldly wisdom, for it has had what is earthly as its
object, and it took its origin in the world. This was the meaning of
Philosophy, and men did rightly to call it worldly wisdom. Frederick
von Schlegel revived this by-name for Philosophy, and desired to
indicate by it that what concerns higher spheres, such as religion,
must be kept apart; and he had many followers. Philosophy, indeed,
occupies itself with finite things, but, according to Spinoza, as
resting in the divine Idea: it has thus the same end as religion. To
the finite sciences which are now separated also from Philosophy, the
Churches objected that they led men away from God, since they have as
objects only what is finite. This defect in them, conceived of from the
point of view of content, leads us to the second department allied to
Philosophy,—that is, to Religion.
b. _Relation of Philosophy to Religion.
_As the first department of knowledge was related to Philosophy
principally by means of formal and independent knowledge, Religion,
though in its content quite different from this first kind or sphere
of knowledge, is through it related to Philosophy. Its object is not
the earthly and worldly, but the infinite. In the case of art and
still more in that of Religion, Philosophy has in common a content
composed entirely of universal objects; they constitute the mode in
which the highest Idea is existent for the unphilosophical feeling, the
perceiving and imagining consciousness. Inasmuch as in the progress of
culture in time the manifestation of Religion precedes the appearance
of Philosophy, this circumstance must really be taken account of, and
the conditions requisite for beginning the History of Philosophy have
to depend on this, because it has to be shown in how far what pertains
to Religion is to be excluded from it, and that a commencement must not
be made with Religion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account