Philosophy of History

Within the body of his work, Hegel's philosophy of history stands as a fascinating example of this influential German thinker's efforts to capture the multidimensional character of his broad theoretical framework. Hegel draws upon many of his well-known concepts - Mind, Spirit, dialectical method (thesis-negation-syntheses), the relation of the whole to its parts, and how rational human beings relate to that which transcends their individuality. History is the evolution of freedom as societies and cultures acquire a greater awareness of and appreciation for the interaction of individuals with the rational goals and purpose of the greater whole, and how rationality emerges, evolves, the develops though the dynamic relationships of each individual citizen's will with that of the community at large.