September 15, 2009

George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, in The Philosophical History of the World talks about "categories under which the historical process generally presents itself to thought" (324). The three categories are change, rejuvenation, and reason. These three categories all help philosophically explain World History. Each group has its positives and negatives that help determine history.
Change can be good such as death, and it can be bad such as sadness. Death is surprisingly a positive outcome of change. "For out of death, new life arises" (325). An example that Hegel gives is a Phoenix. A Phoenix catches fire and dies, becoming nothing but ashes. Yet it rises up from those ashes into a new Phoenix. The next group was rejuvenation which is what the Phoenix did. "The rejuvenation of the spirit is not just a return to an earlier shape" (326). The last category was reason. "Reason has ruled and continues to rule the world and hence also world history" (327).
Hegel then goes on to talk about how it all relates to religion and God. He states that, "History is the unfolding of God's nature in a particular, determinate element, so that only a determinate form of knowledge is possible and appropriate to it" (338). World History happens because of reason, change, and rejuvenation. They all have an affect on the way that things work out.
I liked this reading much more than the one before this. I can understand it better and have some idea of what Hegel is talking about. I think after talking in class, it will help more to exchange ideas of what Hegel is trying to convey to his readers.