Kant declared that philosophy began in 1781 with his Critique of Pure Reason. In 1806 Hegel announced that philosophy had now been completed. Eckart Foerster examines the reasons behind these claims and assesses the steps that led in such a short time from Kant's "beginning" to Hegel's "end." He concludes that, in an unexpected yet significant sense, both Kant and Hegel were indeed right. "Presents a novel interpretation of the development of German idealism that is rich in both historical depth and philosophical insight...Foerster sets forth a historically nuanced and philosophically discerning interpretation of the central debates of the era." -Peter Yong, Philosophy in Review "[Foerster's] book does not disappoint...The amount of material covered by Foerster is impressive...Foerster's book is rich in specificity...Wherever the discussion goes, it is going to have to go on by taking Foerster's big picture and all his detailed accounts into account." -Terry Pinkard, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Foerster's command of the historical sources is most impressive. Moreover, this book is clearly written, and Bowman's translation is commendable. Scholars and graduate students will welcome this masterpiece." -J. M. Fritzman, Choice

This work brings together, for the first time in English translation, Hegel's journal publications from his years in Heidelberg (1816-18), writings which have been previously either untranslated or only partially translated into English. The Heidelberg years marked Hegel's return to university teaching and represented an important transition in his life and thought. The translated texts include his important reassessment of the works of the philosopher F. H. Jacobi, whose engagement with Spinozism, especially, was of decisive significance for the philosophical development of German Idealism. They also include his most influential writing about contemporary political events, his essay on the constitutional assembly in his native Wurttemberg, which was written against the background of the dramatic political and social changes occurring in post-Napoleonic Germany. The translators have provided an introduction and notes that offer a scholarly commentary on the philosophical and political background of Hegel's Heidelberg writings.

Hegel's doctrines of absolute negativity and 'the Concept' are among his most original contributions to philosophy and they constitute the systematic core of dialectical thought. Brady Bowman explores the interrelations between these doctrines, their implications for Hegel's critical understanding of classical logic and ontology, natural science and mathematics as forms of 'finite cognition', and their role in developing a positive, 'speculative' account of consciousness and its place in nature. As a means to this end, Bowman also re-examines Hegel's relations to Kant and pre-Kantian rationalism, and to key post-Kantian figures such as Jacobi, Fichte and Schelling. His book draws from the breadth of Hegel's writings to affirm a robustly metaphysical reading of the Hegelian project, and will be of great interest to students of Hegel and of German Idealism more generally.

Hegel's doctrines of absolute negativity and 'the Concept' are among his most original contributions to philosophy and they constitute the systematic core of dialectical thought. Brady Bowman explores the interrelations between these doctrines, their implications for Hegel's critical understanding of classical logic and ontology, natural science and mathematics as forms of 'finite cognition', and their role in developing a positive, 'speculative' account of consciousness and its place in nature. As a means to this end, Bowman also re-examines Hegel's relations to Kant and pre-Kantian rationalism, and to key post-Kantian figures such as Jacobi, Fichte and Schelling. His book draws from the breadth of Hegel's writings to affirm a robustly metaphysical reading of the Hegelian project, and will be of great interest to students of Hegel and of German Idealism more generally.

Das Eroffnungskapitel von Hegels Phanomenologie des Geistes hat wegen der Tragweite ihrer Behauptung, das Wahre der sinnlichen Gewissheit sei identisch mit dem nur in der Sprache zu erfassenden Allgemeinen, und wegen der aussersten Komprimiertheit der Argumentation, mit der Hegel seine These darzulegen beansprucht, eine Vielzahl verschiedener Interpretationen hervorgerufen. Abweichend von bisherigen Ansatzen betont Brady Bowman in seiner Studie die positive Funktion der sinnlichen Gewissheit des Absoluten als Ausgangspunkt von Hegels Darstellung des erscheinenden Wissens . Indem er die Analyse der z.T. stark rekonstruktionsbedurftigen Argumentation zu den philosophiehistorischen Referenzen und zum Gesamtzusammenhang der Phanomenologie des Geistes in Beziehung setzt, liefert er eine umfassende Interpretation des Textes. Dabei beleuchtet der Autor zugleich die Hintergrunde in der antiken Philosophie, im klassischem Empirismus, in der Philosophie des Common Sense sowie im Umfeld der klassischen deutschen Philosophie; zugleich jedoch verfolgt er systematische Bezuge bis in die Sprachphilosophie der Gegenwart."

This work brings together, for the first time in English translation, Hegel's journal publications from his years in Heidelberg (1816 18), writings which have been previously either untranslated or only partially translated into English. The Heidelberg years marked Hegel's return to university teaching and represented an important transition in his life and thought. The translated texts include his important reassessment of the works of the philosopher F. H. Jacobi, whose engagement with Spinozism, especially, was of decisive significance for the philosophical development of German Idealism. They also include his most influential writing about contemporary political events, his essay on the constitutional assembly in his native Wurttemberg, which was written against the background of the dramatic political and social changes occurring in post-Napoleonic Germany. The translators have provided an introduction and notes that offer a scholarly commentary on the philosophical and political background of Hegel's Heidelberg writings.