Philosophy - What Is The Hegelian Theory Of History?
What is the Hegelian theory of history?
The Hegelian theory of history is the system of reasoning formulated by German philosopher Georg Hegel (1770–1831), who theorized that at the center of the universe there is an absolute spirit that guides all reality. According to Hegel, historical developments follow three basic laws called a dialectic, or a process in which a conflict between two extremes is resolved. First, Hegel asserted that each historical event follows a necessary course; in other words, it could not have happened in any other way. Second, each event represents not only change but progress. Finally, one historical event, or phase, tends to be replaced by its opposite, which is later replaced by a resolution of the two extremes. This third law of Hegel's dialectic is the "pendulum theory," which has long been discussed by scholars and students of history—that events swing from one extreme to the other...
[The entire page is 276 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Related Topics
