Hegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of World History: The Essentials

by Thomas L. Pangle

Overview

Hegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of World History brings together the works of Georg W. F. Hegel (1770–1831), one of the greatest philosophers of history, who, prior to his death, did not execute a treatise setting forth his philosophy of world history. All that remains are fragmented and truncated manuscript materials and meticulous student transcripts from his lectures on the philosophy of world history, which are assembled in this book to present what Hegel might call the "essential phases" or "moments" in his philosophy of world history as an articulated, unfolding, organic whole.

Drawing from historical-critical editions, Thomas L. Pangle has compiled a range of passages that provide the fullest and clearest expression of Hegel's teachings on the philosophy of history as divine reason expressing itself dynamically in the whole of existence. Hegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of World History provides lucid, vivid, and concrete access to Hegel's political philosophy, as the most ambitious and thorough attempt to demonstrate that world history overall, starting with ancient China and India, exhibits God's providence for humanity as a truly rational divine plan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781501784590
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	01/15/2026
Series:	Agora Editions
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Thomas L. Pangle is Joe R. Long Endowed Chair in Democratic Studies in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, Codirector of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Core Texts and Ideas, and Lifetime Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Table of Contents

1. Hegel's Introduction
2. The Oriental World, Part One: China
3. The Oriental World, Part Two: India
4. The Oriental World, Part Three: Persia
5. The Oriental World, Part Four: Egypt
6. The Greek World
7. The Roman World
8. The Germanic World
9. The Last Stage of World-history

What People are Saying About This

Jeffrey Church

An impressive volume. Hegel's Lectures on the Philosophy of World History is an immense and important undertaking to scholars not only in philosophy and critical studies but also theology, sociology, and beyond.

Marc Alznauer

Thomas L. Pangle provides a desperately-needed new translation which includes judicious selections from the new critical edition of the student transcripts of his lectures.

Mark Alznauer

Thomas L. Pangle provides a desperately needed new translation that includes judicious selections from the new critical edition of the student transcripts of his lectures,