Andrew Alexander Davis – författare

The preface to the Phenomenology of Spirit (1807) is one of the most widely-read texts in Hegel’s corpus, and yet we still lack a clear understanding of its aims. Providing a fresh perspective on Hegel’s preface, Andrew Davis contends that it should be read as an overview of what philosophy is not. Contesting previous investigations that have assumed Hegel’s purpose in the preface is to introduce the reader to his own philosophical method, Davis moves Hegel’s positive comments about the nature of philosophy to the background. This is, after all, where they belong in a preface, according to Hegelian philosophy, as Hegel contends that the actual nature of philosophy cannot be presented in advance of specific inquiries. Examining the nature of philosophy through negation, each chapter in the book explores a different form of pseudo-philosophy that Hegel addresses in his preface. Together, they allow Hegelian philosophy to appear in relief as precisely what cannot be achieved through explanation, edification, formalism, phenomenology, mathematical proof, propositional truth, or personal revelation.With an appendix featuring synopses of every paragraph of the preface, Hegel on Pseudo-Philosophy not only offers a jargon-free introduction to Hegel’s thought, but it also yields crucial insights into the organisation of a preface that has long been decried as haphazard or incomprehensible.

The preface to the Phenomenology of Spirit (1807) is one of the most widely-read texts in Hegel’s corpus, and yet we still lack a clear understanding of its aims. Providing a fresh perspective on Hegel’s preface, Andrew Davis contends that it should be read as an overview of what philosophy is not. Contesting previous investigations that have assumed Hegel’s purpose in the preface is to introduce the reader to his own philosophical method, Davis moves Hegel’s positive comments about the nature of philosophy to the background. This is, after all, where they belong in a preface, according to Hegelian philosophy, as Hegel contends that the actual nature of philosophy cannot be presented in advance of specific inquiries. Examining the nature of philosophy through negation, each chapter in the book explores a different form of pseudo-philosophy that Hegel addresses in his preface. Together, they allow Hegelian philosophy to appear in relief as precisely what cannot be achieved through explanation, edification, formalism, phenomenology, mathematical proof, propositional truth, or personal revelation.With an appendix featuring synopses of every paragraph of the preface, Hegel on Pseudo-Philosophy not only offers a jargon-free introduction to Hegel’s thought, but it also yields crucial insights into the organisation of a preface that has long been decried as haphazard or incomprehensible.

This collection of new perspectives on Hegel’s Philosophy of Right breaks down some of the most stubborn barriers between the book and its readers. From its polemical preface to its closing ruminations on the state and world history, Hegel’s seminal text can appear antiquated and conservative to even the most motivated reader. These essays remove those obstacles by demonstrating how radical many of his reflections on politics and ethics remain some 200 years after its publication. New Perspectives on Hegel’s Philosophy of Right works through Hegel’s ideas in two distinct stages. Its first half explains how a close reading of contested sections can reveal new possibilities for the interpretation of key issues like private property, family, conscience, patriotism and the executive branch – covering important topics from each of the three major sections of Hegel’s text. The book’s second half then considers Hegel’s work in dialogue with contemporary political thought, legal studies, critical theory, economic theory and queer studies.These essays show the rich interplay of Hegelian concepts and insights with pressing contemporary concerns, proving their continued relevance. Maintaining focus on how Hegel’s work speaks to us today, this book offers readers an invaluable set of launchpoints to explore his lasting contribution to both the new and perennial concerns of philosophy.