Editing Philosophy of history (section)

=== Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel ===
[[File:G.W.F. Hegel (by Sichling, after Sebbers).jpg|thumb|[[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]], philosopher of [[absolute idealism]] who developed a [[dialectic]] conception of history]]

''[[Lectures on the Philosophy of History|Lectures on the Philosophy of World History]]'' bring together the theses of the philosophy of history that Hegel developed during his classes at the [[Humboldt University of Berlin|University of Berlin]] taught in the years 1822–1823, 1828 and 1830–1831. Editions of the work by [[Eduard Gans]] in 1837, Charles Hegel in 1840 and [[Georg Lasson]] in 1917 stand out. Hegel's work presents a complex exposition of his theses, which can lead to more than one mistake. For this reason, a series of works have been written aimed at interpreting the writings of the German philosopher, including his philosophy of history, which has been considered one of his clearest works.<ref>Sibree, John "Translator's Introduction" in Georg Hegel (2001) [1837]. Charles Hegel, ed. The Philosophy of History. Ontario: Batoche Books. pp. 5-6.</ref>

Hegel's philosophy of history aimed for a philosophical reflection on world history, thinking about the history of humanity in all its spatial and temporal breadth. This Hegelian particularity, versus the works of historians, rests on the fact that the German philosopher sought to determine what the teleology of history was, particularly what the end of history was, and how that process would develop.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hegel |first1=Georg Wilhelm Friedrich |title=Lectures on the philosophy of world history |last2=Nisbet |first2=Hugh Barr |last3=Forbes |first3=Duncan |last4=Hoffmeister |first4=Johannes |date=1992 |publisher=Cambridge Univ. Press |isbn=978-0-521-28145-4 |edition=1. paperback ed., [Reprint] |location=Cambridge |pages=11}}</ref> With this end in mind, Hegel applied his philosophical system, both metaphysical and logical, to develop the thesis that the history of humanity consists of a rational process of constant progress towards freedom.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hegel |first1=Georg Wilhelm Friedrich |title=Lectures on the philosophy of world history |last2=Nisbet |first2=Hugh Barr |last3=Forbes |first3=Duncan |last4=Hoffmeister |first4=Johannes |date=1992 |publisher=Cambridge Univ. Press |isbn=978-0-521-28145-4 |edition=1. paperback ed., [Reprint] |location=Cambridge |pages=27–29, 43, 47}}</ref>

According to Hegelian philosophy, reason made a spatial transition from east to west, that is, from Asia to Europe. This transition of reason, says Hegel, is made explicit in the concept of freedom that each civilization developed in these spaces has had. Thus, in the east, the Chinese civilization, India, and the various civilizations of Mesopotamia were characterized by considering that freedom belonged to a single subject, that person being understood as the emperor or empress, the king or queen. The rest of the individuals in these civilizations are, according to Hegel, like children under the tutelage of a father. The second stage of this transition of freedom overcame the paternal stage. Greece and Rome, civilizations where freedom no longer belonged only to the head of the state, but also to a limited number of people who met certain requirements, that is, the citizens. Finally, the third stage, German-Christian Europe, reached a level of consciousness about freedom that maintains that it no longer belonged to one or a few; on the contrary, freedom was good for all human beings.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hegel |first1=Georg Wilhelm Friedrich |title=Lectures on the philosophy of world history |last2=Nisbet |first2=Hugh Barr |last3=Forbes |first3=Duncan |last4=Hoffmeister |first4=Johannes |date=1992 |publisher=Cambridge Univ. Press |isbn=978-0-521-28145-4 |edition=1. paperback ed., [Reprint] |location=Cambridge |pages=54–55}}</ref>

The reactions that Hegel's thesis generated have been diverse. On the one hand, it is argued that Hegel's contribution consisted of consolidating the philosophy of history as an independent and formal discipline of philosophy.<ref name=":0">Walsh, William (1951). «What is Philosophy of History». ''An Introduction to the Philosophy of History''. London: Hutchinson University Library. p. 11</ref><ref>Collingwood, Robin (1952) [1946]. ''Idea de la historia''. Ciudad de México: Fondo de Cultura Económica. p. 117</ref> On the other hand, it is argued that Hegel's philosophy of history is an example of [[totalitarianism]], [[racism]], and [[Eurocentrism]], widely debated criticisms.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Popper |first1=Karl R. |title=[[The open society and its enemies]] |last2=Soros |first2=George |last3=Ryan |first3=Alan |last4=Gombrich |first4=Ernst H. |last5=Popper |first5=Karl R. |date=2020 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-21084-1 |edition=One-Volume Edition, Princeton Classics paperback edition, first printing |series=Princeton Classics |location=Princeton Oxford |pages=273 |chapter=Hegel and the New Tribalism}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=MacCarney |first1=Joseph |title=Hegel on history |last2=MacCarney |first2=Joe |date=2000 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-11695-4 |edition=1. publ |series=Routledge philosophy guidebooks |location=London |pages=142–151}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Zuckert |first1=Rachel |title=Hegel on philosophy in history |last2=Kreines |first2=James |author-link2=James Kreines |date=2017 |publisher=Cambridge university press |isbn=978-1-107-09341-6 |location=Cambridge |pages=71}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hodgson |first=Peter Crafts |title=Shapes of freedom: Hegel's philosophy of world history in theological perspective |date=2012 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-965495-6 |location=Oxford |pages=81, 124}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Buck-Morss |first=Susan |title=Hegel, Haiti, and universal history |date=2009 |publisher=Univ. of Pittsburgh Press |isbn=978-0-8229-4340-2 |series=Illuminations: cultural formations of the Americas |location=Pittsburgh, Pa |pages=60, 117}}</ref>