Hegel's Dialectic and Its Criticism

Hegel''s philosophy has often been compared to a circle of circles: an ascending spiral to its admirers but a vortex to its critics. The metaphor reflects Hegel''s claim to offer a conception of philosophical reason so comprehensive as to include all others as partial forms of itself. It is a claim which faces the writer on Hegel with peculiar difficulties. Criticism it would appear can always be outflanked; criticism of the system can be turned back into criticism within the system. Michael Rosen discusses the philosophical issues involved in historical interpretation before presenting a novel and challenging solution to the problem of Hegel''s openness to criticism. Contrary to received opinion Hegel''s philosophy does not he argues draw upon a universal and pre-suppositionless conception of rationality. Rather Hegel''s originality lies in founding his system upon a particular avowedly mystical conception of philosophical experience. This experience - Hegel calls it ''pure Thought'' - is fundamental. Pure Thought makes speculative reasoning intelligible and hence underpins the claim to rationality of the entire system. Dr Rosen''s conclusion is that all attempts at rehabilitation of Hegel are based on misunderstanding. When restored to their speculative-mystical shell the irrational kernel of Hegel''s concepts becomes apparent.