Philosophy Lectures (Volume 4)

Author: [German] Hegel
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-01-25
Features: Postscript: This translation is based on the seventeenth volume of the "Collected Works of Hegel" (reprinted by Hermann Glockner in 1928 to commemorate the centenary of Hegel's death), hereafter referred to as the Glockner edition. The Glockner edition was reprinted based on the Michaelis edition. The Michaelis (Karl Ludwig Michaelis) edition was compiled from three manuscripts and outlines of Hegel's lectures on the history of philosophy, as well as three student notes, and was published in 1833. Its volume is also the thirteenth volume of the German "Collected Works of Hegel," hereafter referred to as the Michaelis edition. Additionally, we referred to the English translation of Hegel's "History of Philosophy" by translator ESHaldane, published in 1892. Haldane's English translation was based on the revised German second edition of 1840. However, we did not obtain the original German second edition of Michaelis. Glockner reprinted based on the Michaelis edition, not the second edition, and we translated based on the Glockner edition, using the English translation as a reference, because the edition has some advantages over the second edition. The edition is slightly longer than the second edition, contains more material, and is closer to Hegel's original lecture statements, as it records and preserves all the off-topic remarks Hegel made spontaneously in class. The second edition was heavily edited by the compiler Michaelis, with better organization and smoother text, but it deviates slightly from Hegel's original lecture. Moreover, it is particularly important that the "History of Philosophy" with summaries and notes read by Engels and Lenin was the Michaelis edition, not the second edition. Although the two editions differ significantly in organization, their content is basically the same. When translating based on the Glockner edition, we found some omissions or unclear points, and the English translation provided some assistance. It must be noted that the English translation has many errors, especially in the sections on Eastern philosophy and in places with deeper philosophical significance. The page numbers of the German original (Michaelis edition, Vol. 13) printed in the margins of the Chinese translation correspond to the page numbers cited in Lenin's "Philosophical Notes." Additionally, we referred to the 1940 edition of Hegel's "History of Philosophy" volume by Johannes Hohlmeyster, completely reorganized based on original materials. The Hohlmeyster edition separately published Hegel's manuscripts from his Heidelberg and Berlin periods (primarily in the introduction) and outlines, extensively collected twelve types of student notes on Hegel's "History of Philosophy" from libraries around the world (one from the Leningrad Library, one from the Polish Library, and an outline manuscript copied from the Harvard University Library in the United States), arranged them, and marked the chronological order. Because Hegel delivered the "History of Philosophy" nine times in his life, up to 1830 (he began the tenth lecture in November 1831 but died after only two hours). However, the Hohlmester edition only covers the material up to the Eastern philosophy. Any additions based on the Hohlmester edition in this translation are marked with [ ] and explained by the translator. We adopted a significant amount of material on Eastern philosophy, especially on Chinese philosophy, from the Hohlmester edition. Since we referred to and selectively used materials from the English translation and the Hohlmester edition to enrich and correct the Glockner edition, it can be said that the content of this Chinese translation is richer than both the German edition and the second edition of the English translation. The translation of Hegel's "History of Philosophy" was organized by the Department of the History of Foreign Philosophy at the Peking University Philosophy Department. The introduction (parts A and B) was translated by He Lin, and part C was translated by Wang Taiqing. Eastern philosophy was translated from the English edition by Wang Weicheng, later revised by Wang Taiqing based on the German text, and supplemented by He Lin based on the Hohlmester edition. The introduction, the Seven Sages, Ionian philosophy, and Pythagorean philosophy in Greek philosophy were translated or compiled by Wang Taiqing. The Eleatic school, Leucippus, and Democritus were translated by He Lin, Heraclitus and Empedocles by Yang Zutao, and Anaxagoras philosophy by Fang Shuchun. The entire book was proofread by Zong Baihua and Fang Shuchun based on the German text. He Lin and Wang Taiqing, in addition to proofreading other colleagues' translations, were also responsible for the final arrangement and editing. Marking the original page numbers from the German edition on the margins of the book and compiling an index of important names and places were tasks undertaken by Wang Taiqing. In this book, we strive for consistency in terminology, and in cases where some terms have multiple meanings and are translated differently in various places, it was decided through collective discussion. Additionally, Comrade Tang Yongtong read the translation of the Eastern philosophy section, Comrade Feng Youlan read the translation of the Chinese philosophy section, Comrade Chen Xiuchqi read the introduction section, and Comrade Miao Litian read most of the translation, all of whom provided valuable suggestions. Translating classic works of philosophy with collective effort is still a preliminary attempt. If there are any inappropriate places in the translation, we hope readers will provide more suggestions. This book includes volumes of modern philosophy, an introduction, chapters on and, and a chapter on the period of rational metaphysics, with subchapters on Bacon, Jacob and Bombelli, the second period of thinking and reason, with subchapters on the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage, the third period of transition, with subchapters on idealism and skepticism, Scottish philosophy, and French philosophy, the third period of modern German philosophy, with subchapters on Jacob, and so on.