Ten Things You Would Miss If Hegel Was In Charge

The world would be very different if Hegel was in charge. Here are a few things that would be missing.

1. Art Works of Nature

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To Hegel art is not an imitation of nature. In order for a creation to be considered a work of art it must express the true character of people (Houlgate). So in a world where Hegel is in charge pretty paintings of flowers would definitely be missed.

2. Free Choice

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Hegel believed that people should always do what is rational, not what ever they please (Mastin). If Hegel was in charge you would not be able to choose your life path.

3. Voting

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Hegel was against universal suffrage because he believed the common people were not experienced or educated enough to be directly involved in politics (Duquette). Say goodbye to your right to vote.

4. Symbolic Art

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Symbolic art is not beautiful to Hegel because it does not express the true character of people (Houlgate). Anything in which the spirit is not clearly expressed or is hidden is not art.

5. Individuality

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Each person's consciousness is not their own. It is actually apart of the "Absolute Mind"(Mastin). Each person is connected to the absolute mind and is part of the evolution of the Absolute Mind towards perfection. You may think you are making changes in you own life but actually you are just part of the Absolute Mind's evolution.

6. "One person can change the world"

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The course of history is determined by the dialectic, a process in which a proposed idea or thesis is countered by an antithesis resulting in a synthesis, and no person can change it (Popkin). No matter what you do you will not be able to change the course of history.

7. Dot-com billionaires

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Dot-com billionaires would not be allowed because their decision to start their business would not have been allowed since it is not rational for the society (Mastin).

8. Architecture

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Beautiful architecture that does not house sculptures does not fulfill its purpose of expressing spiritual freedom so it is not art (Houlgate). Any gorgeous building that does not house sculptures would have no use in Hegel's world so they would be missed.

9. Finger painting

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Finger painting does not express the true character of people so it would not be allowed since it is not art (Houlgate). This fun childhood activity would be missed.

10. The Libertarian Party

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Hegel supported a strong central government (Duquette). The libertarian party would not be allowed because it goes against the idea of a strong central government.

References

Abel, R. (1976). Man is the Measure: A Cordial Invitation to the Central Problems of Philosophy. New York, NY: The Free Press.

Duquette, D. A. (n.d.). Hegel: Social and Political Thought. Retrieved May 31, 2016, from http://www.iep.utm.edu/hegelsoc/

Houlgate, S. (2009, January 20). Hegel's Aesthetics. Retrieved May 31, 2016, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hegel-aesthetics/#ParForArt

Mastin, L. (2008). Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Retrieved May 31, 2016, from http://www.philosophybasics.com/philosophers_hegel.html

Popkin, R.H., & Stroll, A. (1993). Philosophy Made Simple: A complete guide to the world's most important thinkers and theories. New York: Broadway Books.