THE PEAK OF PHILOSOPHY

HEGEL, GEORG WILHELM FRIEDRICH.

Encyclopädie der philosophischen Wissenschaften im Grundrisse. Zum Gebrauch seiner Vorlesungen.

Heidelberg, 1817.

8vo. COMPLETELY UNCUT in contemporary (original interim?) marbled paper-binding with handwritten paper title-label to spine. Boards rubbed and corners a bit worn. Internally unusually clean. Last ten leaves with a small marginal worm-tract, not affecting lettering. Extensive contemporary hand-written scholarly notes (seemingly in three different hands) to all end-papers, in all 6 closely-written pages, in French and German. Contemporary owner's name to title-page (Th. Daulli [?]). A fabulous copy, with very varying sizes of pages. XVI, 288 pp.

The rare first edition, extremely scarce in original uncut condition, of Hegel's immensely important work, the "Encyclopaedia of the Philosophical Sciences", by himself and his contemporaries considered his main work, and likewise an absolute main work of philosophy in general. Hegel is considered one of the four greatest philosophers of all times, and his contributions to philosophy are incomparable to other than perhaps those of Aristotle, Plato and Kant.

In 1816 Hegel chose the professorship of philosophy at the University of Heidelberg, and here he taught his courses with great enthusiasm. He lectured no less than 16 hours a week, mostly over his own system, which is the object of this (chronologically speaking) third main work, generally just called the "Encyclopaedia".
Hegel himself considered his "Encyclopedia" to be the most important of his works, and his contemporaries likewise judged it his actual main work. Hegel was considered the epitome of the great systematic thinker of the 19th century, and his "Encyclopaedia" forms the epitome of his work, at the same time as it, to his own mind, constitutes his greatest achievement.

Hegel's main aim was to systematically comprise all spiritual and natural knowledge, and thus his philosophy peaks with his all-comprising Encyclopaedia, which remained of the greatest importance to himself throughout his life-time. He kept working on the book, and no less than three different altered editions appeared within his lifetime, the last in 1830, the year before he died, confirming his lasting devotion to this work.

Order-nr.: 46416