At the end of Candide, Voltaire writes, "We must cultivate our garden." This philosophy of working to change the conditions and circumstances of the world, instead of accepting it as "the best of all possible worlds," is strongly advocated by Voltaire in his satire of optimism. Superficially, it seems that Hegel's writings advocate an opinion contrary to this position. In his discourse concerning the role of Reason in the development of history, Hegel proposes that all of history is a result of the guiding hand of Reason. At certain points, he states that "the actual world is as it ought to be" (p. 47). If not carefully examined in its context, this statement would seem to be completely contradictory to the philosophy advocated by Voltaire. It would seem to lead to a fatalistic and passive view of existence. Upon more intricate examination, however, it becomes clear that this is not Hegel's true intent.
Throughout his works, Hegel proposes that freedom is the absolute goal of the Spirit and, therefore, history. According to the statement that the world is as it should be, however, his philosophy can be construed as flawed. If the Absolute Spirit is responsible for the course of history, in an effort to achieve the ultimate goal of freedom, it seems incompatible that freedom is possible in a reality where everything is as it should be. How can individuals truly be free if their actions inevitably lead and create a world in which everything is as it should be? The question now becomes, is there an inherent contradiction in Hegel's theory? In light of his general perception of reality, one would have to respond in the negative.
Hegel, above all else, is a monist. In his perception of reality, everything that exists is part of the Absolute Spirit, which Hegel often refers to as God. If Hegel argued that God, or the Absolute Spirit, were an outside force, separate from all of creation, and that this Spirit as Reason were the guiding force behind history, then, a significant argument could be made, refuting Hegel's position on the freedom of humanity. This, however, is not the case.
In his monistic perception of reality, humanity and its self-consciousness (the characteristic that, Hegel would argue, separates Man from animal) are a result of the Spirit's drive to know itself. This Spirit, however, cannot be considered as separate from humanity, since everything is part of the whole. In essence, self-consciousness is the result of history, guided by the Spirit, which is part of humanity and of which humanity is a part. Thus, the course and result of history is part of Man's freedom, in that humanity, as part of the Spirit, plays an indispensable role in it.
It gradually becomes clear that Hegel does not contradict the premise of individual freedom with his proposition that the world is as it ought to be. It is the freely determined actions of individuals which comprise history and make it to be as it ought to be. Since humanity is the embodiment of Spirit, its destiny rests securely in its own hands. This is not to say that the result is happiness or content. In fact, Hegel would argue that the world as it ought to be is simply the present culmination of history, on its course to absolute freedom, guided by Spirit, which embodies humanity in its entirety.
Hegel: Reason in History
At the end of Candide, Voltaire writes, "We must cultivate our garden." This philosophy of working to change the conditions and circumstances of the world, instead of accepting it as "the best of all possible worlds," is strongly advocated by Voltaire in his satire of optimism. Superficially, it seems that Hegel's writings advocate an opinion contrary to this position. In his discourse concerning the role of Reason in the development of history, Hegel proposes that all of history is a result of the guiding hand of Reason. At certain points, he states that "the actual world is as it ought to be" (p. 47). If not carefully examined in its context, this statement would seem to be completely contradictory to the philosophy advocated by Voltaire. It would seem to lead to a fatalistic and passive view of existence. Upon more intricate examination, however, it becomes clear that this is not Hegel's true intent.
Throughout his works, Hegel proposes that freedom is the absolute goal of the Spirit and, therefore, history. According to the statement that the world is as it should be, however, his philosophy can be construed as flawed. If the Absolute Spirit is responsible for the course of history, in an effort to achieve the ultimate goal of freedom, it seems incompatible that freedom is possible in a reality where everything is as it should be. How can individuals truly be free if their actions inevitably lead and create a world in which everything is as it should be? The question now becomes, is there an inherent contradiction in Hegel's theory? In light of his general perception of reality, one would have to respond in the negative.
Hegel, above all else, is a monist. In his perception of reality, everything that exists is part of the Absolute Spirit, which Hegel often refers to as God. If Hegel argued that God, or the Absolute Spirit, were an outside force, separate from all of creation, and that this Spirit as Reason were the guiding force behind history, then, a significant argument could be made, refuting Hegel's position on the freedom of humanity. This, however, is not the case.
In his monistic perception of reality, humanity and its self-consciousness (the characteristic that, Hegel would argue, separates Man from animal) are a result of the Spirit's drive to know itself. This Spirit, however, cannot be considered as separate from humanity, since everything is part of the whole. In essence, self-consciousness is the result of history, guided by the Spirit, which is part of humanity and of which humanity is a part. Thus, the course and result of history is part of Man's freedom, in that humanity, as part of the Spirit, plays an indispensable role in it.
It gradually becomes clear that Hegel does not contradict the premise of individual freedom with his proposition that the world is as it ought to be. It is the freely determined actions of individuals which comprise history and make it to be as it ought to be. Since humanity is the embodiment of Spirit, its destiny rests securely in its own hands. This is not to say that the result is happiness or content. In fact, Hegel would argue that the world as it ought to be is simply the present culmination of history, on its course to absolute freedom, guided by Spirit, which embodies humanity in its entirety.
Hegel: Reason in History
At the end of Candide, Voltaire writes, "We must cultivate our garden." This philosophy of working to change the conditions and circumstances of the world, instead of accepting it as "the best of all possible worlds," is strongly advocated by Voltaire in his satire of optimism. Superficially, it seems that Hegel's writings advocate an opinion contrary to this position. In his discourse concerning the role of Reason in the development of history, Hegel proposes that all of history is a result of the guiding hand of Reason. At certain points, he states that "the actual world is as it ought to be" (p. 47). If not carefully examined in its context, this statement would seem to be completely contradictory to the philosophy advocated by Voltaire. It would seem to lead to a fatalistic and passive view of existence. Upon more intricate examination, however, it becomes clear that this is not Hegel's true intent.
Throughout his works, Hegel proposes that freedom is the absolute goal of the Spirit and, therefore, history. According to the statement that the world is as it should be, however, his philosophy can be construed as flawed. If the Absolute Spirit is responsible for the course of history, in an effort to achieve the ultimate goal of freedom, it seems incompatible that freedom is possible in a reality where everything is as it should be. How can individuals truly be free if their actions inevitably lead and create a world in which everything is as it should be? The question now becomes, is there an inherent contradiction in Hegel's theory? In light of his general perception of reality, one would have to respond in the negative.
Hegel, above all else, is a monist. In his perception of reality, everything that exists is part of the Absolute Spirit, which Hegel often refers to as God. If Hegel argued that God, or the Absolute Spirit, were an outside force, separate from all of creation, and that this Spirit as Reason were the guiding force behind history, then, a significant argument could be made, refuting Hegel's position on the freedom of humanity. This, however, is not the case.
In his monistic perception of reality, humanity and its self-consciousness (the characteristic that, Hegel would argue, separates Man from animal) are a result of the Spirit's drive to know itself. This Spirit, however, cannot be considered as separate from humanity, since everything is part of the whole. In essence, self-consciousness is the result of history, guided by the Spirit, which is part of humanity and of which humanity is a part. Thus, the course and result of history is part of Man's freedom, in that humanity, as part of the Spirit, plays an indispensable role in it.
It gradually becomes clear that Hegel does not contradict the premise of individual freedom with his proposition that the world is as it ought to be. It is the freely determined actions of individuals which comprise history and make it to be as it ought to be. Since humanity is the embodiment of Spirit, its destiny rests securely in its own hands. This is not to say that the result is happiness or content. In fact, Hegel would argue that the world as it ought to be is simply the present culmination of history, on its course to absolute freedom, guided by Spirit, which embodies humanity in its entirety.