李榮添 : 歷史之理性 -- 黑格爾歷史哲學導論述析 ( Hoffmeister, Nisbet)

李榮添 : 歷史之理性 -- 黑格爾歷史哲學導論述析 ( Hoffmeister, Nisbet)
excerpted from Lectures on the Philosophy of World History : Introduction : Reason in History. Hoffmeister ed. tr. by Nisbet.
( Nisbet, page 45-46 )

1. Nevertheless, no fully formed intellect can fail to distinguish between IMPULSES and INCLINATIONS which operate in a restricted sphere and those which are active in the conflict of interests of world history.

2. This objective interest, which affects us both through the general design and through the individual who IMPLEMENTS it, is what makes history attractive.

"the theater of world history . . .", " the ultimate end of the world . . ."

3. Let us imagine for a moment how we would FEEL if Alexander had failed in his enterprise.

We would certainly have no sense of loss if we are interested only in human passions, for we would still not have been denied the spectacle of passions in actions.

But this would not have satisfied us: for we are interested in the material itself, in the OBJECTIVE SITUATION.