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 65 )
page 65.

1. The world spirit has an infinite urge and an irresistible impulse to realise these stages of its development; for this sequence and its realisation are its true concept.

2. World spirit merely shows how the spirit gradually attains consciousness and the will to truth; it progresses from its early glimmerings ( 微光) to major discoveries and finally to a state of complete consciousness.

3. This vision of a PROCESS whereby the spirit realises its aim in history clashes with a widespread attitude concerning the nature of ideals and their relationship to reality.

4. For no opinion is more widely held or more frequently voiced than the lament that ideals CANNOT be translated into reality -- be they ideals if the imagination or ideals of reason, so long as they claim to be ideals.

5. In particular, we are told that the ideals of youth dissolve into dreams in the cold light of reality.

6. Whatever ideals of this kind do founder on the rocks of harsh reality in the course of the voyage of life must be primarily subjective; they can belong only to individuals who consider themselves superior to and wiser than others.

7. The dreams of the individual are often no more than exaggerate estimates of his own personal significance.

8. Furthermore, the individual may well be treated unjustly;but this is a matter of indifference to world history, which uses individuals only as instruments to further its OWN progress.

2007年12月27日 蕭鼓聲中 談太平天國 節錄1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-51K90xt5U


2007年12月27日 蕭鼓聲中 談太平天國 節錄2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOAMNZiHqTo