HEGEL’S HISTORICAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Abstract

Starting from Koselleck’s notion of «historical anthropology», I propose to rethink Hegel’s philosophy of history in the light of a series of questions: What is the human being as a historical being? What explains why human beings, unlike other animals, have a history as event and narrative? What are the categories rooted in «human nature» that define the conditions of possibility of this history? In other words, I propose to explore Hegel’s anthropology not in his philosophy of the subjective spirit, in the section he called «anthropology», but rather in his philosophy of the objective spirit, primarily in the lectures on the philosophy of history. This approach will focus on the concepts of development (natural versus spiritual) (1), thought (2), freedom (from nature) (3), and culture (Bildung) (4) as historical categories. Finally, I will consider the contemporary relevance of Hegel’s approach to the relationship between the human being – understood as «spirit» – and nature.