In this discussion, Richard Bourke, a Professor at the University of Cambridge and author of "Hegel’s World Revolutions," delves into Hegel's political philosophy and its profound impact on modern thought. He contrasts Hegel's ideas on revolution with those of Kant, highlighting their relevance today. Bourke critiques post-war anti-Hegel sentiments, emphasizing how misconceptions about his work have shaped contemporary political discourse. The conversation underscores the necessity of understanding historical context to navigate today's cultural and political landscapes.
01:10:04
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
insights INSIGHT
Hegel Through a Historian's Lens
Richard Bourke, a historian, offers a unique perspective on Hegel's philosophy.
He focuses on Hegel's practical thought and its historical context.
insights INSIGHT
Book Structure: Kant, Revolution, Reception
Bourke structures his book to explore Hegel's intellectual and political development.
He begins with Kant's influence, then examines Hegel's response to the French Revolution, and finally, Hegel's reception.
insights INSIGHT
Hegel's Historical Vision
Kant's lack of a detailed philosophy of history influenced Hegel's approach.
Hegel developed a richer historical vision to understand revolution's successes and failures.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In 'Hegel’s World Revolutions', Richard Bourke returns to Hegel’s original arguments, clarifying their true import and illuminating their relevance to contemporary society. Bourke explores Hegel’s anatomy of the modern world, highlighting how modernity was seen as both a deliverance from subjection and the unleashing of critical reflection. The book interprets Hegel’s thought, particularly his philosophy of history, and recounts the reception of his political ideas over the twentieth century. Bourke challenges the postwar revolt against Hegel, arguing that his disparagement by major philosophers has impoverished our approach to history and politics. The book revises prevailing views on the relationship between historical ideas and present circumstances, addressing criticisms from thinkers like Heidegger, Popper, Lévi-Strauss, and Foucault.
Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke
Richard Bourke
This book provides a vivid reconstruction of Edmund Burke's major concerns as a statesman, orator, and philosopher. It overturns the conventional picture of Burke as a partisan of tradition against progress and presents a multifaceted portrait of his life and thought. The book draws on a complete range of printed and manuscript sources to explore Burke's engagements with the British Empire in India, his efforts for reconciliation with the American colonies, and his critical stance on national policy during European wars. It also delves into his advocacy for reform in Britain and his central role in the debate on the French Revolution. The work challenges readers to rethink Burke's legacy and the turbulent era in which he lived[1][2][3].
G.W.F. Hegel was widely seen as the greatest philosopher of his age. Ever since, his work has shaped debates about issues as varied as religion, aesthetics and metaphysics. His most lasting contribution was his vision of history and politics. In Hegel’s World Revolutions(Princeton UP, 2023), Richard Bourke returns to Hegel’s original arguments, clarifying their true import and illuminating their relevance to contemporary society. Bourke shows that central to Hegel’s thought was his anatomy of the modern world. On the one hand he claimed that modernity was a deliverance from subjection, but on the other he saw it as having unleashed the spirit of critical reflection. Bourke explores this predicament in terms of a series of world revolutions that Hegel believed had ushered in the rise of civil society and the emergence of the constitutional state.
Bourke interprets Hegel’s thought, with particular reference to his philosophy of history, placing it in the context of his own time. He then recounts the reception of Hegel’s political ideas, largely over the course of the twentieth century. Countering the postwar revolt against Hegel, Bourke argues that his disparagement by major philosophers has impoverished our approach to history and politics alike. Challenging the condescension of leading thinkers—from Heidegger and Popper to Lévi-Strauss and Foucault—the book revises prevailing views of the relationship between historical ideas and present circumstances
Richard Bourke is professor of the history of political thought and a fellow of King’s College at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of a number of books, including Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke (Princeton).
Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter.
New Books in Critical Theory 