Why Schopenhauer Hated Hegel

Weltgeist
7 Dec 202224:42
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video script explores Arthur Schopenhauer's intense disdain for G.W.F. Hegel, highlighting the personal and philosophical animosities between the two philosophers. It delves into Schopenhauer's frustration with Hegel's popularity and perceived lack of scientific understanding, his convoluted writing style, and their contrasting views on history and philosophy. The script also examines the cultural shift of the 19th century that saw philosophy and science drifting apart, with Schopenhauer representing the old guard valuing scientific knowledge and Hegel embodying the new autonomous philosophical approach.

Takeaways
  • 😠 Schopenhauer despised Hegel on both personal and philosophical levels, considering him a charlatan and his philosophy nonsensical.
  • πŸ“š In 1820, Schopenhauer purposefully scheduled his lectures at the University of Berlin to clash with Hegel's, reflecting a deep-seated rivalry.
  • πŸŽ“ Hegel was a prominent figure in philosophy at the time, while Schopenhauer was relatively unknown, leading to sparse attendance at his lectures.
  • πŸ€” The roots of Schopenhauer's animosity towards Hegel are speculated to stem from personal dislike and philosophical disagreement, possibly reinforcing each other.
  • πŸ” Schopenhauer believed that a philosopher should have a strong foundation in the natural sciences, which he felt Hegel lacked.
  • 🌌 Hegel's philosophy was criticized by Schopenhauer for its lack of scientific grounding and for promoting ideas that were demonstrably incorrect.
  • πŸ“ Schopenhauer was known for his clear and concise writing style, in stark contrast to Hegel's dense and often incomprehensible prose.
  • πŸ“š Schopenhauer valued the study of history and philosophy as distinct disciplines, in opposition to Hegel who viewed history as a rational process leading to an ultimate end.
  • 🌟 Hegel's popularity and optimistic view of history and philosophy stood in contrast to Schopenhauer's pessimism and emphasis on the unchanging nature of the world.
  • πŸ’¬ Schopenhauer's insults and criticisms of Hegel are well-documented, often focusing on Hegel's writing style and perceived lack of intellectual rigor.
  • 🎭 The philosophical differences between Schopenhauer and Hegel highlight a broader cultural shift in the 19th century, with the separation of philosophy and science becoming more pronounced.
Q & A
  • Why did Arthur Schopenhauer despise Hegel?

    -Arthur Schopenhauer despised Hegel due to a combination of personal animosity and philosophical disagreement. He viewed Hegel as a charlatan and his philosophy as nonsensical, and he also disliked Hegel's approach to teaching and writing.

  • What was Schopenhauer's strategy when he began teaching at the University of Berlin?

    -Schopenhauer deliberately scheduled his lectures at the same time as Hegel's to make a point about his disdain for Hegel's philosophy, despite knowing that this would likely result in few attendees at his own lectures.

  • What was the outcome of Schopenhauer's test lecture at the University of Berlin?

    -Schopenhauer passed the test lecture, receiving passing marks from everyone on the jury, including Hegel. This allowed him to become a teacher at the University of Berlin.

  • What incident during Schopenhauer's test lecture highlighted a philosophical disagreement between him and Hegel?

    -Hegel asked Schopenhauer about the reasons for a horse lying down on the street, to which Schopenhauer replied it was due to tiredness from its heartbeat and blood flow. Hegel questioned whether such animal functions could be classified as reasons, leading to a debate that was settled in Schopenhauer's favor when the professor of medicine supported his position.

  • How did Schopenhauer view the relationship between philosophy and science?

    -Schopenhauer believed that a philosopher should have a firm grasp on the natural sciences and that being well-versed in science was a prerequisite to being a good philosopher. He saw his metaphysical theories as accounting for various biological observations and considered this scientific knowledge as a major strength of his work.

  • What were some of Hegel's controversial ideas related to science?

    -Hegel had some strange ideas about science, such as presenting an a priori proof that only seven celestial bodies could exist in our solar system, which was disproven when Ceres was discovered. He also incorrectly argued that an object could increase in weight due to magnetism without an increase in mass.

  • How did Schopenhauer's interest in science influence his philosophy?

    -Schopenhauer's lifelong interest in science influenced his philosophy by leading him to develop metaphysical theories that accounted for biological observations. He believed that understanding the natural world was crucial to developing a comprehensive philosophy.

  • What was Schopenhauer's opinion on Hegel's writing style?

    -Schopenhauer criticized Hegel's writing style as incomprehensible, tedious, and meandering. He believed that Hegel used difficult words and long sentences to create the illusion of profundity while actually conveying nonsense.

  • How did Schopenhauer's philosophy of history differ from Hegel's?

    -Schopenhauer viewed history as a study of the changing manifestations of the unchanging will, which exists outside of space and time. In contrast, Hegel saw history as a rational process where the Geist or Spirit develops itself through time towards a predetermined end goal, representing progress and the realization of human freedom.

  • What is the fundamental distinction between Schopenhauer's and Hegel's philosophies in terms of being and becoming?

    -The fundamental distinction lies in their views on change and constancy. Schopenhauer's philosophy is concerned with 'being', focusing on the unchanging will, while Hegel's philosophy is concerned with 'becoming', emphasizing the process of historical development and change.

  • Why did Schopenhauer believe that Hegel's philosophy was detrimental to German culture?

    -Schopenhauer believed that Hegel's incomprehensible writing style and fundamentally different philosophy of history, which he saw as irrational and optimistic, stupefied an entire generation and represented a disaster for German culture by promoting a false sense of progress and reason in history.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ“š Schopenhauer's Disdain for Hegel's Philosophy

The video script begins with an exploration of Arthur Schopenhauer's deep-seated animosity towards Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, whom he considered a charlatan and a purveyor of nonsensical ideas. Schopenhauer's disdain is attributed to both personal antipathy and philosophical disagreement. The narrative sets the stage for the year 1820, when Schopenhauer, having published his magnum opus and secured a position at the University of Berlin, deliberately schedules his lectures to clash with Hegel's, a strategy that reflects his contempt for the latter's philosophical approach. The script hints at a deeper dive into the roots of this animosity, suggesting a combination of personal rivalry and fundamental differences in their philosophical beliefs.

05:00
πŸ—οΈ The Philosophical and Personal Rift Between Hegel and Schopenhauer

This paragraph delves into the first known interaction between Hegel and Schopenhauer at the University of Berlin, where Hegel, as head of the philosophy faculty, challenges Schopenhauer during a test lecture. The debate revolves around the classification of animal functions, with Schopenhauer arguing for a more precise use of terminology, which is eventually supported by a medical professor. This incident is portrayed as a catalyst for Schopenhauer's growing resentment, viewing Hegel's mistake as emblematic of his superficial understanding of philosophy and science. The paragraph also touches on the broader historical context of the 19th century, highlighting the shifting relationship between philosophy and science, with Schopenhauer representing the traditional view that a philosopher should be well-versed in both.

10:01
🌌 Hegel's Misconceptions in Science and Philosophy

The script continues to criticize Hegel's understanding of science, citing examples of his erroneous ideas about astronomy, physics, and biology. Schopenhauer, with his background in medicine and a lifelong interest in science, finds these mistakes unforgivable, especially from a figure of Hegel's stature. The paragraph underscores Schopenhauer's belief in the inseparability of philosophy from scientific thought, contrasting Hegel's more autonomous approach to philosophy. This difference in their views on the role of science in philosophy is presented as a key element of their philosophical divergence.

15:03
πŸ“– Schopenhauer's Critique of Hegel's Writing Style and Popularity

This section of the script focuses on Schopenhauer's disdain for Hegel's writing style, which he perceives as intentionally obscure and pretentious. Schopenhauer is praised for his clarity and conciseness in contrast to Hegel's convoluted prose. The video suggests that Hegel's popularity and influence, despite his perceived lack of clarity, had a detrimental effect on German intellectual culture, promoting a style of writing that prioritized complexity over comprehension. Schopenhauer's own philosophy is presented as being more accessible and grounded in simplicity, which he believed was a testament to the profundity of his ideas.

20:05
πŸ•°οΈ Schopenhauer's View on the Philosophy of History

The final paragraph contrasts the fundamental philosophical differences between Schopenhauer and Hegel, particularly their views on history. While Hegel sees history as a rational process with a positive end goal, reflecting the development of the 'Geist' or Spirit, Schopenhauer regards history as a series of repetitive and unchanging events, devoid of inherent rationality or progress. Schopenhauer's pessimism is juxtaposed with Hegel's optimism, and the script suggests that Schopenhauer's lack of fame during his lifetime, compared to Hegel's celebrity status, may have fueled his animosity. The video concludes by acknowledging the complexity of the factors contributing to Schopenhauer's disdain for Hegel, inviting further exploration of their philosophical differences.

Mindmap
Cultural Impact
Hegel's Enduring Popularity
Schopenhauer's Posthumous Fame
Schopenhauer's Lectures
University of Berlin
Year 1820
Hegel as New Style
Schopenhauer as Old Guard
Divorce of Philosophy and Science
Metaphorical Criticism
Views on Hegel's Popularity
Insults over Arguments
Philosophy of History
Writing Style
Science and Philosophy
Desire for Fame
Unfriendly Encounter
Schopenhauer's Arrogance
Legacy and Impact
Historical Context
Cultural Shift
Schopenhauer's Criticism
Philosophical Disagreement
Personal Animosity
Schopenhauer's Hatred for Hegel
Alert
Keywords
πŸ’‘Hegel
G.W.F. Hegel was a German philosopher known for his dialectical method and historical idealism. In the video, he is portrayed as a prominent figure in philosophy during the 19th century, with a focus on the development of the 'Geist' or Spirit through history. His philosophy is criticized by Schopenhauer for its complexity and perceived lack of clarity, exemplified by the anecdote of Schopenhauer's test lecture where Hegel asks a question that Schopenhauer deems nonsensical.
πŸ’‘Schopenhauer
Arthur Schopenhauer is a German philosopher who is critical of Hegel's work and is known for his clear and concise writing style. The video discusses Schopenhauer's disdain for Hegel, both on a personal level and philosophically. Schopenhauer's philosophy is contrasted with Hegel's, emphasizing his belief in the unchanging 'will' as the essence of existence, as opposed to Hegel's focus on historical progress.
πŸ’‘Philosophical disagreement
This term refers to the fundamental differences in philosophical views between Hegel and Schopenhauer. The video outlines how Schopenhauer disagreed with Hegel's ideas on history, science, and the nature of philosophical writing. Schopenhauer's objections to Hegel's philosophy are rooted in his belief that Hegel's work was overly complex and lacked a connection to empirical science.
πŸ’‘Personal animosity
Personal animosity denotes the interpersonal dislike between Schopenhauer and Hegel. The script describes how Schopenhauer's resentment towards Hegel was not only based on philosophical differences but also on personal encounters, such as Hegel's questioning during Schopenhauer's test lecture and their competing lecture schedules at the University of Berlin.
πŸ’‘Geist
The term 'Geist' is German for 'Spirit' and is central to Hegel's philosophy, where it represents the unfolding of world history as a rational process. In the video, it is used to illustrate Hegel's view that history moves towards a predetermined end where human freedom is realized, a concept that Schopenhauer vehemently opposes.
πŸ’‘Pessimism
Pessimism, as discussed in the video in relation to Schopenhauer, is the philosophical outlook that the world is not fundamentally rational and that there is little hope for redemption. Schopenhauer's pessimism is contrasted with Hegel's optimism, highlighting their divergent views on the nature of history and existence.
πŸ’‘Optimism
Optimism, in the context of the video, refers to Hegel's belief in the inherent rationality and progressive nature of history. Hegel's optimism is tied to his view that history has a positive end goal, which is in stark contrast to Schopenhauer's pessimistic outlook.
πŸ’‘Writing style
The writing style of a philosopher is a critical point of contention in the video. Schopenhauer is praised for his clear and concise prose, while Hegel is criticized for his complex and often incomprehensible writing. Schopenhauer believed that Hegel's writing style was a tool for obfuscation and pretense, rather than a genuine pursuit of truth.
πŸ’‘Metaphor
Metaphors are used by Schopenhauer to elucidate his philosophical concepts in a clear and relatable manner. The video mentions the 'Hedgehog's Dilemma' as a famous metaphor by Schopenhauer that has had a significant impact, demonstrating his talent for using simple analogies to explain complex ideas.
πŸ’‘Philosophy of history
The philosophy of history is a concept that explores the underlying meaning and purpose of historical events. In the video, it is used to distinguish between Hegel's view of history as a rational and progressive process and Schopenhauer's view of history as a repetitive and unchanging manifestation of the unchanging 'will'.
πŸ’‘Natural sciences
The natural sciences are a category of academic disciplines that study natural phenomena. The video highlights Schopenhauer's belief in the importance of a philosopher's understanding of natural sciences, contrasting his own scientific background with Hegel's perceived lack of scientific knowledge and his controversial ideas about celestial bodies and gravity.
Highlights

Schopenhauer's intense disdain for Hegel, viewing him as a charlatan and his writings as nonsensical, potentially stemming from both personal animosity and philosophical disagreement.

The historical context of 1820, where Schopenhauer secured a position at the University of Berlin, deliberately scheduling his lectures to clash with Hegel's to make a statement.

Schopenhauer's belief that Hegel's popularity and philosophical approach overshadowed genuine intellectual pursuit and clarity in philosophy.

The incident during Schopenhauer's professorship exam where Hegel's question about a horse was seen by Schopenhauer as a display of Hegel's ignorance in philosophy and science.

Schopenhauer's commitment to the integration of science and philosophy, in contrast to Hegel's perceived detachment from scientific rigor.

Hegel's controversial ideas in science, such as the a priori proof of only seven celestial bodies in our solar system, which Schopenhauer criticized.

Schopenhauer's critique of Hegel's understanding of gravity, highlighting a fundamental misunderstanding of physics and logic.

The broader cultural shift in the 19th century where philosophy and science began to diverge, with Schopenhauer representing the old ideal and Hegel the new autonomous philosophy.

Schopenhauer's advocacy for clear and concise writing in philosophy, as opposed to Hegel's complex and difficult prose, which he saw as a sign of charlatanism.

The argument that Schopenhauer's hatred for Hegel might have been influenced by personal envy and a desire for recognition that he never achieved in his lifetime.

Schopenhauer's view that Hegel's philosophy was not only nonsensical but also damaging to the intellectual development of an entire generation.

The fundamental philosophical difference between Schopenhauer and Hegel in their approach to history and the concept of 'being' versus 'becoming'.

Hegel's view of history as a rational and progressive process towards the realization of human freedom, in stark contrast to Schopenhauer's pessimistic outlook.

Schopenhauer's criticism of Hegel's philosophy of history, accusing him of confusing history with philosophy and failing to grasp the eternal truths of existence.

The conclusion that Schopenhauer's hatred for Hegel was likely a combination of personal animosity, philosophical disagreement, and professional envy.

Transcripts
00:00

Hegel a repulsive mindless charlatan an

00:04

unparalleled Scribbler of nonsense

00:07

Arthur schopenhauer hated Hegel he

00:10

called him a charlatan insipid a

00:12

laughingstock hollow senseless

00:14

stupefying his rambling writings would

00:17

completely destroy the minds of an

00:20

entire generation his meaningless

00:22

scribbles would become a monument to

00:24

German stupidity

00:26

Eagles pseudo philosophy would provide

00:29

posterity with never-ending Amusements

00:33

it's the year 1820. Arthur schopenhauer

00:36

has just published his magnum opus he

00:39

won a prestigious position at the

00:41

University of Berlin teaching philosophy

00:43

however he purposefully scheduled his

00:47

lectures at the same time as those of

00:49

his colleague Hegel Germany's most

00:51

famous philosopher

00:53

200 students attended hegel's lectures

00:56

only five attended schopenhauer's often

01:00

he lectured to an empty room

01:03

of course schopenhauer knew exactly what

01:05

he was doing after all Hegel was a

01:08

superstar in schopenhauer a nobody it

01:11

was entirely to be expected that no one

01:13

would attend his lectures still

01:15

schopenhauer wanted to make a point

01:18

he hated Hegel he hated his philosophy

01:21

he hated his way of doing philosophy and

01:25

everything the man stood for just where

01:28

does this hatred come from that's the

01:30

question we'll try to answer in this

01:32

video by the way we cover a lot of

01:35

schopenhauer right here on the channel

01:36

so please subscribe if you're interested

01:39

there is plenty more to come with that

01:41

said let's Dive In

01:43

as with all questions of this nature

01:45

there is a degree of speculation

01:47

involved in this case there seems to be

01:50

an agreement that schopenhauer's hatred

01:52

of Hegel comes from two sources

01:55

first personal animosity schopenhauer

01:58

simply didn't like Hegel as a person

02:01

second philosophical disagreement

02:04

in all likelihood these two aspects

02:06

mutually strengthened and ignited one

02:08

another the main debate is really more

02:11

of a chicken and egg problem did

02:13

schopenhauer disagree with Hegel because

02:15

he disliked him or did he dislike him

02:19

because he disagreed with him

02:21

we will probably never know but in this

02:24

video we want to present you with some

02:26

objective facts and we'll let you

02:28

reviewer decide we'll go over both

02:30

schopenhauer's personal problems with

02:32

Hegel as well as his philosophical

02:34

disagreements

02:36

we've already shared some biographical

02:38

information earlier when we mentioned

02:40

how schopenhauer stubbornly arranged for

02:42

his lectures to be at the same time as

02:44

hegel's it makes sense to start there at

02:48

the point in time where both men shared

02:50

the same workplace the University of

02:52

Berlin in the year 1820. speaking of

02:56

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interesting is that they have two

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logic is the backbone of philosophy and

03:22

schopenhauer in particular stressed The

03:24

Importance of Being well versed in logic

03:26

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now back to Hegel we're at the

04:07

University of Berlin and schopenhauer

04:09

has just won a professorship there just

04:12

one technicality remains he needs to

04:14

give a lecture to an audience of

04:16

professors kind of like an exam or a

04:19

test run among the attendants was Hegel

04:21

the head of the philosophy faculty

04:24

the test lecture itself is nothing

04:26

special it was about a traditional

04:28

philosophical topic the four causes of

04:30

Aristotle but it's during this lecture

04:33

that we find the first real-life

04:35

interaction between schopenhauer and

04:37

Hegel

04:38

Hegel asked schopenhauer about the

04:40

reasons for a horse to lie down on the

04:43

street

04:43

schopenhauer replied because it's tired

04:46

which is a result of its heartbeat and

04:48

blood flow among other things

04:50

Hegel then asked whether he thought that

04:52

such animal functions as heartbeat and

04:55

blood circulation could be classified as

04:57

reasons

04:58

you can tell things are getting very

05:00

technical nitpicky even but remember

05:02

this is basically a philosophy exam

05:04

we're talking about

05:06

schopenhauer correct the table

05:08

he said that only conscious movements of

05:11

the body are animal functions

05:13

the implication here is that Hegel asked

05:15

a nonsensical question because he used

05:17

the wrong term

05:19

in any case the debate was settled when

05:21

the professor of medicine intervened and

05:23

supported schopenhauer's position

05:25

schopenhauer passed the exam receiving

05:27

passing marks from everyone in the jury

05:29

including Hegel and from now on he would

05:32

be a teacher at the University of Berlin

05:35

this little incident with Hegel using

05:38

the wrong philosophical term to ask

05:39

schopenhauer a question is the first

05:41

real-life interaction between these two

05:43

men that we know of we know for a fact

05:45

that schopenhauer was an arrogant

05:47

individual it's very likely that this

05:50

episode sowed the seeds of hatred From

05:53

schopenhauer's perspective here we have

05:55

a philosophical charlatan trying to come

05:57

across as intelligence even belligerent

05:59

by asking a quote unquote tough question

06:01

but Falling flat on his face by using

06:04

the wrong term remember Hegel was the

06:07

philosophical Superstar of this time all

06:10

serious philosophers in Germany called

06:12

themselves hegelians schopenhauer

06:14

believed he was basically the only one

06:16

who saw true hegel's tricks and word

06:18

salads and saw him for the no Talent

06:20

charlatan that he was and then during

06:22

schopenhauer's philosophy exam Hegel

06:25

made this rudimentary beginner's Mistake

06:27

by imprecisely using a philosophical

06:29

term

06:30

this must have enraged schopenhauer and

06:33

confirmed everything he thought about

06:35

Hegel that he was just a pretender and

06:37

not a serious philosopher

06:39

all of this is about Hegel as a person

06:41

however but this little episode is worth

06:44

mentioning because it leads us neatly to

06:46

one of schopenhauer's main objections to

06:48

hegel's philosophy the 19th century is

06:51

an interesting period in the history of

06:53

philosophy broadly speaking philosophy

06:56

and science have been intertwined since

06:57

philosophy's Beginnings without diving

07:00

too deep into history consider for

07:02

example Aristotle who wrote extensively

07:04

on philosophy but also on biology

07:06

chemistry and physics

07:08

Grenada cartes was a mathematician and a

07:11

philosopher as recent as Emmanuel Kant

07:13

wrote papers on geology and astronomy it

07:16

was assumed if not required that a

07:19

philosopher should have a firm grasp on

07:21

the Natural Sciences that's where the

07:23

term natural philosophy comes from being

07:25

almost synonymous with what we today

07:27

would call Modern hard science

07:30

for a prominent example look no further

07:32

than Isaac Newton's Landmark work on

07:35

gravity the full title of which reads

07:37

Philadelphia naturalist principia

07:39

Mathematica or mathematical principles

07:42

of natural philosophy but in the 19th

07:46

century the time of Hegel and

07:47

schopenhauer this marriage of Science

07:49

and philosophy was starting to crumble

07:52

amazing advancements in the scientific

07:54

field led to a gradual divorce of these

07:56

two disciplines first of all it became

07:58

impossible to be well-versed in science

08:00

simply due to the sheer volume of new

08:03

discoveries being made and second a

08:05

sentiment started to brew that science

08:07

doesn't need philosophy at best or that

08:10

science is held back by philosophy at

08:13

worst

08:14

still the divorce was far from finalized

08:17

the 19th century is a transitional

08:19

period and schopenhauer belonged to the

08:21

Old Guard

08:22

he studied medicine for two years before

08:25

switching to philosophy but even after

08:27

his change of program he attended more

08:29

scientific lectures than philosophical

08:31

ones he had a lifelong interest in the

08:34

sciences and up until the end of his

08:36

life he was subscribed to Scientific

08:37

journals and read them to stay up to

08:39

date on the latest discoveries and

08:41

developments for schopenhauer being well

08:43

versed in science was a prerequisite to

08:46

being a good philosopher in fact he

08:49

viewed it as a major strength of his

08:50

work that his metaphysical theories also

08:52

accounted for a slew of biological

08:54

observations most notably on the

08:56

behavior of animals and plants

08:58

throughout his writings he refers

09:00

constantly to a wide variety of animal

09:02

species explaining their behaviors in

09:05

terms of his philosophy schopenhauer is

09:08

even quoted by Charles Darwin in his

09:10

work The Descent of Man

09:12

all of this is to say that schopenhauer

09:14

thoughts science was pretty important

09:17

and then there's Hegel

09:19

it's a well-documented fact that Hegel

09:21

had some pretty strange ideas where

09:23

science was concerned one famous story

09:26

tells of a dissertation by Hegel which

09:28

presented a so-called a priori proof

09:30

that only seven celestial bodies could

09:33

ever exist in our solar system

09:35

the dissertation was published and not

09:37

even a year later a new dwarf planet was

09:40

discovered Ceres in between Mars and

09:42

Jupiter

09:44

another Infamous example is hegel's idea

09:46

on gravity in his philosophy of nature

09:49

he writes about a physics experiment

09:52

if we place an iron bar on a fulcrum and

09:54

put a magnet underneath one side of the

09:56

bar then the bar will tip towards the

09:58

magnet and lose its equilibrium

10:01

Hegel argued that because the one pole

10:03

of the bar drops towards the floor that

10:05

this pole has just become heavier the

10:08

experiment proves according to Hegel

10:10

that an object can experience an

10:12

increase in weight without an increase

10:14

in Mass schopenhauer lambasted Hegel for

10:17

this idea in a notorious essay not only

10:20

does Hegel display a complete lack of

10:22

understanding of physics he even gets

10:24

the fundamental logic wrong

10:27

here then the distinguished philosopher

10:29

makes the following inference if a bar

10:31

supported at its center of gravity

10:33

subsequently becomes heavier on one side

10:35

then it falls to that side but an iron

10:38

bar Falls to one side once it has been

10:40

magnetized therefore it has become

10:42

heavier in that place a worthy analog to

10:45

the inference all geese have two legs

10:47

you have two legs therefore you are a

10:50

goose

10:51

earlier in the video we talked about

10:53

Hegel and schopenhauer's disagreement on

10:55

what constitutes an animal function with

10:58

schopenhauer's view ultimately gaining

11:00

favor of the professor of medicine and

11:01

biology at the University

11:03

this was another instance at least in

11:06

schopenhauer's eyes that Hegel is simply

11:08

ignorant on matters of science he would

11:10

sarcastically call him Mr know nothing

11:12

after this altercation

11:14

so to recap Hegel thought that our solar

11:17

system could only have seven celestial

11:19

bodies in it wrong he argued that an

11:23

object could increase in weight due to

11:25

magnetism wrong and he used the term

11:28

animal functions to describe unconscious

11:30

bodily movements of animals

11:32

also wrong

11:33

Hegel made some pretty damning errors in

11:36

three different fields astronomy physics

11:38

and biology

11:40

for schopenhauer the lifelong science

11:42

Enthusiast and former medicine student

11:44

with a passion for biology this was

11:47

simply unacceptable for any serious

11:49

philosopher let alone the quote unquote

11:51

distinguished philosopher Hegel the

11:53

Superstar of the time this part of the

11:56

schopenhauer Hegel animosity is

11:58

indicative of a wider cultural shift

12:00

happening around this time in history

12:02

like we alluded to earlier in the 19th

12:04

century we see the gradual divorce of

12:06

philosophy and science each going their

12:09

own way so to speak schopenhauer can be

12:11

said to represent the old ideal of the

12:14

philosopher who is as much engaged with

12:16

scientific thought as with philosophical

12:18

matters while Hegel represents the new

12:20

style of doing philosophy autonomous

12:23

from science

12:24

this shift in thinking is bigger than

12:26

either schopenhauer or Hegel kirkegaard

12:28

for example who criticized Hegel heavily

12:31

is nonetheless also an example of a

12:33

philosopher who had no formal schooling

12:35

or even serious interest in science the

12:38

question of whether a philosopher should

12:39

be well versed in science or not is

12:41

beyond the scope of this video but

12:43

schopenhauer for one certainly thought

12:45

so and he considered it a major flaw of

12:48

Hegel both as a person and a philosopher

12:50

that he with all the confidence in the

12:52

world exclaimed wild and wrong ideas

12:54

that even in their time were recognized

12:57

as simply unscientific

13:00

every student of philosophy will tell

13:02

you the same thing hegel's writing is

13:05

incomprehensible even in his own time

13:07

his writing was considered to be overly

13:10

tedious Meandering unclear but

13:12

nonetheless due to hegel's stardom it

13:15

quickly became the way in which German

13:16

intellectuals were supposed to write a

13:19

good example of this is found in the

13:21

prose essays of Richard Wagner which are

13:24

similarly demonized as incomprehensible

13:26

with run-on sentences that go on for

13:28

entire paragraphs and the pretentious

13:30

use of difficult words were a simpler

13:32

one would clearly suffice

13:34

but that's how you were supposed to

13:36

write if you wanted to come across as a

13:38

serious intellectual and it's part of

13:40

hegel's legacy

13:41

contrast to this with schopenhauer who

13:44

is universally braced for his clear

13:45

concise prose his ability to articulate

13:48

profound truths and simple words and his

13:51

talent for finding the perfect analogies

13:53

and metaphors to explain his ideas

13:55

the most consistent feature of

13:57

schopenhauer's attacks on Hegel are

13:59

about his horrible writing style for

14:01

example

14:02

the height of audacity in serving up

14:05

pure nonsense and stringing together

14:07

senseless and extravagant Mazes of words

14:09

such as had previously only been heard

14:12

in Mad houses was finally reached in

14:14

Hegel and became the instrument of the

14:16

most barefaced General mystification

14:18

that has ever taken place

14:21

for schopenhauer hegel's writing style

14:23

was the ultimate proof of his

14:25

charlatanism using difficult words and

14:27

long sentences to confuse the reader and

14:29

create the illusion that something

14:31

profound was said when in reality only

14:34

nonsense was spoken you need only read

14:36

one page of Hegel schopenhauer argues

14:39

and ask yourself the question is this

14:41

person honestly searching for truth or

14:44

is there someone who merely tries to

14:45

appear smart the answer to that question

14:48

will allow you to see through hegel's

14:49

sophistry immediately

14:51

meanwhile schopenhauer prided himself on

14:54

the clarity of his own writing style he

14:57

often repeated that his goal was to

14:59

write in German in the way that David

15:01

Hume wrote in English that is to say

15:03

with extraordinary Clarity for

15:06

schopenhauer the height of philosophy

15:07

consisted in conveying big truths and

15:10

small words

15:12

Simplicity does not stand in the way of

15:14

profanity in fact schopenhauer would

15:17

probably argue that the mere fact that a

15:19

truth can be expressed simply is proof

15:21

of its truthfulness the first sentence

15:24

of his main work reads the world is my

15:26

representation a simple sentence that

15:28

contains a great deal of Truth a

15:31

formulation of a few words that

15:33

nonetheless carries an entire book of

15:35

meaning schopenhauer is also viewed as a

15:37

master of metaphor time and again he

15:40

elucidates his philosophical concepts

15:42

with metaphors that are so striking and

15:44

clear that you can't help but admire his

15:46

talent for this we know that he spent a

15:49

great deal of time in trying to come up

15:50

with the perfect metaphor to explain a

15:52

concept and clearly his efforts paid off

15:55

just think of the famous Hedgehog's

15:57

dilemma which is simply a metaphor for

15:59

how humans interact with one another but

16:01

a metaphor so influential it started to

16:04

lead its own life

16:05

above all hegel's writing style and the

16:08

lack of content of course has stupefied

16:10

an entire generation hegel's enduring

16:13

popularity was a disaster for German

16:15

culture in the words of schopenhauer

16:18

an obscuring of the mind which can only

16:20

be explained by the fact that these

16:22

men's Minds unfortunately like thousands

16:24

more at the present day in Germany are

16:27

completely spoiled and distorted by the

16:29

miserable hegelism that school of

16:31

dullness that Center of misunderstanding

16:33

and ignorance that mind- destroying

16:35

spurious wisdom which now at last begins

16:38

to be recognized as such

16:42

finally a word on hegel's philosophy

16:45

proper ironically schopenhauer doesn't

16:48

spend a lot of time actually criticizing

16:50

hegel's philosophy he simply insults him

16:52

and assumes that he doesn't even need to

16:54

argue his position

16:56

so obvious that hegel's philosophy is

16:58

bunk that he doesn't want to waste too

17:00

much words arguing that position some

17:02

commentators accuse schopenhauer of

17:04

having ulterior motives they argued that

17:07

schopenhauer doesn't explicitly

17:08

criticize hegel's philosophy because in

17:10

their view both schopenhauer and hegel's

17:13

philosophies have a lot of similarities

17:15

so in order to both maintain his hatred

17:18

of Hegel and to not expose himself for

17:20

having a similar philosophy schopenhauer

17:23

stays silent the argument goes that

17:25

schopenhauer hated Hegel for purely

17:28

personal reasons and therefore he had to

17:30

resort to insults instead of arguments

17:33

however there is one area in which

17:36

schopenhauer engaged more or less

17:37

directly with hegel's philosophy and

17:39

that is in his conception of History

17:42

and we will argue that this discussion

17:44

on History actually shows us how

17:46

completely different schopenhauer's

17:48

philosophy is from heagles all the way

17:51

to the most fundamental distinction in

17:52

philosophy being versus becoming

17:56

what do we mean by this the key to

17:58

understanding the fundamental difference

18:00

between schopenhauer and Hegel is to be

18:03

found in how both men regarded history

18:05

history plays a prominent role in Hugo's

18:08

philosophy in fact you could say his

18:10

philosophy hinges upon it history is a

18:12

process by which the Geist or Spirit

18:14

comes to know itself and develops itself

18:18

history is an intelligible rational

18:20

process where things move towards a

18:23

predetermined destination the

18:25

realization of human freedom gradually

18:28

and through certain world historical

18:29

events history will come to an end when

18:33

the Geist becomes absolutized when the

18:35

Geist turns on itself and completes

18:37

itself and fully comes to know itself

18:40

this is the end of History all

18:43

intermediate steps along the way

18:44

represent progress towards that final

18:47

end for example the Geist was at work

18:50

through Napoleon whose conquest of

18:52

Europe constituted a world historical

18:54

event whereby ideals of the French

18:56

Revolution were synthesized and exported

18:58

out of France Hegel tries to find reason

19:01

in history Because he believes that

19:03

history and therefore the world and

19:05

therefore humans are fundamentally

19:07

rational that there is a method to the

19:09

madness

19:10

a rational process underpins all of

19:13

history and in the hegelian system the

19:15

Geist will develop and unfold itself

19:17

through time whether or not any

19:19

particular human is ready to carry out

19:21

its work the development of the Geist is

19:23

not contingent it's something that must

19:26

happen by necessity in other words the

19:29

Napoleonic conquest of Europe must have

19:31

happened with or without Napoleon if

19:33

Napoleon Bonaparte as an individual had

19:36

not been born someone else would have

19:38

acted in a similar way as to further

19:39

complete the march of the Geist true

19:41

history

19:42

by the way we've done a dedicated video

19:45

to Hegel and schopenhauer and their

19:46

views on Napoleon and his significance

19:48

in world history link in the description

19:50

let's quickly recap and go over some

19:53

characteristics that Hegel assigns to

19:55

history

19:56

is rational history has a positive end

19:59

goal history changes in a good way

20:02

because it moves towards the goal

20:05

every single point here runs counter to

20:08

schopenhauer's ideas Hegel confuses

20:11

history with philosophy and this

20:13

critical error is why Hegel and

20:15

schopenhauer fundamentally disagree

20:17

because for schopenhauer history and

20:19

philosophy are Polar Opposites

20:22

since history studies primarily the

20:24

particular is the opposite and

20:26

counterpart to philosophy which is

20:28

concerned only with the general

20:30

while history teaches us that at every

20:32

time something else has been philosophy

20:35

tries to assist us to the insights that

20:37

at all times exactly the same was is and

20:41

shall be

20:42

schopenhauer considers philosophy to be

20:44

the study of the Eternal of the

20:46

unchanging of course this is completely

20:48

in line with his main philosophy which

20:50

posits the existence of a singular will

20:52

which manifests itself in the multitude

20:55

of our material world but which is in

20:57

essence unchanging

20:59

and schopenhauer's philosophy the will

21:01

exists outside of space and time and

21:04

therefore outside of History this

21:07

unchanging Eternal Timeless and

21:08

spaceless thing is the true object of

21:11

philosophy history would be the study of

21:13

the changing manifestations of this will

21:15

through time as they appear to us in the

21:17

world as representation

21:18

symbolically we can therefore say that

21:21

history studies length while philosophy

21:23

studies death or in other words history

21:26

studies becoming while philosophy

21:29

studies being schopenhauer accuses Hegel

21:32

of confusing these two disciplines he

21:34

Styles himself a philosopher but is

21:36

actually in the business of studying

21:38

history

21:39

upon this rests the opposition between

21:42

philosophical and historical Minds the

21:44

former want to go to the bottom the

21:46

latter want to go through the whole

21:47

series because philosophy studies the

21:50

unchanging will which is the true kernel

21:52

of existence it follows that history in

21:55

schopenhauer's view is nothing more than

21:57

a repetition of the same we can

21:59

summarize it with the Latin phrase ay

22:01

Adam said aliter the same but different

22:04

the hegelian mistake is to confuse the

22:07

appearance for the reality to build a

22:09

philosophy upon ever-changing history

22:12

fundamentally a Fool's aren't all those

22:15

who set up such constructions of the

22:17

course of the world or as they call it

22:19

of history have failed to grasp the

22:21

principal truth of all philosophy we've

22:24

done a deep dive on schopenhauer's

22:26

philosophy of History which goes to the

22:27

core of what is being discussed here we

22:29

highly recommend you check it out if

22:31

this interests you link in description

22:33

schopenhauer also rejects the notion

22:36

that history or the world is

22:38

fundamentally rational and therefore

22:40

good schopenhauer was in fact one of the

22:42

first major Western philosophers to

22:44

argue that the world isn't a

22:46

fundamentally rational place that there

22:48

is little hope for Redemption and that

22:50

history is not the gradual process of

22:53

humanity evolving towards some definite

22:55

desirable end goal in short Hegel was an

22:59

optimist and schopenhauer a pessimist

23:02

that is really all what it boils down to

23:04

so what can we conclude why did

23:07

schopenhauer hates Hegel we've given a

23:10

number of possible explanations and

23:12

probably the final answer is that all of

23:14

these contributed in some way we have

23:17

the unfriendly real-life encounter

23:18

between the two men at the University of

23:20

Berlin we have hegel's flimsy grasp of

23:23

the hard Sciences we have hegel's

23:25

incomprehensible writing style we have

23:27

hegel's fundamentally different

23:29

philosophy of course we shouldn't gloss

23:32

over the fact that schopenhauer was by

23:34

all accounts an arrogant know-it-all

23:36

with a short temper and we know that

23:38

schopenhauer deeply desired Fame but

23:41

never got it at least not until very

23:43

late in life while Hegel the so-called

23:46

charlatan was world famous

23:48

all of these factors probably

23:50

contributed to the vile tie rates that

23:52

jobenhauer wrote and that have

23:53

immortalized him as one of hegel's

23:55

fiercest opponents not for his critiques

23:58

but for his insults

24:00

still we can probably dive deeper into

24:02

the differences in schopenhauer's

24:04

philosophy versus that of Hegel but this

24:06

video is long enough as it is if there

24:08

is enough interest expressed in the

24:09

comments we'll definitely explore the

24:11

topic further

24:13

for now we want to thank you for

24:14

watching if you found this video

24:16

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24:31

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24:34

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