Hegel's Systematic Contingency [Hardcover]

This book shows that, far from incorporating everything into an all-consuming necessity, Hegel's philosophy requires the novelty of unexpected contingencies to maintain its systematic pretensions. John Burbidge explores how Hegel applied this approach to chemistry, biology, psychology and history, and proposes implications on contemporary science.Preface Philosophy and History The Necessity of Contingency Secondness The 'Infinite Agony' of Despair Absolute Knowing Language and Thought Absolute Idea Chemism and Chemistry Life and Biology Cognition and Psychology Teleology and History Absolute Spirit 'Building the World as it Ought to be' Philosophy after Hegel ConclusionJOHN W. BURBIDGE is Professor Emeritus in Philosophy at Trent University, Peterborough, Canada. Author of several books on Hegel's Science of Logic and Philosophy of Nature, he has been President of the Hegel Society of America and was elected to the Royal Society of Canada.