The Ethical Theory of Hegel

by Hugh Adam Reyburn

Layout 2

 

THE
ETHICAL THEORY
OF HEGEL

 

Oxford University Press

London Edinburgh Glasgow Copenhagen

New York Toronto Melbourne Cape Town

Bombay Calcutta Madras Shanghai

Humphrey Milford Publisher to the University

The ETHICAL THEORY

of

HEGEL

A Study of the

PHILOSOPHY OF RIGHT

---

By HUGH A. REYBURN, M.A., D.Phil.

Professor of Logic and Psychology
at the University of Cape Town

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OXFORD

At the CLARENDON PRESS

1921

 

TO

SIR HENRY JONES, LL.D., F.B.A.

THE GREATEST TEACHER WHOM

I HAVE KNOWN

 

PREFACE

This book was written for the most part before the war, and, save for a slight revision in the early part of 1915, is untouched by war influences. In spite of the long delay which has ensued before publication, I have thought it better to leave my work as it stands. No doubt a very much better book could be written, but any alterations which I should be inclined to make at present would alter the purpose which the book is intended to serve. My intention was to write not on ethical and political theory but on Hegel, and I have made no attempt to recast the Hegelian doctrine in the light of our present knowledge. A reconstruction of our modern problems and outlook on the basis of Hegel’s teaching would be an exceedingly valuable contribution to knowledge, but it is a larger task than is attempted here. The first step toward it is a reasonable knowledge of the authentic Hegel himself, and it is only this step that I have tried to take. Much of the criticism of Hegel current to-day and in the last few years appears to be vitiated by an unsympathetic and somewhat inaccurate interpretation of Hegel, and my endeavour has been to provide an account which will make his view more intelligible. Accordingly criticism has been reduced to a minimum, and has been undertaken only when the comprehension of the theory itself seemed to demand it. Nothing which I have seen since the book was first written has led me to alter my view of Hegel’s teaching.

My indebtedness in carrying out this work has been great. What I owe to the literature will, I hope, be sufficiently obvious from the text. My greatest debt, however, is to Sir Henry Jones of Glasgow University, under whose influence I began this study and from whom I obtained not only valuable detailed assistance in the study of Hegel but also the impulse and encouragement which led me to attempt the work. He has read through the manuscript and enabled me to make it a better book than it could otherwise have been. Portions of the manuscript have also been read by Professor J. W. Scott of Cardiff, Professor A. R. Lord of Grahamstown, and Principal Hetherington of Exeter University College. They are not responsible for my views and mistakes, but they have given me valuable advice. In the labour of preparing the book I have been greatly helped by my wife.

HUGH A. REYBURN.

University of Cape Town,

August 1921.

CONTENTS

page
Introduction		xi
Chapter I.	The Logical Background	1
II.	Fundamental Logical Categories	17
III.	The Real and the Rational	45
IV.	Mind	76
V.	Subjective Mind	90
VI.	Abstract Right	115
VII.	Wrong and Punishment	143
VIII.	The Principles of Morality	158
IX.	Moral Teleology	185
X.	The Ethical Order and the Family	197
XI.	Civil Society or the External State	214
XII.	The State	226
XIII.	The Limits of the State	253