Hegel: On Logic, Concept, and Cognition

Hegel's Science of Logic grapples with the fundamental question of truth and the nature of logical thought itself. The text critically examines traditional philosophical approaches, including Kant's transcendental idealism and Spinoza's substantiality, arguing for a dialectical method that moves beyond abstract identities to comprehend the interconnectedness of concepts. It systematically explores the forms of thought, progressing from being and essence to the concept, judgment, and syllogism, ultimately arriving at the idea of cognition and the will. Hegel emphasizes that true understanding involves recognizing the inherent negativity and self-relation within concepts, which drives their development and reveals the unity of subject and object. The work critiques formal logic and mathematics for their reliance on external relations and abstract identities, proposing a logic that embraces the dynamic and self-determining nature of thought. Ultimately, the excerpts lay the groundwork for a comprehensive system that understands reality through the unfolding of logical categories.