HEGEL 2 0 1 6

T A K E HOME E X AM
DUE DATE: Mon 13th June

Answer any two questions (1, 000 words each). Questions to be answered on the basis of
the course readings.
Submission

All Take-Home essays to be submitted through he Turn-it-in System. The Take Home
exams will not be returned and late take-home exams will normally not be accepted. The
only satisfactory excuses are illness or misadventure. All extension queries address to
John Grumley (email: John.Grumley@sydney.edu.au)

QUESTIONS

1. Explain Hegel’s interpretation of Plato’s Republic in his Preface to Elements of the
Philosophy of Right. How does this fit into his general understanding of philosophy and
is this understanding adequate?

2. Contract plays a major role in Hegel’s analysis of Abstract Right. Explain its role in
this section of the analysis and consider Hegel’s more general criticism of the political
uses of the notion. Is he right?

3. Hegel’s analysis of “the good” and “conscience” reveals that neither notion is selfsustaining.
Explain how he comes to this conclusion? How does he view ethical life
making good the deficit of these moral notions?

4. The concept of “property” features in two sections of the Elements of the Philosophy of
Right. In what way does Hegel’s analysis in respective sections differ and why?

5. In Hegel’s account of civil society he views it as an engine of the production of “a
second human nature”. Explain what is means by this and what are its implications for
our thinking about human beings? (Students who have chosen to do Essay Question 6
should not attempt this question.)

6. In Hegel’s account of the state he tells us that the full development of individuals
requires they pass over “of their own accord” from the interests of particularity to those
of universality (para 260). Explain how Hegel views this process and consider whether in
fact it is demonstrated by his analysis.

7. Hegel is justly famous for his attempt to introduce a new understanding of normativity
into political philosophy. Explain what this means and examine at least one instance of
how it operates in Elements of the Philosophy of Right. How successful is Hegel’s
innovation?