The most important thing to read is the Science of Logic. There you can grasp the method he uses in all his works, especially the one used in the Phenomenology. If you just read the Phenomenology, you will surely be lost or impose your own thoughts on his project. Feel free to ask me any questions.
The problem with summaries is that they are often times reductive and unhelpful. There is a trilogy of books titled “Encyclopedia” that are shorter and broader. I can also recommend secondaries for the relevant works 2/2
Honestly the best introduction to the problem and state of philosophy (and Hegel hopes to achieve with his entire project) is summarized in an earlier section in the Logic: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/hl/hlbegin.htm
Any given introduction from any of his books/lectures are great for having an idea of purpose.
Hegel’s main work—phenomenology of spirit/mind/geist—is primary for a reason, if you’re interested in his overall cognitive science project! From there Science of Logic is an incredibly comprehensive elaboration of sorts.
That said, his style definitely takes getting used to, which can be painful!
If you’re more interested in him as a foundation for further thought and/or for his more specific writings (eg historiography, anthropology), I would recommend:
3. Branch out to secondary sources focused on your area of interest, and read the primary sources they focus on as you see fit! For each topic he generally has one or two “main” texts to focus on.
Be warned that interpretations vary *wildly*. He inspired both Nazis and Marxists, somehow!
This is all a very biased take ofc, from a committed, non-credentialed Hegel fan!
Sadly can’t recommend many secondary sources myself, but a) tertiary sources can help guide you, and b) something tells me you might know him from references already, so you can trace those lines back.
Thabk you for thorough advice. Indeed it was recommended while having a Module on Marx... The pain of the reading, that I was told, n I feel like I want the challenge for a bit.
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Aside from this, one of my friends runs a Hegel YouTube channel as well as blog: https://empyreantrail.wordpress.com/method-and-system/ 1/2
Any given introduction from any of his books/lectures are great for having an idea of purpose.
That said, his style definitely takes getting used to, which can be painful!
1. Start with a tertiary overview, say https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hegel, for gen context+his project
2. Read the (~50pg?) preface to PoS
Be warned that interpretations vary *wildly*. He inspired both Nazis and Marxists, somehow!
Sadly can’t recommend many secondary sources myself, but a) tertiary sources can help guide you, and b) something tells me you might know him from references already, so you can trace those lines back.
Best of luck!