Hegel's philosophy is often presented as a reconciliation between thought and the world, and thus logic and metaphysics. But what is the basis of this reconciliation? In this book, Clark Wolf argues that the key to Hegel's transformation of philosophy lies in his recognition of the special logical basis of the humanly made world. Human artifacts and institutions are not merely represented by concepts; concepts are necessary for their very existence. For this reason, Hegel sees the human world, the world of spirit or Geist, as more central in philosophy than the mind-independent world of nature. Hegel's philosophy is thus a humanism. Wolf argues that this humanistic conception of philosophy is justified in Hegel's Science of Logic, since its logical basis is his theory of concepts. Through a detailed interpretation of the Doctrine of the Concept, this book sheds new light on Hegelian idealism.

‘Wolf's engaging and insightful book shows us a Hegel whose core concerns diverge sharply from those of the tradition. This Hegel puts the human, ‘made' world front and center, insisting that it is not just different in kind from the given world of nature but also philosophically more fundamental. With its penetrating treatment of the Hegelian concept of substance and structures of inference, Wolf's ‘artifactual paradigm' opens a new approach to Hegel's Logic. And by extending his reading into Hegel's political philosophy, philosophy of nature, and aesthetics, Wolf shows us how to bring that paradigm to bear on the whole of Hegel's system. His is a striking accomplishment; Hegel's Inversion of Philosophy will prove to be a touchstone for future Hegel scholarship.'

Sebastian Rand - Georgia State University