IV. From the Philosophy of History
Oriental World Greek World Roman World German Word
Childhood Adolescence Manhood Old Age
Despotism Democracy Aristocracy Monarchy
One is free Some are free All are free
(Weakness as Nature; Strength as Spirit)
1. Oriental World: Unreflected consciousness, substantial objective, and spiritual existence; no realization of subjectivity; stress on morality although externally directed.
2. Greek World: Spirit emerges more clearly because of the development of the individual, possessing subjective freedom
3. Roman World: characterized by subjective inwardness, along with universalizing law.
4. German World: characterized from earliest times by the sense of Heart, “that undeveloped, indeterminate totality of Spirit in reference to the Will, in which satisfaction of soul is attained in a correspondingly general and indeterminate way”; Heart as the key to overcoming the meaningless universal abstractions and superficial appearances of Church through the Reformation.
