--- In hegel@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Merrill <merrillbp@...> wrote:

> I really am outside of Hegelianism. And in fact very far away, not like
> those Kantian neighbors you are always squabbling with.
>
> And happily so-- which may be ever harder for Hegelians to grasp than the
> case that there is an outside...

Of course there's an outside, Bruce.

It is simply human nature not to be interested in things--and especially things that require an effort. Often times people brag that they are not interested in this or that, as though it were some remarkable distinction on their part. But that is just the norm. Insofar as someone is actually interested in something, whatever it might be, that is unusual.

And, certainly, one doesn't become a Hegelian first and then, on that basis, begin to read Hegel. If, for whatever reason, someone makes the effort to read Hegel then, perhaps, they might find Hegel interesting.

You've expressed an interest in 18th century English philosophy. I haven't read any of that. Of course I've heard what their opinions are in 25 words or less. On that basis they certainly don't seem worth troubling with. But maybe if I actually got a book by one of them and tried to read it, maybe I would find it interesting. Maybe I would find it to be time well spent. From the little I know of them, though, I don't have any reason to think that.

At any rate, if you want to engage with Hegel, then you need to get one of his books or lectures. Maybe you will find it interesting. Maybe you will like it enough to get another of his books and read it. Then, maybe, just as if you listened to a great deal of music by Mozart you might learn to become a fan of Mozart, so here, too, you might become a fan of Hegel.

But that, of course, is not something most people do.

John