In response to the Fri06Jun03 post by Omar Lughod:

> ...So i ask: how is Kant's criticism of the ontological
> argument invalid on Hegelian grounds?
>
> =====
> Omar

Finally, Omar, you have come around to the key issues
that the philosophy student must debate. Well done.
I am also pleased that Beat Greuter, in his own right, has
also raised this central problem in Hegel studies.

(As for Kai's objection about this thread not going
anywhere, I think this logical direction taken by Beat
and Omar today is evidence that this question has a
lot of energy within Hegel studies. Hegel dealt with it,
and it is worthwhile to try to deal with it, as uncomfortable
as it might be.)

Kant's 100 dollar riddle would seem to be air-tight, by
the standards of the modern reader. The idea of 100
dollars is not the same as 100 dollars in my pocket,
therefore Being is *not* included within the Idea.
For Kant the Idea is more of an Abstraction that is
dualistically counterposed to the Real Being of
100 dollars.

That is common sense today. Most people accept it.
Indeed, it would appear most philosophers accept it,
too.

But Hegel didn't accept it. Indeed, his challenge to
Kant provides a foundation upon which Hegel's
metaphysical logic, his speculative dialectical logic,
was established. Without Hegel's solution to the
Ontological Problem, I daresay nobody can
understand Hegel fully. It is the core of his System.

I am glad it came to this, because this echoes a very
lively thread on-going within the Hegel-Intro List,
with Thomas Quine and Randall Jackwak among
others. So, to avoid leading two threads on the same
topic, I hereby ask Thomas and Randall to join this
thread, because, frankly, everybody seems to be at
the same level with regard to this critical lesson in
Hegel studies.

There are several places in Hegel's texts in which he
speaks of Kant's 100 dollar challenge to the Ontological
Solution of Anselm. THESE ARE THE REQUIRED
READINGS that will address the questions posed by
Omar, Beat, Thomas, Randall and many others. Here
are a few of the critical quotations:

1) SCIENCE OF LOGIC (Hegel, 1812, trans. Miller, 1969,
in the section entitled, Being, pp. 85-89)

2) SCIENCE OF LOGIC (Hegel, ibid, in the section
entitled, Objectivity, pp. 705-707)

3) LECTURES ON THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
(Hegel, 1830, trans. Haldane, 1995, volume 3, in the
section on Anselm, pp. 64-67)

4) LECTURES ON THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
(Hegel, ibid., within the section on Kant, pp. 451-454)

5) LECTURES ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
(Hegel, 1824-1827, trans. Hodgson, 1985, in the
Introduction, vol. 3, pp. 69-71)

6) LECTURES ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
(Hegel, ibid., in the section on the Ontological Argument,
pp. 174-184)

7) PHILOSOPHY OF RIGHT (Hegel, paragraph 280)

Kant's challenge is uppermost in Hegel's mind, since this
is the metaphysical problem in sharpest relief. Is it possible
that Being is contained *within* the Idea? That is the puzzle
Kant says no. Hegel says yes.

How in the world can Hegel argue for this radical idea?
Hegel's response to Kant will provide the methodological
basis for the remainder of Hegel's brainchild. We are
taking giant steps forward by choosing to struggle with
Hegel's Ontological Argument.

Omar, feel free to choose any or all of the above citations,
or others of your own choosing. I'm looking forward to
reading more debating about Hegel's criticism of Kant
and his Ontological challenge using the 100 dollars example.

Best regards,
--Paul Trejo, M.A.