In response to the Fri06Jun03 post by Maurizio Canfora:

> Has it ever touched your mind the idea that probably 100
> dollars, a unicorn, a Ferrari, etc. are all not the same thing
> than "God"?

That is a good point, Maurizio, taken from Hegel himself.
The difference between the finite and true infinity is one
of the key points of Hegel's System.

> This brings us back to the necessity of a definition of
> the term "God".

Yes, of course.

> If "God" is nothing else but the representation of Spirit,
> of the dialectical unity of being and thought reconciled
> with itself, then the ontological argument re-acquires
> all its validity.

Another good point, Maurizio.

> Hegel does not reject Kant's argument that having
> 100 dollars in my mind does not make me richer.
> But "100 dollars" are not the same as "God".

And that is precisely the point, Maurizio. Thank you
for putting it so succinctly.

> The entire philosophy of Hegel is the fascinating
> attempt to show the inconsistency of a dualist form
> of knowledge. Trying to have Hegel corrected by
> Kant is like trying to have Einstein corrected by
> Newton.
>
> Ciao,
> Maurizio Canfora

I agree entirely, Maurizio. The Kantian paradigm has
had its day -- it is beginning to slowly phase out. Yet
it will take a long time, I think, for Hegel's genius to
finally become common sense.

Kant's riddle of the100 dollars missed the point. The
question about God is a question about the Whole,
about the Truly Infinite. Therefore no example from
the finite world can possibly do it justice. All examples
from the finite world will sharply distinguish between
the solid thing and the mental image picture of the thing.

However, when it comes to the Whole, the True Infinite,
the mental image picture of the Whole bursts asunder.
The Atheist is obliged to *prove* his implied position
that God can only be regarded as a finite object that
only appears in the imagination.

As Hegel said -- what the Atheist calls Religion and
what Hegel calls Religion are two different things.

Best regards,
--Paul Trejo