"This study first sets dialectical logic in opposition to its fundamental alternative - Aristotelian, analytic logic - by presenting a concise account of the latter and bringing out the main points of contrast. Bencivenga then introduces Hegel's logic as a semantics of narratives: the initial metaphor is Wittgenstein's family resemblances, which gets articulated by addressing Hegelian absolute idealism. The ...Full description
"This study first sets dialectical logic in opposition to its fundamental alternative - Aristotelian, analytic logic - by presenting a concise account of the latter and bringing out the main points of contrast. Bencivenga then introduces Hegel's logic as a semantics of narratives: the initial metaphor is Wittgenstein's family resemblances, which gets articulated by addressing Hegelian absolute idealism. The notion of a narrative is further clarified in terms of (narrative) probability. Bencivenga also discusses both memory and consciousness, and he addresses the puzzle of how spiritual movement can be dominated by necessity and yet be creative at the same time. The book considers the many ways in which Hegel can be conceived to be at the end of history: some much less problematic than ordinarily thought, others responsible for serious intellectual dangers.