In message of 17/12/98 Stephen W. Taylor <swtaylor@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
Could we have a few words on the 'Hegel List at Bucknell'?

This List, has been very exciting for me, as Paul Trejo's responses have made it possible for me to delve much deeper into The Science of Logic; the dialectical method of reasoning.

Is this a list we can tap into, join, or is it a news group we can access? I would very much appreciate to know this. It is exciting for me too because I believe (think) 'Hegel' is beginning to unravel.

A lot of research results have also been exchanged regarding those Hegel commented about, as well as those whom he knew. I also think many academics use this list to get some feedback on their books. No doubt, this accounts for a lot of its popularity. A conference has also been mentioned and discussed, but I have not seen any evidence yet, that it has had any cultural significance - no real attempt to reverse the 'them and us' attitude of the establishment in our institutions. Those who hang onto the dialectical truth, are still outsiders in my opinion.

Some might find that there is not enough discussion of a scholarly nature. Despite this, there have been many challenging threads, where opinion is generally well informed and well focused. If there are any other discussions groups, or forums where there is R & D in dialectical logic then I would like to know ?

Steve Taylor: A newsgroup devoted to Hegel, "alt philosophy Hegel" (?) as a focus between public and specialists would be very good. It has to come.

After reading Marx, Uchida, and Tony Smith's introduction would someone please explain, how they think the dialectical method is supposed to work. I have a good idea, but I can't test my realisation of its notion if no one is willing to make a contribution.

Steve Taylor: I think if we keep the goal in front of us something will open out. New information is continuing to emerge. I am just reading Terry Pinkard's "Hegel's Phenomenology, The Sociality of Reason" and finding it very good. I won't say it's not tough. In my opinion everything hinges on making it more and more accessible to more and more people.

For instance, the notion that uses the logical idea, as one that properly belongs to history, appears to me to smack of subjective idealism ( See Novack's Logic of Marxism, Lecture IV page 4 of 8 ). So, the idea that Hegel's method can be turned against his own conclusion, actually negates the dynamics of the dialectics. For this reason I am tempted to believe, that it is really a fear of what is implied in Hegel's PHENOMENOLOGY OF SPIRIT, that has turned so many away from his method. Others of course; of a more religious persuasion have no problem with his realisation of the notion; the absolute for itself, but they of course are on the horns of a dilemma, when they reject the method he discovered.

Thank you,

Paul Healey