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Hegelian Idealism?

I would like a brief explanation on Hegelian Idealism. Kind of like Hegelian Idealism for dummies!! Thanks.


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: In a nutshell, Hegel thinks that when our intellects or minds become fully conscious, awakened, or enlightened, we will have a perfect understanding of reality. In short, our thoughts about reality, and reality itself, will be the same. He argues this by showing that the mind goes through an evolution of changes on its way to what he calls "absolute spirit."

Contrary to some readers, he does not argue that whatever someone thinks about is reality, or that somehow "ideas" are more real than physical reality. Indeed, he attempts to show that the distinction we make between our thoughts and the world external to these thoughts is not so clear cut.

For example, imagine you are looking at an object, say a cup. You realize that you are forming an idea of this cup, it's color, smell, its feel. You have a conscious awareness of the cup. Then you ask yourself, "where is your consciousness?" Is it in your brain, outside your brain, somewhere else? Hegel wants to show that a perfectly enlightened person will realize that thoughts are coincident with reality, but this reality is not simply made up.