Abstract

Professor Errol E. Harris in his review in The Owl of Minerva of Dr. Petry’s translation of the Naturphilosophie attributes Hegel’s “firm rejection of theories of biological evolution” to the lack of scientific evidence. “He had the philosophical insight but he refused to claim support for it from scientific theories which were largely based on speculation.” The inference seems to be that if Hegel had lived to read Darwin’s Origin of Species he would have accepted a theory of evolution. Professor Harris is, of course, very far from being alone in holding this view, but it is one which I cannot share. But before giving my reason for disagreeing with him, I wish to point out an oversight on my part which should be corrected.