The resort to Hegel doesn't help either, much more idle talk there. — Pussycat

I agree with You. I even think that most of Hegel's writings is not just idle but pompous word tinkle. Nevertheless I find his basic assumption of dynamic evolution of ideas interesting. Wouldn't even this forum be quite dull and uninspiring without conflicting opinions that might lead us to new insights?

And yet, out of/in reaction to Hegel, emerged, arguably, Kierkegaard, Heidegger, existentialism, psychoanalysis, postmodernism, Marx, and Marxism, the understanding of dialectic, and so on and so on. I agree it is all idle talk if it is simply absolute Truth one is after. If it is, like everything human, stabs at the shadows in the dark cave, with the motive of coming up with useful artifacts, it is not idle talk, but rather, one of our many forms of science.

Hegel certainly thought very highly of himself. But how could he not? I mean, his discussion of world-historical figures, combined with the confidence in the validity of his system - as representing the culmination of philosophical thought and a comprehensive understanding of reality - necessarily leads to him being the greatest of great. And so Hegel crowned himself king, he must have been very proud, absolutely. This pompousness, like you say, certainly puts some people off, to the point of disregarding him completely. But not you, apparently. What is it that you saw in Hegel, despite of his arrogance and lack of shame, that prompted you to invoke this thinker? And to answer your question with yet another question, don't you think we are flogging a dead horse?

What is it that you saw in Hegel, despite of his arrogance and lack of shame, that prompted you to invoke this thinker? — Pussycat

I was impressed by his writings on logic ("Wissenschaft der Logik"). Staring from nothingness ("Nichts") to find that being ("Seyn") without any attributes is essentially nothing, found me at home with my occupation during the last few years regarding Zen-Buddhism and the concept of "Shunyata". Applying the notion of dialectic leads quite easily to a dynamic process of everything else. Besides, his emphasis on subjective immediacy ("Unmittelbarkeit") reminded me of Whitehead's "actual entities".

Maybe I should read his "Phänomenologie" after forty years again. But in my opinion he uses to many words (idle talk) and impedes thus seeing the basic ideas, to see, as we say in German "den Wald vor lauter Bäumen nicht".

If we apply Hegel's idea to philosophy at large, it is not idle talk at all but the necessary ingredient for a dynamic development of ideas. — Pez

Yes, but not just ideas. The point of Hegel's (Plato's) dialectic is that logical & physical contradictions (competing ideas & forces) --- in isolation --- are not just false, but stagnant*1. Yet contradictions, when synthesized by physical stresses or social debate or philosophical dialogue, can be progressive. In fact, some thinkers have concluded that all emergent evolutionary processes are dialectic in method*2.

Physical evolution opposes Positive & Negative forces that push & pull on matter, resulting in adaptive changes in constitution. Likewise, Metaphysical evolution opposes contrary ideas & beliefs, in order to adapt them to new situations*3. Hence, in effect, synthetic Philosophy is metaphysical evolution, winnowing & harmonizing obsolete beliefs, in order to get us Closer to Truth*4. :smile:

*1. Dialectical Evolution of Truth :
Dialectic in Classical philosophy is denoted as a form of discussion that takes place between two entities; it is the logical reasoning and a form of a method through which the introduction of proposition and counter proposition is practised while the main aim of the debate remains the same, that is reaching an objective truth through this course. Much of the prestige and role is deserved by the classical philosophers Socrates and Plato in the evolution of the Dialectic method.
https://unacademy.com/content/upsc/study-material/philosophy/dialectical-method/

*2. Physical & Historical Evolution are Dialectical Processes :
Darwinism is Hegelian dialectics applied to biology — or you might say that Hegelian dialectics is Darwinism applied to history.
https://evolutionnews.org/2020/09/darwinism-as-hegelian-dialectics-applied-to-biology/

*3. Evolution of Truth :
Our understanding of the truth is constantly evolving.
https://evolutionoftruth.com/

*4. Both/And Principle :
My coinage for the holistic principle of Complementarity, as illustrated in the Yin/Yang symbol. Opposing or contrasting concepts are always part of a greater whole. Conflicts between parts can be reconciled or harmonized by putting them into the context of a more complete whole system.
https://blog-glossary.enformationism.info/page10.html

Just chiming in - To me, Hegel is ridiculous, pompous and barely says anything interesting, in my opinion. it is no wonder he inspired some of the most insipid, nonsense-laden philosophy of the following centuries. Even people who love his work seem to all devolve, eventually into "Maybe he was just talking shit..." and yeah, he clearly was. His self-aggrandizement may have been his biggest obstacle.