Hegel on Language

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. It provides an overview of his philosophy of language. Hegel is well known as the author of an elaborate and influential form of idealism. He developed his core positions concerning language under the strong influence of, and in substantial agreement with, Herder. The first phase of Herder's influence on Hegel's views about language occurred very early in Hegel's career. Hegel particularly took over from Herder a conception of the primacy of hearing over vision and hence of the spoken over the written word; a principle that thoughts or concepts are essentially dependent on and bounded by language. Additionally, Hegel took over Herder's principle of linguistic-intellectual diversity across historical periods and cultures.