Introduction to the History of Philosophy

Note that this document has undergone special formating to ensure that Lenin’s sidenotes fit on the page, marking as best as possible where they were located in the original manuscript.

A very pro- found correct comparison!! Every shade of thought = a circle on the great circle (a spi- ral) of the development of human thought in general

...“I maintain that the sequence in the systems of philosophy in history is the same as the sequence in the logical deduc- tion of the Notion-determinations of the Idea. I maintain that if the fundamental conceptions of the systems appearing in the history of Philosophy be entirely di- vested of that which pertains to their outward form, their relation to the partic- ular and the like, the various stages in the determination of the Idea itself are found in its logical Notion.”

“Conversely in the logical progression taken for itself, there is, so far as its prin- cipal elements are concerned, the progres- sion of historical manifestations; but it is necessary, of course, to be able to discern these pure Notions in what the historical form contains.” (43)

P. 56—ridicule of the chasing after fash-

ion,—after those who are ready “auch jedes Geschwöge (?) für eine Philo- sophie auszuschreien.” Pp. 57-58— excellent for strict historicity in the history of philosophy, so that one should not ascribe to the ancients a “development” of their ideas, which is comprehensible to us but which in fact was not present in the ancients.

Thales, for example, did not possess the conception άρχή (as a prin- ciple), did not possess the concept of cause...

...“Thus there are whole nations which have not this concept” (of cause) “at all; indeed it involves a great step forward in development....” (58)

Extremely lengthy, empty and tedious on the relation of philosophy to religion. In general, an introduction of almost 200 pages—impossible!!