This book examines Hegel within his broader historical and philosophical contexts, covering all aspects of his philosophy. It provides an introduction to his logic, epistemology, philosophy of mind, social and political philosophy, philosophy of nature, and aesthetics and features an introductory article on Hegel's life, a conspectus of Terry Pinkard's biography.

1. Hegel: a life Terry Pinkard; 2. Ancient skepticism and modern nihilism in Hegel's early writings Paul Franks; 3. Hegel's Phenomenology as a systematic fragment Jon Stewart; 4. The independence and dependence of self-consciousness: the dialectic of lordship and bondage in Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit Paul Redding; 5. Hegel's logic Stephen Houlgate; 6. Hegel's idealism Robert Stern; 7. Hegel and hermeneutics Michael Forster; 8. Hegel's social philosophy Frederick Neuhouser; 9. Hegel's philosophy of religion Peter Hodgson; 10. Hegel and mysticism Glenn Magee; 11. Philosophizing about nature: Hegel's philosophical project Kenneth Westphal; 12. Hegel's criticism of Newton Edward Halper; 13. The logic of life: Hegel's defense of teleological explanation of living beings James Kreines; 14. Hegel and aesthetics: the practice and 'pastness' of art Allen Speight; 15. The absence of aesthetics in Hegel's aesthetics Robert Pippin.