El Sócrates de Hegel: héroe del espíritu y obra de arte trágica

Does Hegel’s philosophical interpretation actually show a propensity to set aside the concrete life of Socrates, the man, in favor of a presumedly immortal and impersonal saga of the spirit? Assuming a perspective that, by a certain methodological epoché, brackets the complex set of problems regarding the relationship between history and thought in the all-encompassing realm of the spirit, our interpretation nevertheless aims, in some respects, to fill in the picture and to suggest some aspects to reflect in relation to the problem. In fact, our main contention is that Socrates is indeed read by Hegel within the context of the history of philosophy (i.e. the form of thought), but also in analogy to a tragic work of art, that is in relation to another area of the spirit and of its complexity. After having presented what we term the “dialectical drama of Socrates”, we will delve into the Socratic method, its form, content and execution, according to Hegel, in order to flesh out the hypothesis set forth above. By way of conclusion, we will provide some brief remarks on the Hegelian conception of the spirit in relation to the principle of interiority, represented by the figure of Socrates, and, in particular, subverting a prominent topos that likens Socrates to Christ, we will interpose the mediating figure of Adam.