According to Hegel, history is the story of the “world spirit” gradually coming to consciousness of itself. Although the world has always existed, human culture and human development have made the world spirit increasingly conscious of its intrinsic value.’ ‘How could he be so sure of that?’ ‘He claimed it as a historical reality. It was not a prediction. Anybody who studies history will see that humanity has advanced toward ever-increasing “self-knowledge” and “self-development.” According to Hegel, the study of history shows that humanity is moving toward greater rationality and freedom.
