Abstract

This chapter explores the intersections between Hegel, the pragmatic turn, and the later Wittgenstein, with the goal of determining whether pragmatic theme can be identified in Hegel’s philosophy. It begins by acknowledging Hegel’s influence on pragmatism through figures such as Peirce, Dewey, Mead, James, Rorty, and Brandom, paying particular attention to how the latter’s interpretations of Hegel shed new light on Hegelian philosophy-although it is debated whether Brandom extracts from or projects onto Hegel’s work. Wittgenstein is then taken as a framework for examining pragmatic elements in Hegel’s philosophy. Four key Wittgensteinian idea-language as a tool, the concept of the form of life, epistemological foundationalism, and philosophy as therapy-are used to analyze corresponding themes in Hegel. The discussion concludes by assessing the relevance of these idea for a pragmatic reading of Hegel, suggesting that while some pragmatic elements are evident, Hegel’s philosophy defie a strictly pragmatic interpretation.