[PEN-L:36318] John Reid and the owl of Minerva

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Astonishing, presumably ironical, allusion by John Reid, chair of the
Labour party and member of the UK war cabinet, in a BBC Panorama debate
with Richard Perle, and Edith Creisson:

the owl of Minerva does eventually fly.

This is presumably an echo of Reid's days in the communist party, and
reflects a belief that there is a historical inevitability in the process
in which he and his assoicates are engaged.

Chris Burford
London

From the Preface to Hegel's Philosophy of Right

> Only one word more concerning the desire to teach the world what it ought
> to be. For such a purpose philosophy at least always comes too late.
> Philosophy, as the thought of the world, does not appear until reality has
> completed its formative process, and made itself ready. History thus
> corroborates the teaching of the conception that only in the maturity of
> reality does the ideal appear as counterpart to the real, apprehends the
> real world in its substance, and shapes it into an intellectual kingdom.
> When philosophy paints its grey in grey, one form of life has become old,
> and by means of grey it cannot be rejuvenated, but only known. The owl of
> Minerva, takes its flight only when the shades of night are gathering.