Humanism
As demonstrated through his writing, Hegel is an optimist. He examines civilization through the lens of humanism and concludes that human progress is the highest goal, so his theories of correctness relate to the development of civilization. This explains the necessity for states and societies to defer to the precedence of previous societies as well as developing solutions to less successful systems of thought. Humanism values the progress of humanity as the highest ethic. Consequently Hegel interjects throughout his text admonitions about the necessity of the participation of the individual in all levels of society. Through this unification of human thought, Hegel believes the truest form of progress can be achieved.
Historical Criticism
Much of Hegel's discussion is devoted to the annals of history. He lauds the constant work of previous societies as models of progress. Only by learning from the past can the future be imagined. He discusses the importance of studying previous societies in order to determine which aspects of the society functioned successfully or not in order to borrow and build upon them. In his line of reasoning, a well-balanced and high functioning society must be developed through both ingenuity and respect for the past.
A Holistic Approach to Ethics
To Hegel, decisions are organic processes. A "correct" decision depends upon the successful synthesis of all other aspect's of the individual's existence. This is why Hegel proposes the three sphere theory. Each of the spheres adds depth to the same question of: what should I do? They all relate to one another simultaneously, however, which means a right decision must be right on each successive level -- abstract, moral, and ethical. If one replaces the word "abstract" with instinct, then the issue becomes even more clear. Hegel is describing the three elements which compile a person: biological, emotional, and mental. In order to correctly determine a course of action a person must bring these three elements into harmony with one another.
