In this work, S.T. Tavoularis explores the programmatic formulations of G.W.F. Hegel regarding idealism, attempting to interpret the philosophical program of this great German thinker in relation to his philosophical environment and the philosophical relevance of his time. The new conception of Hegel's idealism that this work aims to establish differs from the classical connections of Hegel with Kant, with traditional pre-Kantian metaphysics or romanticism. S.T. Tavoularis proposes an interpretation of Hegel's idealism as a reaction to his contemporary mysticism as shaped by F.H. Jacobi, who anticipates mature irrational or nihilistic philosophical objections to Hegel's idealism that were later formulated by important thinkers such as S. Kierkegaard and F. Nietzsche. This work also aims to contribute to the understanding of the interpretation of ancient Greek philosophical literature and specifically the philosophy of Plotinus, which Hegel invoked to substantiate his conception of the history of philosophy as a progressive philosophical evolution towards his idealism.

"Therefore, philosophy coexists with mysticism in Plotinus from different perspectives, and thus Plotinus should not be considered either a precursor of Hegel, as the latter claims wholeheartedly, nor identified with Jacobi. Plotinus is somewhere in between the two.
However, Hegel would be right in distinguishing between Plotinus and Jacobi. His mistake was the way he tried to support his view, namely his specific arguments and not his general position. Therefore, Hegel did the right thing in the wrong way".