#FurniturePhilosophy: Volume 2

In the format Furniture Philosophy I regularly show you how designer furniture and our work at Revive related to philosophy.

The second issue deals with Hegel’s statement: “The true is the whole” – and what the circular economy has to do with it.

The philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) wrote in a manner as convoluted as his name sounds. But he once formulated something very clear: that every truth also completely must be! That's logical at first. Because if I ask someone for directions and they only tell me half the route, that's of little use to me.

What's fascinating, however, is that Hegel also meant the right thing with this "complete truth ." The philosopher wasn't just concerned with describing how things are. That's what natural scientists do, after all. Rather, he wanted to explain how the world and people should actually be . Hegel wanted to describe what a thing is like when it is true, that is, completely correct.

And, of course, something is only right if it's complete. Otherwise, a part is missing. A chair without a seat, for example, wouldn't be a real chair. Furthermore, something shouldn't suddenly fall apart. If a company sold me a sofa that broke after five minutes, I'd say: That wasn't a real sofa! So, something is right if it's complete and consistently functioning. That's what Hegel's phrase "The true is the whole" means.

I say: That's exactly what the idea of a circular economy means! After all, what good is a great piece of furniture if it falls apart after a few years and ends up in a landfill? And how great are the most beautiful designer pieces if they only end up in a few exclusive living rooms? So, one could say with Hegel: The truth of good furniture is that it is durable. And accessible. That would be "right."

At Revive , we work on this every day! Our vision is a circular economy in which used furniture is passed on. A system in which nothing is wasted and more people have access to beautiful, high-quality furniture. And that's exactly how it should be. Here, too, the whole picture would be the right approach! Approaching used furniture holistically, rather than just short-term or one-sidedly.

What I find most beautiful about Hegel's statement is that, among other things, he had love in mind. When you love, you accept the other person completely. Even through difficult times. What a beautiful thought!

Below this blog post, I've compiled a selection of furniture pieces that particularly reminded me of Hegel's idea. You'll find even more treasures in our new arrivals this week.

My philosophical highlights