Paul Edward Trejo (b. 1952, Pasadena, California) obtained a Master of Arts degree from California State University in 1989 with a thesis on Hegel's PHENOMENOLOGY (1807). In the early 1990's Trejo, a computer programmer in Silicon Valley, engaged several students and scholars in Usenet discussions about Hegel. Some of those writings still circulate around the Internet, for example, three on this links page:
http://www.hegel.org/links.html
From such writings Trejo was invited by Dr. Lawrence Stepelevich to join the Hegel Society of America (HSA) in the early 1990's. As a continuing member of that organization, Trejo has been praised by some scholars and vilified by others, including some who more than once have called for banning Trejo from Internet discussions!
Paul Trejo has also explored the writings of the forgotten Hegelian, Bruno Bauer, and in 2002 Edwin Mellen Press published Trejo's ENGLISH EDITION OF BRUNO BAUER'S 1843 "CHRISTIANITY EXPOSED" (with a commendatory preface by Dr. David MacGregor). This is the first and only English edition of Bauer's controversial work which was banned upon publication.
More recently Trejo has collaborated with Kai Froeb, Maurizio Canfora and Beat Greuter on the well-known Hegel web site, www.hegel.net.
Paul Trejo's general view of the history of Philosophy is that since the death of Hegel Western Philosophy has steadily declined, and this has been reflected in a general decline of Western political acumen, ethical insight and theological enthusiasm. Not a nihilist or pessimist, Trejo advocates a review of Hegel's speculative philosophy, with its innovation in the science of logic, in order to recapture what was lost after the mid-1800's, and to revive Western culture.
His position led him to a consistent criticism of Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Heidegger and other sacred cows of modern literature. Such a theme is broad and arcane, and so it may be understandable that emotions run high on both sides of Trejo's argumentation.
Since 2005, Trejo has made contributions to Wikipedia entries on Western Philosophers (e.g. Nietzsche) and has engaged in some long controversies. --[A READER, 2/2/2007]
- This user loves using Hegel (his God) as a dogmatic thrusting point while bashing all other philosophers. He has absolutely no taste and will surely bring an end to all competence everywhere.
- You have been warned about what can happen. Hegelian vengence like this has never before been seen on the face of this Earth. It will bring an end to all.
- A good approach is never to take his claims seriously. He lacks all insight and capacity.
- A first class troll. A genuine shame to humanity.
- He has also made claims of having an MA in philosophy.
- Yes, academics like him exist after all.... Poor wretched creature.
- You may shed your tears for him but do nothing in his aid, his race is with the small, ridiculous type.
- --[UNSIGNED]
- My, my -- am I really so influential? As for my MA, it's from Cal State, 1989. You could look it up. P.S. HEGEL REVEALS GOD THE ETERNAL SPIRIT, CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, TO OUR FINITE MINDS. Petrejo 05:19, 7 February 2007 (UTC)