This book is the development of far more than countless sleepless nights at the keyboard. I have benefited tremendously from the kindness and good advice of many people over the several years I have studied Hegel's philosophy, these studies culminating in this book. I simply must begin by indicating my sincere thanks to them in this preface.

Avital Simhony first introduced me to Hegel's Philosophy of Right while I was a M.A. student in political science at Arizona State in 1998. Much of my academic life has been spent trying to make sense of this text ever since. I am forever grateful to her for both introducing me to the richness of Hegel's philosophy (and of British Idealism), as well as her continued help over the years.

Brian O'Connor deserves much credit for his enduring encouragement of my work on Hegel since acting as my supervisor at University College Dublin for a M.A. in philosophy. Under his tutelage, my interest in both Hegel's views on punishment and legal theory first blossomed, as well as my initial suspicions that something was amiss with so-called ‘nonmetaphysical’ approaches to the study of Hegel. I am deeply grateful to his continued help since.

I simply cannot thank enough everyone at the University of Sheffield's Department of Philosophy where much of the work for this book was undertaken. None have been as helpful as Bob Stern and I dedicate this book to him with the deepest gratitude a student may offer his teacher.