The future, according to Hegel, is a yielding element in which a variety of things can be imagined. He who speaks of the future of a particular philosophy can look upon previous achievements and desire to build upon them, thereby abandoning himself to illusory hopes. It cannot however be denied that hermeneutic philosophy, contrary to all predictions, has even in America triumphed over competing directions, or at least has joined together with them in a combination [which] is difficult to understand.