Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher and a major figure in the tradition of German idealism. His influence on Western philosophy extends across a wide range of topics—from metaphysical issues in epistemology and ontology to political philosophy to the philosophy of art and religion.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) was a pivotal German philosopher, a key figure in German Idealism, known for his complex system emphasizing history, spirit, and reason's dialectical progression (thesis-antithesis-synthesis), culminating in his influential works like Phenomenology of Spirit and Science of Logic, impacting subsequent thinkers from Marx to existentialists. Born in Stuttgart, he studied theology, befriended Hölderlin and Schelling at Tübingen, and later became a prominent professor at Berlin, shaping modern philosophy with his ideas on interconnectedness and progress through conflict. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Early Life & Education (1770–1790s)
- Birth & Family: Born August 27, 1770, in Stuttgart; his father was a civil servant.
- Stuttgart & Tübingen: Attended the Royal Highschool, then studied theology at Tübingen University (1788-1793) alongside poets Hölderlin and philosopher Schelling.
- Enlightenment Influence: Immersed in classics and the European Enlightenment; supported the French Revolution's ideals. [2, 5, 6, 7, 8]
Early Career & Development (1790s–1806)
- Tutor Years: Worked as a private tutor in Bern and Frankfurt, developing early ideas on religion and society.
- Jena: Joined Schelling at the University of Jena in 1800, becoming an associate professor in 1805.
- Phenomenology of Spirit (1807): Completed his first major work amidst the Napoleonic Wars, exploring the development of consciousness. [2, 6, 8, 9]
Later Career & Major Works (1807–1831)
- Nuremberg: Served as a gymnasium headmaster (1808-1816).
- Science of Logic (1812-1816): Published his monumental work on logic, as noted by Marxists Internet Archive.
- Heidelberg & Berlin: Accepted professorships, eventually becoming a leading figure at the University of Berlin (from 1818).
- Elements of the Philosophy of Right (1821): A key work on his social and political philosophy, exploring freedom in the state, according to Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Death: Died in Berlin in 1831 during a cholera epidemic, according to Marxists Internet Archive. [4, 8, 10, 11, 12]
Key Ideas
- Dialectic: A process of resolving contradictions (thesis vs. antithesis) to reach a higher, more complete synthesis, driving historical and conceptual development.
- Absolute Idealism: Believed reality is a manifestation of Spirit (Geist) unfolding through history.
- Influence: Profoundly impacted Karl Marx (dialectical materialism) and existentialists like Kierkegaard, shaping 19th and 20th-century thought. [1, 4, 10, 13]
AI responses may include mistakes.
To really get Marx’s writings, it’s a good idea to start with Hegel.
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