Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, German philosopher, 1770-1831

Hegel was a German philosopher of the late Enlightenment. He achieved wide renown in his day and, while primarily influential within the continental tradition of philosophy, has become increasingly influential in the analytic tradition as well. Although he remains a divisive figure, his canonical stature within Western philosophy is universally recognized. Hegel’s influence was immense both within philosophy and in the other sciences. Throughout the 19th century many chairs of philosophy around Europe were held by Hegelians, and Kierkegaard, Feuerbach, Marx, and Engels – among many others – were all deeply influenced by, but also strongly opposed to, many of the central themes of Hegel’s philosophy.