Classical Philosophy of German Idealism

Reflection on the book: Bykova M.F. (ed.). The German Idealism Reader. Ideas, Responses, and Legacy. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2019. 472 p.

Abstract

German philosophy of the end of the 18th - first third of the 19th century, the conceptual core of which was made up by the idealistic theories of Kant, Fichte, Schelling and Hegel – is a period of spiritual and intellectual life in Germany, admiring the diversity of talents, a riot of disputes and discussions, the flourishing of literature and the assertion of the strength of the human spirit. Like any other philosophical ideas, idealistic statements were not unanimously received with the full consent of a public. Their criticism came not only from representatives of other directions, for instance an irrationalism or skepticism, but also was born among the representatives of idealism itself, serving as a powerful impetus to development. The philosophical thoughts of Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche represent a negation of the previous era, based on completely different principles. The 20th century continued the tendency of rejection of the classics, offering us the philosophy of postmodernism as a culmination, however, after the total denial of everything reasonable and rational, we again trace the tendency of returning to the era of idealism and justifying its relevance today. The author looks once again to the problems in the study of the philosophy of German idealism in the context of reflection on the book The German Idealism Reader. Ideas, Responses, and Legacy edited by M.F. Bykova.