Idealism and Existentialism: Hegel and Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century European Philosophy (Continuum Studies in Continental Philosophy, 44)

The history of Continental philosophy is often conceived as being represented by two major schools: German idealism and phenomenology/existentialism. These two schools are frequently juxtaposed so as to highlight their purported radical differences. There is a commonly held view that an abrupt break occurred in the nineteenth century, resulting in a disdainful rejection of idealism in all its forms. This break is often located in the transition from Hegel to Kierkegaard. The history of philosophy in the first half of the nineteenth century has thus been read as a grand confrontation between the overambitious rationalistic system of Hegel and the devastating criticisms of it by Kierkegaard's philosophy of existence. This work aims to undermine this popular view of the radical break between idealism and existentialism by means of a series of detailed studies in specific episodes of European thought. As a whole, this book represents an important attempt to demonstrate the long shadow cast by Kant and Hegel over the subsequent history of European philosophy. Contents 6 Acknowledgments 7 Abbreviations of Primary Texts 8 Preface 14 Introduction 18 Part I: Hegel and German Idealism 26 Chapter 1 Hegel and the Myth of Reason 28 Chapter 2 Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit as a Systematic Fragment 41 Chapter 3 The Architectonic of Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit 58 Part II: Between Idealism and Existentialism 88 Chapter 4 Points of Contact in the Philosophy of Religion of Hegel and Schopenhauer 90 Chapter 5 Kierkegaard’s Criticism of the Absence of Ethics in Hegel’s System 96 Chapter 6 Kierkegaard’s Criticism of Abstraction and His Proposed Solution: Appropriation 111 Chapter 7 Kierkegaard’s Recurring Criticism of Hegel’s “The Good and Conscience” 137 Chapter 8 Hegel and Nietzsche on the Death of Tragedy and Greek Ethical Life 159 Part III: Existentialism 180 Chapter 9 Existentialist Ethics 182 Chapter 10 Merleau-Ponty’s Criticisms of Sartre’s Theory of Freedom 216 Chapter 11 Sartre and Merleau-Ponty on Consciousness and Bad Faith 232 Notes 246 Bibliography 282 Index 296 A 296 B 296 C 296 D 296 E 297 F 297 G 297 H 297 I 297 J 298 K 298 L 298 M 298 N 298 O 298 P 298 R 299 S 299 T 299 U 299 V 299 W 299 Z 299 9781441133991
The history of Continental philosophy is often conceived as being represented by two major schools: German idealism and phenomenology/existentialism. These two schools are frequently juxtaposed so as to highlight their purported radical differences. There is a commonly held view that an abrupt break occurred in the nineteenth century, resulting in a disdainful rejection of idealism in all its forms. This break is often located in the transition from Hegel to Kierkegaard. The history of philosophy in the first half of the nineteenth century has thus been read as a grand confrontation between the overambitious rationalistic system of Hegel and the devastating criticisms of it by Kierkegaard's philosophy of existence.

This work aims to undermine this popular view of the radical break between idealism and existentialism by means of a series of detailed studies in specific episodes of European thought. As a whole, this book represents an important attempt to demonstrate the long shadow cast by Kant and Hegel over the subsequent history of European philosophy.

Acknowledgements Abbreviations of Primary Texts; Preface; Introduction; Part I: Hegel and German Idealism; 1. Hegel and the Myth of Reason; 2. Hegel's Phenomenology as a Systematic Fragment; 3. The Architectonic of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit; Part II: Between Idealism and Existentialism; 4. Points of Contact in the Philosophy of Religion of Hegel and Schopenhauer; 5. Kierkegaard's Criticism of the Absence of Ethics in Hegel's System; 6. Kierkegaard's Criticism of Abstraction and His Proposed Solution: Appropriation; 7. Kierkegaard's Recurring Criticism of Hegel's The Good and Conscience; 8. Hegel and Nietzsche on the Death of Tragedy and Greek Ethical Life III. Existentialism; 9. Existentialist Ethics; 10. Merleau-Ponty's Criticisms of Sartre's Theory of Freedom; 11. Sartre and Merleau-Ponty on Consciousness and Bad Faith; Notes; Bibliography; Index of Persons; Subject Index.

an Original And Provocative Critique Of The Popular View Of The Radical Break Between Idealism And Existentialism In Nineteenth-century Thought.