German Idealism and its Consequences module (PI42017)

In 1781, Kant published his "Critique of Pure Reason" and declared that before it, there was no true philosophy. Not much later, Hegel declared that philosophy had now attained its final form and, therefore, had already reached its end sometime between 1806 and 1831. This module will introduce you to German Idealism, a period of philosophy that became prominent and highly influential. This period lasted either '25 years' (E. Foerster) or 50 years, based on different historical interpretations.

The module covers the main principles, essential questions, and key concepts of German Idealism, exploring what unifies this philosophical movement. It also delves into the German Idealists' belief that their era represented the pinnacle of philosophical thought, asserting that there was no true philosophy before their time and none would follow after. Exploration of these topics will also enable a perspective on what happened in philosophy after the peculiar 'German moment' (A. Badiou) of German Idealism.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• study the key questions and concepts of the German Idealist tradition
• critically discuss the philosophical achievements mainly of Immanuel Kant and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, as well as the writings of Johann Gottlieb Fichte and Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• demonstrate understanding of the development of the main nexuses of German Idealism
• discuss the conceptual consequences German Idealism yielded in and for the formation of European philosophy in the 19th century and after

Assignments / assessment

• essay 3,000 words (80%)
• student question posts (20%)
  • questions posted by each student before each seminar session

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• interactive lectures and seminars