Hegel's Philosophy and Works

Hegel's Life and Works

• Born on August 27, 1770, in Stuttgart, Germany
• Died on November 14, 1831
• Considered one of the most important figures in German idealism and Modern philosophy
• Influenced epistemology, logic, metaphysics, aesthetics, philosophy of history, philosophy of religion, and the history of philosophy

Phenomenology of Spirit

• Published in 1807
• Aims to guide the reader through the development of consciousness from a subjective viewpoint to an objective philosophical perspective

Science of Logic

• Published in three volumes between 1812 and 1816
• A fundamental text that elucidates Hegel's intricate and systematic philosophical framework
• Lays the groundwork for understanding Hegel's dialectical method and his philosophy of absolute idealism

Encyclopaedia of the Philosophical Sciences

• Published in 1817
• Comprises sections on logic, philosophy of nature, and philosophy of spirit

Key Concepts

• Alienation: the idea of something that is part of us and within us, yet seems foreign or hostile
• Unhappy Soul: those who pray to God, believing themselves to be powerless, ignorant, and base
• Absolute idealism: describes being as an all-inclusive whole, connecting the subject and object

William James

• Born on January 11, 1842, in New York City
• Often referred to as the "Father of American Psychology"
• Made significant contributions to philosophy, particularly in pragmatism, radical empiricism, and theory of emotion

Principles of Psychology

• Published in 1890
• A groundbreaking work that laid the foundation for modern psychology, focusing on consciousness, perception, emotion, and habit

Functionalism

• Proposed that the function of consciousness is to help individuals adapt to their environment, emphasizing practical outcomes of mental processes

Pragmatism

• Coined the term and developed the philosophy that the truth of an idea is determined by its practical consequences and usefulness

Radical Empiricism

• Argued for a pluralistic view of reality, emphasizing experience and the immediate

Theory of Emotion

• Proposed that physiological changes precede and define emotions (James-Lange theory)
• Emotional experiences arise from bodily responses to stimuli

Stream of Consciousness

• Described consciousness as a continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, rather than discrete elements
• Influenced later theories of consciousness and perception

Religious Experience

• Explored religious phenomena as personal experiences of individuals, emphasizing their psychological and philosophical dimensions
• Published in "The Varieties of Religious Experience" (1902)