Continental Philosophy

According to Moore and Bruder, within Continental philosophy there are different ways to describe or identify a philosophical thought (2005). Two of the many and are the highest influential are existentialism, phenomenology. Using the Hegelian philosophy, philosophers could use this method to discuss phenomenology and existentialism.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), an Absolute Idealism, a successor of Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). According to Moore & Bruder, Kant believed “that we can have knowledge only of the world of experience and can have no knowledge of things as they are in themselves” (2005). Hegel refused to accept the concept of the “thing-in-itself”, according to Moore & Bruder (2005). Hegel believed that there was an expression to reality of all thought and reason (Moore & Bruder, 2005). The Absolute Idealists, Hegel, including Johann Gotlieb Fichte (1762-1814), and Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling (1770-1831), went a step further to question Kant’s theories into idealism. “Hegel’s desire was to present an all encompassing theory to bridge the finite with the infinite” (Raymond). Hegel’s philosophy was called Hegelian Idealism.

Hegel uses a language method to develop the Absolute Spirit. He also uses this method to explain his theory on Nature and Spirit. The dialectical method is an idea or as Hegel referred to as a thesis, which then leads to the antithesis. The antithesis is needed in order to view all sides of the idea. Both the thesis and the antithesis form into the synthesis. The synthesis is the truth. Through the thesis and the antithesis, a true reality is formed.

Phenomenology is described by Moore & Bruder as “a movement of thinkers who have a variety of interests and points of view ;”( 2005). Phenomenology is found in Kant’s and Hegel’s theories, although, “the movement regarded itself as anything but Hegelian” (Moore & Bruder, 2005). Phenomenology opposes naturalism. Ideal objects such as numbers may become evident and known, not just the natural world. Phenomenology is to have a better understanding of the relationship between the state of mind of an individual and social life. Phenomenology begins with Edmund Husserl (1859-1938).

Existentialism is another Continental philosophy. Existentialism rejected the Hegelian idea of rational universe and anticipated important themes. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) disliked Hegel’s system. According to Moore & Bruder Hegel’s system was where an individual would “dissolve” to an ideal reality. Kierkegaard points out; an individual has the chance to make choices.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) is another philosopher who disagreed with Hegel’s idealism. Nietzsche eve question Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), who said the will of a person is what does the structuring, whereas Kant said the phenomenal world is what structures the understanding. Nietzsche, according to Moore & Bruder, said “ the world is driven and determined by the will-to-power” (2005).