Philosophy Department

19th Century Philosophy (Modern II)
(PHLU 3631)

Robert O'Brien

19th Century Philosophy is a core historical course (highly recommended for all philosophy majors and minors). Building on the history of early modern philosophy (Descartes - Kant), the focus is on the development of German Idealism and Romanticism from the Enlightenment to Nietzsche: Kant, Hegel, Marx, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche.

This course will focus on three themes: Reason, Revolution, Religion.  The topics sparked the most exciting period of modern philosophy. Starting with the encyclopedic Hegel, we shall focus on his dialectical reason and philosophy of history. Hegel is the watershed from which all subsequent philosophy flows, whether for him (a few) or against him (many).  Marx stands Hegel's dialectical theory of history on its head to propose a Revolutionary view of history; then Schopenhauer opposes an irrational cosmic force against Hegelian Reason. Kierkegaard and Nietazsche  both counter Hegel, one with the seemingly irrational "leap of faith" and the other with his proclamation of the "Death of God." Both of these rather rebellious philosophers have become the prime movers of the current, postmodern age.