The first study of its kind, The Impact of Idealism assesses the impact of classical German philosophy on science, religion and culture. This third volume explores German Idealism's impact on the literature, art and aesthetics of the last two centuries. Each essay focuses on the legacy of an idea or concept from the high point of German philosophy around 1800, tracing out its influence on the intervening period and its importance for contemporary discussions. As well as a broad geographical and historical range, including Greek tragedy, George Eliot, Thomas Mann and Samuel Beckett, and key musicians and artists such as Wagner, Andy Warhol and Frank Lloyd Wright, the volume's thematic focus is broad. Engaging closely with the key aesthetic texts of German Idealism, this collection uses examples from literature, music, art, architecture and museum studies to demonstrate Idealism's continuing influence.

‘This unprecedented collection by scholars from the UK, US, and Europe chronicles the rise of German Idealism and reveals its enduring influence on virtually every area of modern thought and action from philosophy to science, society and politics, the practice, criticism, and theory of the arts, and religion.'

Paul Guyer - University of Pennsylvania

‘The Impact of Idealism is a monumental achievement, a bold attempt to fathom the legacy of German idealism in every sphere of culture. The extent and the depth of the enterprise, in its four volumes, is staggering. Nothing like it has been done before, and it is unlikely that anything like it will ever be attempted again. It is the product of an impressive array of scholars, virtually everyone who is anyone in the field. It is sure to be the standard work on the subject. Anyone whose work touches on German idealism, which is almost all of us, will need to read it.'

Frederick Beiser - Syracuse University