The first study of its kind, The Impact of Idealism assesses the impact of classical German philosophy on science, religion and culture. This second volume explores German Idealism's impact on the historical, social and political thought of the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Each essay focuses on 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. New light is shed on key developments of Idealist thought, such as Marxism, Critical Theory and feminism, and previously unexamined areas of Idealism's influence are discussed for the first time. This unique, interdisciplinary collection traces the impact of Kant, Hegel, Schelling, Fichte and others in Britain, Europe, North America and beyond. Its insights represent vital contributions to their respective fields, as well as to our understanding of German Idealism itself.

‘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