CLASSICAL GERMAN PHILOSOPHY

Contents of lectures:
Introduction
Prominent German philosophers:
Hegel
Feuerbach
The importance of German classical philosophy
Recommended Reading

Georg Wilhelm Hegel (1770-1831)
Hegel was born in the family of local authority
He graduated from two German’s universities: Tubingen and Jena. He was invited to the University of Berlin and became its rector
Main Hegel works are: "The philosophy of the spirit", "Phenomenology of Spirit", "Philosophy of History" and “Logic"

Georg Wilhelm Hegel (1770-1831)
The main issue for Hegel was the same as Kant put - is it possible or not to know the "thing in itself"
In Kant's "thing in itself" are the objects and phenomena of the world that exists independently of human consciousness
That is why they are unknowable because of the limited human mind
"Things in itself" according to Hegel may be knowable, as they are manifested in the phenomena of the world and available human senses

Georg Wilhelm Hegel
Hegel proceeds from the fundamental idea of ​​the identity of thinking and being
Everything that happens is directly reflected in the thinking of man
If to find the laws of thought, it is possible to automatically identify the laws of the world

3 basic laws of the dialectic by Hegel:
1. Transformation of quantitative into qualitative
The increase of the quantitative change comes to high point. Then they transform in the qualitative state. Nature : turning water into steam or ice. Area of ​​thinking: the accumulation of facts about something leads to the possibility to formulate a theory
2. Unity and struggle of opposites
Every phenomenon consists of opposing elements, which are constantly competing with each other, but it cannot exist without each other. Nature: a magnet, there are always two opposite poles. Area of ​​thinking - man thinks always paired categories by: thesis - antithesis

3 basic laws of the dialectic by Hegel:
3. Denial law (the law of double negation)
Every phenomenon passes at least 3 stages in its development. Second step is the negation of the first stage, the third - the denial of the second. At the end, everything comes back to the first stage, but in a different form
Nature: the grain. The grain in the first phase was put. In the second stage a sprout (сабақ/росток) grows, denying the existence of grain. In the third stage the sprout transforms into a spike (масақ/колос) with a certain number of grains. That is a repetition of the first stage, but in a different quantitative level
Sphere of public life: the French Revolution. In the 1 stage there was an absolute monarchy, at the 2 - a revolution and the overthrow of the monarchy. In the 3 stage, Napoleon came to power and restored the monarchy, like at the 1 phase, but at a different level of quality

Georg Wilhelm Hegel
According to Hegel's dialectical method, all the phenomena of the world are in constant movement and development.
Contribution to the philosophy
of Hegel:
Development of the dialectical method
Development of the doctrine of the law and the state as an integral component of the absolute idea

Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach
(1804-1872)
Feuerbach was a disciple of Hegel, but then rejected his theory of criticism
Feuerbach first revealed the contradiction between the method and system of Hegel
He criticized Hegel for excessive (шектең тыс/чрезмерный) abstractness of the real life, and isolation from the specific problems of man

Feuerbach (1804-1872)
He offered to rename philosophy to anthropology and the science of man
Main goal of philosophy according to Feuerbach is to promote maximum for the self-realization of the person
The religion put a person in a low position, kills confidence and prevents his development
People have created gods in their own image and likeness (ұқсастық/подобие)
They needed, ideally, a model and have created it, giving the qualities that would like to see
Then, after a few generations, this ideal was perceived as a kind of super idol - God

Feuerbach (1804-1872)
In the center of the new religion must be put the person who will regain the lost quality attributed to God
Feuerbach was well known for his criticism of the contradictions of philosophy of Hegel and humanistic nature of his teachings
He was one of the first to attempt to give a philosophical justification for the cause of the religion