Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel[a] (27 August 1770 – 14 November 1831) was a German philosopher and a major figure in the tradition of German idealism. He is one of the most important figures in modern Western philosophy, with an influence that extends across a wide range of topics from metaphysical issues in epistemology and ontology, to political philosophy and the philosophy of art and religion.
Born in Stuttgart, Hegel’s life spanned the transitional period between the Enlightenment and the Romantic movement. His thought was profoundly shaped by the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, events which he famously interpreted from a philosophical perspective. His academic career culminated in his position as the chair of philosophy at the University of Berlin, where he remained a dominant intellectual figure until his death in 1831.