History of 19th Century Philosophy

History of 19th Century Philosophy

The 19th century philosophy is primarily a period in which romanticism and idealism reached their peak in German philosophy. Similarly, it is observed that materialism gained new depth and prominence. In French philosophy, on one hand, reformist thinkers such as Charles Fourier, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, and Claude Henri de Saint-Simon can be seen, while on the other hand, the emergence of August Comte and positivism becomes evident. It is also necessary to include historian Tocqueville and sociologist and thinker Emile Durkheim here.

It is stated that the 19th century is generally a century of history, which means that both historical consciousness develops and the tendency to consider and evaluate thought and philosophy together with history begins to gain theoretical significance. Thus, a discipline like political theories and sociology emerged within philosophy. In broad terms, the 19th century witnessed the development and strengthening of idealistic philosophy in Germany, socialist thought in France, and economic theory in England. It would not be wrong to define them as movements. In philosophy, romantic thought, idealism, materialism, realism, rationalism, historicism, and positivism emerged in this century.

The 19th century emerged as a period where political ideologies became prominent in terms of history. Socialist thought and its philosophical roots gained prominence in this period, while liberalism and its philosophical roots became more defined. Although the philosophical positioning of 18th-century enlightenment continued, it can be said that it took shape as an orientation that looked at enlightenment philosophical concepts with some skepticism. The impact of the disappointments that emerged after the French Revolution can be seen in the philosophies of the 19th century.

Important Thought Movements That Left Their Mark on the Period: