Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel was one of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century. Born on August 27, 1770, in Stuttgart, Germany, Hegel played a central role in German idealism and laid the foundation for many modern philosophical schools of thought, including existentialism, Marxism, and phenomenology. HEGEL: Early Life and Education Hegel was born into a middle-class Protestant family. His father worked as a civil servant, and from a young age, Hegel showed ...