Idealism, British Idealism, and Analytic Philosophy

Abstract

This chapter posits that any assessment of the long-standing analytic antipathy to Hegel presupposes an understanding of terms such as “British idealism,” “German idealism,” and “idealism.” Analytic thinkers in revolt against idealism, or British idealism, were often never very clear about that against which they were revolting. None of the early analytic thinkers had more than a very general, imprecise conception of British idealism, German idealism, or idealism in general. The types of idealism are very different. German idealists arguably share common goals, such as developing systematic, scientific philosophy through perfecting Kant's Copernican revolution. Other than opposition to standard British empiricism, British idealism apparently lacks a common philosophical project.