How did existentialism and phenomenology develop as a response to Hegelian idealism?

Answer 1

Hegelian Idealism was an organic dialectic, i.e. a wholism based on the notion that the world and indeed history is created as a series of distinct logical steps, one based upon another, and that each logical step provides a synthesis of the previous steps. Hegelian dialectics involved a rejection of platonic idealism. Existentialism and Phenomenology were a dissatisfaction over this rejection of idealism as being unjustified rather than erroneous. The notion of dialectic simply stated the idealism as a logical mode, and didn't deal with the problem of the logical structure of reality as it exists, merely as it was hypothesised to exists. There is thus, a lack of connectedness with existence in Hegelian dialectics. Both Existentialism and Phenomenology were phenomenologies, though the latter was nominally 'existential phenomenology'. This differenence in the two being multifaceted, but focussed on the assertion by existentialism that existence precedes essence. Phenomenology by contrast, and as a broader notion than existentialism makes the argument that there is no quantitative distinction between object relationships, but that they spread within planes. As a historicism, Kierkegaard can be argued to be the earliest Existentialist, with Satre being its forceful advocate. The historical drive from Hegelian Idealism is then the dissatisfaction with pure or idealised forms of logic, and the argument for a phenomeno-logic, i.e. of one resting in the plane of the subject. There was simply no credibility to Hegelian dialectical reasoning as subjective to such reasoning was almost a mentalism of Hegel's plant of reality. Phenomenology and existential phenomenology offered the ability to base arguments as to reality into that reality. The mode of subjectivity was a device that connected the system of non-definable object relations into reality. Well that's my opinion, but all opinions differ. I hope that helps, Brian H.

Answer 2

Existentialism and phenomenology emerged as responses to Hegelian idealism by emphasizing individual experience and subjective reality over universal truths and abstract concepts. Existentialism focused on the individual's freedom, choice, and responsibility in creating their own meaning in a seemingly indifferent world, while phenomenology aimed to study phenomena as they appear, without imposing preconceived notions or structures like Hegelian dialectics. Both movements critiqued Hegel's emphasis on rationality and absolute knowledge, instead emphasizing lived experience and the subjective perspective.