Hegel, who left an indelible mark on the history of philosophy with his dialectical thought, studied philosophy and theology at the University of Tübingen. After teaching at the universities of Jena and Heidelberg, he was invited to the University of Berlin, where he delivered lectures that would have a profound impact until his death from a cholera epidemic in 1831. Hegel’s major works include *The Phenomenology of Spirit*, *Science of Logic*, *Encyclopedia of the Philosophical Sciences*, and *Principles of the Philosophy of Right*.
In the broadest terms, Hegel’s thought can be expressed by the proposition: “What is rational is actual, and what is actual is rational.” Hegel systematically addresses the unity of being—in both its real and ideal aspects—through activity and the fact that this activity constitutes a rational process, and he asserts that this rational process develops dialectically. Hegel is one of the most studied and debated philosophers, both in his own time, in 20th-century intellectual life, and today.