Book: Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy

Introduction
"Ludwig Feuerbach and completion of Classical German Philosophy" is a book written by Friedrich Engels in 1886. It examines the effect of Ludwig Feuerbach's philosophy on the development of German classical approach, mainly concentrating on the works of Immanuel Kant, George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Feuerbach himself. Engels argues that though Feuerbach played a crucial part in forming modern-day idea, his philosophy ultimately failed due to its materialist constraints. Engels goes on to assert that the only method to fully conquer these restrictions is by accepting dialectical materialism, the advanced philosophical perspective established by Karl Marx and Engels himself. The book is divided into four primary parts.

The Development of German Idealist Philosophy
Engels starts by laying out the advancement of German philosophy, beginning with Kant, who looked for to reconcile the opposing philosophical camps of rationalism and empiricism. Kant introduced the concept of the "thing-in-itself", which can never ever be truly understood, just experienced through our own mental representations. This concept laid the groundwork for the subsequent development of German idealist viewpoint, leading to Hegel's complicated system of absolute idealism.

Hegel took Kant's concept a step even more, asserting that the only genuinely real world was the "Absolute" or the "World Spirit", which unfolds itself as a procedure through history. Engels attributes Hegel's massive impact on his capability to comply with historic advancement in his philosophical system. Nevertheless, Engels slams Hegel for his idealist approach, arguing it leads to a circular and self-contained system that does not reflect the real world.

Feuerbach's Critique of Hegel
Ludwig Feuerbach was a key figure in the transition from German idealism to materialism. He slammed Hegel's viewpoint as abstract and separated from reality, asserting that the self-consciousness and self-development attributed to the World Spirit need to instead be credited to people themselves. Feuerbach declared that the "approach of the future" would be grounded in the natural sciences and materialism.

Although Feuerbach's concepts got significant influence, his materialism was still deeply rooted in idealism, leading to some unresolved issues within his philosophical system. Engels contends that Feuerbach failed to resolve the interconnectedness of social and historic advancement, focusing only on individual human beings and their sensual experiences.

Marx's Development of Dialectical Materialism
Karl Marx took Feuerbach's materialist review of Hegel and extended it, developing a brand-new perspective called dialectical materialism. By manufacturing the historic elements of Hegelian idealism with the materialist foundation laid by Feuerbach, Marx had the ability to go beyond the restrictions of both previous viewpoints.

According to Engels, Marx's dialectical materialism supplied a comprehensive understanding of the development of human society and history by stressing class battle as the driving force of history. At the very same time, it showed that product conditions were the essential basis for human thought and culture.

Completion of Classical German Philosophy
Engels concludes the book by declaring that dialectical materialism marks the end of classical German approach. He argues that the advancement of German approach culminated in a dead end with Hegel, while Feuerbach's materialism provided an escape of this deadlock. The last action was taken by Marx, whose dialectical materialism integrated the very best elements of both idealism and materialism to create a revolutionary new philosophy.

Engels claims that dialectical materialism offers a political and intellectual weapon for the working class in their battle for emancipation, a sentiment that would be echoed throughout Marxist theory. With the revolutionary power of dialectical materialism in hand, Engels asserts that the achievements of classical German viewpoint have actually been superseded, opening up brand-new possibilities for human thought and action.