Γκέοργκ Βίλχελμ Φρίντριχ Χέγκελ (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel) was a German philosopher born in 1770 and died in 1831. He is best known for his contributions to German Idealism, a philosophical movement that emphasizes the role of the mind in shaping reality. Hegel's work covers various topics, including metaphysics, ethics, and political theory. One of Hegel's most significant ideas is the concept of the dialectic, which describes the process of development through contradictions and their resolutions. His influential texts, such as the Phenomenology of Spirit and the Science of Logic, have had a lasting impact on philosophy, influencing later thinkers like Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche.