Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775–1854) was an influential German philosopher. A student of Fichte and a contemporary of Hegel, Schelling's work was instrumental in the development of German idealism.Alexander Bilda studied philosophy, ancient history, and historical anthropology in Freiburg and Paris. He is editor (with A.-L. Müller Bergen and P. Schwab) of the Erlangen Lectures in the historical-critical edition of Schelling's works. His articles include studies on Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Merleau-Ponty. He currently works as a permanent academic staff member at the University of Freiburg. Jason M. Wirth is Professor of Philosophy at Seattle University. His recent books include Nietzsche and Other Buddhas: Philosophy after Comparative Philosophy and Mountains, Rivers, and the Great Earth: Reading Gary Snyder and Dōgen in an Age of Ecological Crisis. David Farrell Krell is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University, Chicago, and Brauer Distinguished Visiting Professor of German Studies at Brown University. His scholarly books include Three Encounters: Heidegger, Arendt, Derrida; The Sea: A Philosophical Encounter; The Cudgel and the Caress: Reflections on Cruelty and Tenderness; and The Tragic Absolute: German Idealism and the Languishing of God.Alexander Bilda studied philosophy, ancient history, and historical anthropology in Freiburg and Paris. He is editor (with A.-L. Müller Bergen and P. Schwab) of the Erlangen Lectures in the historical-critical edition of Schelling's works. His articles include studies on Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Merleau-Ponty. He currently works as a permanent academic staff member at the University of Freiburg. Jason M. Wirth is Professor of Philosophy at Seattle University. His recent books include Nietzsche and Other Buddhas: Philosophy after Comparative Philosophy and Mountains, Rivers, and the Great Earth: Reading Gary Snyder and Dōgen in an Age of Ecological Crisis. David Farrell Krell is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University, Chicago, and Brauer Distinguished Visiting Professor of German Studies at Brown University. His scholarly books include Three Encounters: Heidegger, Arendt, Derrida; The Sea: A Philosophical Encounter; The Cudgel and the Caress: Reflections on Cruelty and Tenderness; and The Tragic Absolute: German Idealism and the Languishing of God.