126 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



Ethical problem was for a long time in modern philosophy 

 almost a monopoly of English thinkers. It was, indeed, 

 taken up in an original manner by Kant and Fichte in 

 Germany, but it was never adequately treated in the 

 enormous philosophical literature which centred in 

 Schelling and Hegel : their systems were founded on 

 ^Esthetical or poetical rather than upon Ethical justice. 



However, since the extravagances among the after- 

 growth of the Idealistic Movement, such as sprang up 

 in the Romantic School and in the writings of Schopen- 

 hauer and Nietzsche, have become sufficiently alarming, 

 serious thinkers have turned their attention to the 

 Ethical problem. 



In doing so, they have joined hands not only with 

 Kant but likewise also with the strenuous workers in this 

 field who have always stood foremost in this country. 

 Their main object is to find and establish a firm and 

 independent foundation for Ethics. What has been 

 achieved in this direction will occupy us in the next 

 chapter. 



