Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling was a German philosopher who, alongside Fichte and Hegel, is considered as one of the major figures in German idealism. He made significant contributions to philosophy, particularly in the realms of metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of nature. Schelling's early works focused on the relation between mind and nature, and he later delved into the concepts of the absolute and the identity of opposites. His ideas influenced various thinkers, including Feuerbach, Kierkegaard, and Nietzsche.