R.G. Collingwood

Robin George Collingwood
Born	22 February 1889 Gillhead, Cartmel Fell, Lancashire
Died	9 January 1943(1943-01-09) (aged 53) Coniston, Lancashire
Education	Rugby School
Alma mater	University College, Oxford
Notable work	The Principles of Art (1938) The Idea of History (1946)
Era	20th century philosophy
Region	Western Philosophy
School	British Idealism Historism
Institutions	Pembroke College, Oxford
Main interests	Metaphysics Philosophy of history aesthetics
Notable ideas	Historical imagination Coining the English term "historicism" Aesthetic expressivism (art expresses emotions, not ideas)
Influences Hegel, Wilhelm Dilthey,Kant, Giambattista Vico, F. H. Bradley, J. A. Smith, Benedetto Croce, Giovanni Gentile, Guido de Ruggiero
Influenced Alasdair MacIntyre

Robin George Collingwood (/ˈkɒlɪŋˌwʊd/; 22 February 1889 – 9 January 1943) was an English philosopher, historian, and archaeologist. He is best known for his philosophical works including The Principles of Art (1938) and the posthumously published The Idea of History (1946).

Collingwood was born in Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands, in Lancashire, the son of the artist and archaeologist W. G. Collingwood, who had acted as John Ruskin's private secretary in the final years of Ruskin's life. Collingwood's mother was also an artist and a talented pianist. He was educated at Rugby School, and at University College, Oxford, where he gained a First in Classical Moderations (Greek and Latin) in 1910 and a congratulatory First in Greats (Ancient History and Philosophy) in 1912. Prior to graduation he was elected a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford.

Collingwood was a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, for some 15 years until becoming the Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was the only pupil of F. J. Haverfield to survive World War I. Important influences on Collingwood were the Italian Idealists Benedetto Croce, Giovanni Gentile and Guido de Ruggiero, the last of whom was also a close friend. Other important influences were Hegel, Kant, Giambattista Vico, F. H. Bradley and J. A. Smith.