Dilthey, Wilhelm (1833—1911) German philosopher who worked on hermeneutics and Lebensphilosophie (life philosophy) and influenced Heidegger, Martin, Gadamer, Hans-Georg and Habermas, Jürgen. He was a colleague and important supporter of Simmel, Georg at the University of Berlin. His work on ‘lived experience’ was an important precursor to phenomenology. Further Reading: R. Makkreel Dilthey: Philosopher of the Human Studies (1993).