With his fellow-scholar Kojève, he was responsible for introducing Hegel’s thought to France, influencing a generation of thinkers. Sartre and Merleau-Ponty were fellow-students; the friendship with Merleau-Ponty remained strong — he thought of him like a brother. His student friend and university colleague Canguilhem and he debated ideas for life (including in a taxi, for T.V.) The first philosopher Lacan collaborated with, he taught and influenced Foucault, Deleuze and Derrida. When Althusser got into a stand-off with a student found taping his lecture, Hyppolite stepped in and bought the tape, saving the day.