Life of Immanuel Kant
- Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was a German philosopher who is widely considered to be one of the most influential thinkers of modern times. He is best known for his works on epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics. Kant was born in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia) on April 22, His father, Johann Georg Kant, was a saddler and his mother, Anna Regina Reuter, was a seamstress. Kant was the fourth of nine children.
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- Kant attended the Collegium Fridericianum, a Lutheran school, from 1732 to He then studied at the University of Königsberg, where he earned his doctorate in philosophy in 1755. After completing his studies, Kant worked as a private tutor for several years before becoming a lecturer at the University of Königsberg in 1770. He was appointed professor of logic and metaphysics in 1770 and professor of moral philosophy in 1772.
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- Kant's early works focused on the philosophy of science and metaphysics. His most famous work, Critique of Pure Reason (1781), is considered to be one of the most important works in the history of philosophy. In this work, Kant argued that human knowledge is limited by the structure of the human mind and that the only way to gain knowledge is through experience.
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- Kant's other major works include Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics (1783), Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), Critique of Practical Reason (1788), and Critique of Judgment (1790). In these works, Kant developed his moral philosophy, which is based on the idea that human beings should act according to a universal moral law. He argued that this moral law is based on the concept of the "categorical imperative," which states that one should act only in ways that one could will to be a universal law.
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- Kant's later works focused on aesthetics and religion. His most famous work in this area is The Critique of Judgment (1790), in which he argued that beauty is subjective and that it is impossible to determine the absolute value of a work of art. He also wrote several works on religion, including Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone (1793) and The Conflict of the Faculties (1798).
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- Kant's influence on philosophy has been immense. His works have been studied and discussed by philosophers from all over the world. His ideas have been used to develop theories in many different fields, including ethics, epistemology, and aesthetics. Kant's influence can also be seen in the works of many other philosophers, including Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and John Rawls.
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- Kant died on February 12, 1804, in Königsberg. He is buried in the city's cathedral. Kant's legacy lives on in the works of many philosophers who have been inspired by his ideas. His influence on modern philosophy is undeniable, and his works continue to be studied and discussed by philosophers today.
Teachings of Immanuel Kant
- The Categorical Imperative: Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.
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- The Principle of Autonomy: Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never merely as a means to an end, but always at the same time as an end.
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- The Principle of Humanity: Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, as an end and never merely as a means.
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- The Principle of Respect: Act in such a way that you always respect the freedom of others and never merely as a means to an end.
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- The Principle of Universal Law: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should become a universal law.
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- The Principle of Perfect Duty: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should become a universal law of nature.
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- The Principle of Humanity as an End in Itself: Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, as an end in itself and never merely as a means to an end.
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- The Principle of Non-Contradiction: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should not contradict itself.
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- The Principle of Universalizability: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be universalizable.
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- The Principle of Right: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the right of all persons.
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- The Principle of Justice: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the justice of all persons.
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- The Principle of Beneficence: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the beneficence of all persons.
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- The Principle of Perfection: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the perfection of all persons.
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- The Principle of Respect for Persons: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the respect for persons.
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- The Principle of Equality: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the equality of all persons.
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- The Principle of Utility: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the utility of all persons.
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- The Principle of Dignity: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the dignity of all persons.
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- The Principle of Autonomy: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the autonomy of all persons.
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- The Principle of Perfectionism: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the perfectionism of all persons.
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- The Principle of Respect for the Law: Act in such a way that you can will that the maxim of your action should be consistent with the respect for the law.