Immanuel Kant

Life

• Immanuel Kant: Born in 1724, Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia); studied at the University of Königsberg (1740-1746).
• Worked as a private tutor (1746-1755) before returning to the University of Königsberg as a lecturer.
• Appointed Professor of Logic and Metaphysics in 1770, holding this position until his death in 1804.
• Never left his native Königsberg but became one of history's most influential philosophers.

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• David Hume: His empiricism awakened Kant from his "dogmatic slumber," inspiring the critical philosophy.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Influenced Kant's views on morality and human dignity.
• Christian Wolff: His rationalist system initially shaped Kant's early thought.

Main Ideas and Publications

• Critique of Pure Reason: Published in 1781 (2nd ed. 1787), established transcendental idealism and the limits of human reason.
• Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals: Published in 1785, introduced the categorical imperative.
• Critique of Practical Reason: Published in 1788, developed his moral philosophy.
• Critique of Judgment: Published in 1790, addressed aesthetics and teleology.

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• G.W.F. Hegel: Developed German Idealism building on (while critiquing) Kant's work.
• Arthur Schopenhauer: Adapted Kant's distinction between phenomena and noumena.
• John Rawls: Applied Kantian ethics to political philosophy in the 20th century.

Conclusion

• Immanuel Kant's "Copernican Revolution" in philosophy established modern epistemology and ethics, making him the central figure of modern philosophy.