Kant's Pragmatic Anthropology

Holly L. Wilson

Description

This book offers the first account in English of the origin, meaning, and critical significance of Immanuel Kant's Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View. Kant's book is not empirical psychology, but rather a type of cosmopolitan philosophy meant to teach students to think for themselves and thus be free to actualize their full human destiny. Author Holly L. Wilson innovatively explores how the "philosophical anthropology" exhibited in Kant's Anthropology challenges contemporary theories of human nature, including behaviorism and evolutionary theory. She also details how Kant based his work on the critically grounded faculty of teleological judgment and how this type of philosophy of experience is consistent with Kant's overall critical theory. The portrait of Kant that emerges is one of a humane teacher who cared about his students and their acquisition of prudence and wisdom.
Preface
Key to References, Sources, Abbreviations, and Translations
Table of the Moral and Natural Destinies of Human Beings
Introduction

1. The Rise and Origin of Kant’s Lectures on Anthropology

The Physical Geography Lectures and the Rise of the Anthropology Lectures
The Debate Concerning the Origin of Kant’s Anthropology Lectures
Did Kant Intend His Anthropology Lectures be Empirical Psychology?

2. The Character and Content of the Anthropology

The Meaning of Pragmatic Anthropology
Teleological Clues in the Characteristic of Kant’s Anthropology

3. Kant’s Theory of Human Nature

4. Kant’s Theory of Human Nature as Natural Predispositions

The Predisposition to Animality
Evolutionary Theory and Animality
The Technical Predisposition
The Pragmatic Predisposition to Humanity
The Moral Predisposition
Education and the Predispositions
Kant’s Theory of Education and Behaviorism

5. The Critical Foundations of the Anthropology

Teleology as a Research Program
The Critical Faculty of Teleological Judgment
Sensibility
Habits
Imagination
Pleasure and Displeasure
Taste
Affects
Passions
Nature Does Nothing in Vain

6. Kant’s Pragmatic Anthropology as Popular Philosophy

Is Popular Philosophy a Noble Endeavor?

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie moderne
• Philosophie moderne

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791481295
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Pragm K atic A a nth n rop t ol ’ o s gy Its Origin, Meaning, and Critical Significance Holly L. Wilson

Kant’s Pragmatic Anthropology

SUNY series in Philosophy George R. Lucas Jr., Editor

K a n t ’ s P r a g m a t i c A n t h r o p o l o g y

Its Origin, Meaning, and Critical Significance

HOLLY L. WILSON

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2006 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press, 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 700, Albany, NY 122102384

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Library of Congress Control Number

Wilson, Holly L., 1957– Kant’s pragmatic anthropology : its origin, meaning, and critical significance / Holly L. Wilson. p. cm. — (SUNY series in philosophy) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0791468496 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Kant, Immanuel, 1724–1804. 2. Philosophical anthropology—History—18th century. I. Title. II. Series.

B2799.M25W55 128.092—dc22

2005027976

2006

ISBN13 9780791468494 (hardcover : alk. paper)

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my teacher John Compton in gratitude for having awakened me to the love of philosophy

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Preface

Contents

Key to References, Sources, Abbreviations, and Translations

Table of the Moral and Natural Destinies of Human Beings

Introduction

Chapter One The Rise and Origin of Kant’s Lectures on Anthropology The Physical Geography Lectures and the Origin of the Anthropology Lectures 8 The Debate Concerning the Origin of Kant’s Anthropology Lectures 15 Did Kant Intend His Anthropology Lectures to be Empirical Psychology? 20

Chapter Two The Character and Content of the Anthropology The Meaning of Pragmatic Anthropology 28 Teleological Clues in the Characteristic of Kant’s Anthropology35

Chapter Three

Kant’s Theory of Human Nature

Chapter Four Kant’s Theory of Human Nature as Natural Predispositions The Predisposition to Animality 62 Evolutionary Theory and Animality 70 The Technical Predisposition 73 The Pragmatic Predisposition to Humanity 76 The Moral Predisposition 80 Education and the Predispositions 86 Kant’s Theory of Education and Behaviorism 92

Chapter Five The Critical Foundations of the A NTHROPOLOGY Teleology as a Research Program 93 The Critical Faculty of Teleological Judgment 96 Sensibility100

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Contents

Habits101 Imagination101 Pleasure and Displeasure102 Taste102 Affects103 Passions103 Nature Does Nothing in Vain104

Chapter Six Kant’s Pragmatic Anthropology as Popular Philosophy Is Popular Philosophy a Noble Endeavor? 116

Notes

Bibliography

Index

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Preface

When I was studying Philosophy in graduate school at Penn State, I was impressed with Immanuel Kant when I studied hisCritique of Pure Reasonfor the first time under Professor Thomas Seebohm. Later, I approached Professor Seebohm and told him that I wanted to write on Kant. He asked me what I had read by Kant and I answered, “The Critique of Pure Reason.” Now as I look back, that does sound pretty pitiful. And it probably did sound that way to Professor Seebohm, because he immediately told me that I had to read everything written by Kant before I could write on him. Now I understand what solid and wise advice I had been given! While I was reading through all of the then translated works by Kant—it was during my independent studies with Professor Seebohm—I discovered theAnthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View. I didn’t know what to make of the work. It seemed so foreign to me. I had never encountered anything like it before. Today I am very grateful to Professor Seebohm for having me read all of Kant, for I discovered this text for the first time and have over the years struggled to understand it with great fruits of wisdom as my reward. Rotary International and the National Endowment for the Humanities made it possible for me to spend time in Germany researching the secondary literature on Kant’sAnthropologywhile perfecting my fluency in German. While I was in Germany for three years, I was very fortunate to meet and study under Professor Werner Flach at the Würzburg Universität. From Pro fessor Flach I learned to be a Kant scholar and a careful interpreter of Kant’s works. He also supported my work on Kant’sAnthropology. For all of this I am very grateful. Through the years, attending Kant Congresses and APA Kant sessions, I have been fortunate to meet Kantians who are also interested in the “Other Kant.” That these scholars found Kant’s nonCritical works of interest encour aged me in my endeavors to make sense of this little discussed work. I am especially thankful that Professor Philip Rossi took the time to read the early stages of the manuscript; he directed me to find the link between the Anthropologyand Critical philosophy. Hopefully that key will give an opening to philosophical research, which seeks to understand the unity of Kant’s Critical philosophy and Philosophies of Experience rather than the disunity of the two.

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