Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View

By Immanuel Kant

Book Overview

In a footnote to the Preface of his A nthropology Kant gives, if not altogether accurately, the historical background for the publication of this work. The A nthropology is, in effect, his manual for a course of lectures which he gave "for some thirty years," in the winter semesters at the University of Konigsberg. In 1797, when old age forced him to discontinue the course and he felt that his manual would not compete with the lectures themselves, he decided to let the work be published (Ak. VII, 354, 356). The reader will readily see why these lectures were, as Kant says, popular ones, attended by people from other walks of life. In both content and style the Anthropology is far removed from the rigors of the Critiques. Yet the Anthropology presents its own special problems. The student of Kant who struggles through the Critique of Pure Reason is undoubtedly left in some perplexity regarding specific points in it, but he is quite clear as to what Kant is attempting to do in the work. On finishing the Anthropology he may well find himself in just the opposite situation. While its discussions of the functioning of man's various powers are, on the whole, quite lucid and even entertaining, the purpose of the work remains somewhat vague. The questions: what is pragmatic anthropology? what is its relation to Kant's more strictly philosophical works? have not been answered satisfactorily.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9024715857
• ISBN13: 9789024715855
• Release Date: April 1974
• Publisher: Springer
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Kant's Psychology

Kant's Anthropology is what we call today - psychology. The book is a series of lectures that Kant himself edited into a book. Usualy we know Kant as hard to read, yet this book is unique in that. It flows, from subject to subject, examining man's mind and various characteristics of the human spirit. It is embodied with examples from life and literature, and gives a very good idea of Kants views regarding everyday life and behavior of normal people, and also of insane ones. It is a very warm book, filled with intelligent remarks about the human race, and it gives a very good notion of psychology (both cognitive and abnormal) in Kants days. I recommend it Highly.