Currently he is working on a new book entitled Kant's Critical Science: Precursor to Scientific R... more Currently he is working on a new book entitled Kant's Critical Science: Precursor to Scientific Revolutions (Routledge, 2025). How is Kant's Critical philosophy related to the post-Kantian revolutions in science? 22.09.2024 Los Angeles-14h Rio de Janeiro-18h Kaliningrad-23h Many interpreters of Kant in recent decades have assumed that his epistemology and metaphysics, the cornerstones of his Critical philosophy, are proved irrelevant and/or incorrect by one or more postKantian scientific revolutions. Kant's aim, so the story goes, was to prove the absolute validity of Aristotelian logic, Euclidean geometry, and Newtonian physics, yet all three of these classical sciences have been surpassed
This paper will argue six reasons why Kant is an anthropocentric, but not an anthropo-supremacist... more This paper will argue six reasons why Kant is an anthropocentric, but not an anthropo-supremacist. It will lay out Kant’s case against animal egalitarianism, and how Kant’s moral theory nevertheless provides sufficient obligations not to be cruel to other animal species and to care about their welfare, at least in the case of a domesticated animal, the dairy cow. A dairy farmer who is also motivated by Kantian virtue will have enough moral incentive to care about their dairy cows even though Kant’s duties to other animal species are indirect and not direct. The paper will then conclude by arguing that current Kantian attempts to rescue Kant from the reproach of anthropocentricism either result in some form of anthropo-supremacy or in an attempt to bring other ethical theories like Utilitarianism and Aristotle into the account to justify animal egalitarianism. These philosophical attempts to support animal egalitarianism do not succeed in overcoming anthropocentrism or anthropo-supremacy, but rather may be contributing to misanthropy.
Accusing Kant of ‘sexism’ conceals what the real issues are: Kant was primarily making comments ... more Accusing Kant of ‘sexism’ conceals what the real issues are: Kant was primarily making comments about women in his attempt to do popular philosophy and empirical science. Being an amateur at the empirical sciences, he actually was engaged in promoting gender norms for women especially. He was also concerned about international males conforming to the gender norms of working and self-governance. In addition, Kant engaged in the activity of gender policing and stereotyping women. His comments on women scholars and his treatment of Maria von Herbert illustrate these behaviors. When one assesses Kant’s distinctions between males and females it illustrates that he wants women to conform to gender roles, but this does not mean women cannot as rational human beings conform their actions to the moral law. What it does mean is that they probably will not conform their actions to the moral law, since conforming to the gender role of a woman in 18th century Germany was not conducive to self-governance. We can conclude anecdotally from Kant’s experience with Maria von Herbert that one’s dignity does not reside in gender norm conformity, nor in being under moral laws, but rather in working outside the home and acquiring a meaningful identity.
Con-textos Kantianos: International Journal of Philosophy, 2016
In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a P... more In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, to be a Klugheitslehre (theory of prudence). The essay draws on many quotes from these sources to show that Kant wanted to develop a theory of how to use other people for one’s own ends. Although so much of the lectures and book are in conversation with Baumgarten’s empirical psychology, there are enough references to Klugheit (prudence) and klug (clever) action to support this thesis. Prudence is a skill that human beings should develop and hence is not excluded from human life even though it is not the basis of morality. The purpose of Klugheit is to achieve happiness but the means to that happiness involves using other people for one’s own ends. In order to use others as a means to one’s own ends, a person must in some way satisfy the inclinations of the other person so that they cooperate in one’s ends. However it is also possible to dominate another person an...
Kant holds in his works on morality that prudence is not free, because only action under the mora... more Kant holds in his works on morality that prudence is not free, because only action under the moral law is free. He also holds that acting on prudent reasons is incompatible with the moral law. If one explores his lectures on anthropology, however, one has reason to believe that not only is prudent action free in some sense as freedom of choice, but it is also not incompatible with moral action, since it does not necessitate using other human beings as mere means, even though it is about using other human beings as ends to one’s happiness. This article will show how Kant holds these positions in his lectures on anthropology.
Oak Leaf Undergraduate Journal of Teaching and Research, 2022
How do we become scholars? What leads us to want to be part of the scholarly community. Some re... more How do we become scholars? What leads us to want to be part of the scholarly community. Some reflections on my own journey in finding my own voice in the scholarly community. My piece is the Coda and begins on page 95.
In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a P... more In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, to be a Klugheitslehre (theory of prudence). The essay draws on many quotes from these sources to show that Kant wanted to develop a theory of how to use other people for one's own ends. Although so much of the lectures and book are in conversation with Baumgarten's empirical psychology, there are enough references to Klugheit (prudence) and klug (clever) action to support this thesis. Prudence is a skill that human beings should develop and hence is not excluded from human life even though it is not the basis of morality. The purpose of Klugheit is to achieve happiness but the means to that happiness involves using other people for one's own ends. In order to use others as a means to one's own ends, a person must in some way satisfy the inclinations of the other person so that they cooperate in one's ends. However it is also possible to dominate another person and use them as well if they are dominated by a passion but this is not prudent since it does not achieve happiness except in the case of a husband and wife. Kant's distinction between Weltklugheit and Privatklugheit also appears to be confirmed in that he advances the idea that sociable means of gaining the cooperation of others (Privatklugheit) leads to the lasting happiness of a person and to the development of civilization.
Currently he is working on a new book entitled Kant's Critical Science: Precursor to Scientific R... more Currently he is working on a new book entitled Kant's Critical Science: Precursor to Scientific Revolutions (Routledge, 2025). How is Kant's Critical philosophy related to the post-Kantian revolutions in science? 22.09.2024 Los Angeles-14h Rio de Janeiro-18h Kaliningrad-23h Many interpreters of Kant in recent decades have assumed that his epistemology and metaphysics, the cornerstones of his Critical philosophy, are proved irrelevant and/or incorrect by one or more postKantian scientific revolutions. Kant's aim, so the story goes, was to prove the absolute validity of Aristotelian logic, Euclidean geometry, and Newtonian physics, yet all three of these classical sciences have been surpassed
This paper will argue six reasons why Kant is an anthropocentric, but not an anthropo-supremacist... more This paper will argue six reasons why Kant is an anthropocentric, but not an anthropo-supremacist. It will lay out Kant’s case against animal egalitarianism, and how Kant’s moral theory nevertheless provides sufficient obligations not to be cruel to other animal species and to care about their welfare, at least in the case of a domesticated animal, the dairy cow. A dairy farmer who is also motivated by Kantian virtue will have enough moral incentive to care about their dairy cows even though Kant’s duties to other animal species are indirect and not direct. The paper will then conclude by arguing that current Kantian attempts to rescue Kant from the reproach of anthropocentricism either result in some form of anthropo-supremacy or in an attempt to bring other ethical theories like Utilitarianism and Aristotle into the account to justify animal egalitarianism. These philosophical attempts to support animal egalitarianism do not succeed in overcoming anthropocentrism or anthropo-supremacy, but rather may be contributing to misanthropy.
Accusing Kant of ‘sexism’ conceals what the real issues are: Kant was primarily making comments ... more Accusing Kant of ‘sexism’ conceals what the real issues are: Kant was primarily making comments about women in his attempt to do popular philosophy and empirical science. Being an amateur at the empirical sciences, he actually was engaged in promoting gender norms for women especially. He was also concerned about international males conforming to the gender norms of working and self-governance. In addition, Kant engaged in the activity of gender policing and stereotyping women. His comments on women scholars and his treatment of Maria von Herbert illustrate these behaviors. When one assesses Kant’s distinctions between males and females it illustrates that he wants women to conform to gender roles, but this does not mean women cannot as rational human beings conform their actions to the moral law. What it does mean is that they probably will not conform their actions to the moral law, since conforming to the gender role of a woman in 18th century Germany was not conducive to self-governance. We can conclude anecdotally from Kant’s experience with Maria von Herbert that one’s dignity does not reside in gender norm conformity, nor in being under moral laws, but rather in working outside the home and acquiring a meaningful identity.
Con-textos Kantianos: International Journal of Philosophy, 2016
In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a P... more In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, to be a Klugheitslehre (theory of prudence). The essay draws on many quotes from these sources to show that Kant wanted to develop a theory of how to use other people for one’s own ends. Although so much of the lectures and book are in conversation with Baumgarten’s empirical psychology, there are enough references to Klugheit (prudence) and klug (clever) action to support this thesis. Prudence is a skill that human beings should develop and hence is not excluded from human life even though it is not the basis of morality. The purpose of Klugheit is to achieve happiness but the means to that happiness involves using other people for one’s own ends. In order to use others as a means to one’s own ends, a person must in some way satisfy the inclinations of the other person so that they cooperate in one’s ends. However it is also possible to dominate another person an...
Kant holds in his works on morality that prudence is not free, because only action under the mora... more Kant holds in his works on morality that prudence is not free, because only action under the moral law is free. He also holds that acting on prudent reasons is incompatible with the moral law. If one explores his lectures on anthropology, however, one has reason to believe that not only is prudent action free in some sense as freedom of choice, but it is also not incompatible with moral action, since it does not necessitate using other human beings as mere means, even though it is about using other human beings as ends to one’s happiness. This article will show how Kant holds these positions in his lectures on anthropology.
Oak Leaf Undergraduate Journal of Teaching and Research, 2022
How do we become scholars? What leads us to want to be part of the scholarly community. Some re... more How do we become scholars? What leads us to want to be part of the scholarly community. Some reflections on my own journey in finding my own voice in the scholarly community. My piece is the Coda and begins on page 95.
In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a P... more In this essay I show that Kant intended his anthropology lectures and book, Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, to be a Klugheitslehre (theory of prudence). The essay draws on many quotes from these sources to show that Kant wanted to develop a theory of how to use other people for one's own ends. Although so much of the lectures and book are in conversation with Baumgarten's empirical psychology, there are enough references to Klugheit (prudence) and klug (clever) action to support this thesis. Prudence is a skill that human beings should develop and hence is not excluded from human life even though it is not the basis of morality. The purpose of Klugheit is to achieve happiness but the means to that happiness involves using other people for one's own ends. In order to use others as a means to one's own ends, a person must in some way satisfy the inclinations of the other person so that they cooperate in one's ends. However it is also possible to dominate another person and use them as well if they are dominated by a passion but this is not prudent since it does not achieve happiness except in the case of a husband and wife. Kant's distinction between Weltklugheit and Privatklugheit also appears to be confirmed in that he advances the idea that sociable means of gaining the cooperation of others (Privatklugheit) leads to the lasting happiness of a person and to the development of civilization.
Kant published the Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View at the end of his teaching career ... more Kant published the Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View at the end of his teaching career after having lectured on anthropology for twenty-three and one-half years. 1 We know from student manuscripts of his lectures that Kant published pretty much the same material that he had been lecturing on during those years. This agreement between the book and his lectures permits the conjecture that Kant's intentions for the book would be consistent with his intentions for his lectures. 2 Fortunately, we have explicit statements about what Kant intended for his lectures on anthropology. Kant began lecturing on pragmatic anthropology in the winter semester of 1772-73, 3 during the eighteenth year of his teaching at Königsberg University. At that time anthropology was not an independent discipline and Kant was one of the first to lecture on it within the well-established faculty of philosophy. 4 In a copy of one of his earliest lecture notes that we have, Kant claims that "the knowledge of human beings is called by the general name of anthropology, which is not being lectured on in any other discipline [Akademie]." 5 He lectured, then, on anthropology consistently for twenty-three and one-half years until he retired. The lecture proved to be very popular , frequented even by Kant's colleagues. He averaged thirty to fifty students a semester with a high of seventy in 1791-92. 6 Kant's interest in anthropology did not suddenly begin in this winter semester, however. Kant also lectured on the theme of anthropology in his metaphysics lectures as early as 1762. 7 From the Johann Gottfried von Herder papers, which are the notes that Herder took while he was a student of Kant's from 1762-64, we read "Kant's doctrine.. .. The Metaphysic contains 1. Anthropology, 2. Physics, 3. Ontology, 4. The origin of all things, God, and the world, therefore theology." 8 Although by "anthropology" here Kant means little more than empirical psychology, he does call it "anthropology" even then. More decisive, though not the only decisive factor for the formation of Kant's interest in anthropology, were his lectures on physical geography, which he held regularly, mostly in the summer semester, from the beginning of his docent years at Königsberg University in 1755-56. With the exception of one year, winter semester 1758-59, he held this lecture every year inclusive of 1796. 9 7
This book lays out the elements of good practical judgment in the style of Immanuel Kant and Epic... more This book lays out the elements of good practical judgment in the style of Immanuel Kant and Epictetus. It is a book that synthesizes philosophy and religion to articulate insights that help people learn how to know the right thing to do, at the right time, for the right reason, and in the right way.
A Book about the a systematic interpretation of the history, meaning and critical significance of... more A Book about the a systematic interpretation of the history, meaning and critical significance of Kant's Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View.
CTK 3 contains a long desired Interview with Pablo Oyarzún by Paula Órdenes, which has been prece... more CTK 3 contains a long desired Interview with Pablo Oyarzún by Paula Órdenes, which has been preceded by the ones held with Mario Caimi, Claudio La Rocca and Claude Piché. Oyarzún is a prominent Kant scholar and has trained with success for years students in Kant scholarship in Chile. The fact that CTK is an electronic journal has eased to host twelve multilinguistic papers in the section Articles, five of them in English, three in Spanish, two in French, one in German and one in Italian. Yet the internationality of the authors of the essays is broader, since they come from Germany, Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Italy, Turkey and USA. The current issue is not monographic, but next —to be launched at November 2016— will be devoted to Kant scholarship in Russia and East Europe. Only even issues will have this monographic character, since we would like to alternate in the “articles” section the publishing of miscellaneous papers and of groups of texts focusing on specific subjects and coordinated by an editor. The Dossier —five papers— with the title “Kant and violence” has been coordinated by Efraín Lazos, member of the editorial team, while Pablo Muchnik, also member of our editorial team, coordinated the Discussion section (six papers), focusing on the empirical implications of Kant’s psychology. It is our pleasure to present in this issue —in Kant’s Texts section— the translation of the Introduction of Kant’s unique lecture on natural right, Naturrecht Feyerabend, made by Macarena Marey and Nuria Sánchez Madrid, the last one executive secretary of the journal. Thus they share with CTK a key part of a translation work currently in progress, which will offer to the Spanish-speaker Kant scholarship the first Spanish translation of this Kant’s text. The section Documents contains the Spanish version that Silvia del Luján has prepared of the article of Markus Willaschek, Recht ohne Ethik? The eleven Reviews (three in English, four in Spanish, three in Italian and one in Portuguese) offer a large panorama on recent Kant-related international publications, between them a tribute volume to Mario Caimi, the most recent publication of Onora O’Neill and a monography of Michael Friedman that recently deserved the Fernando Gil award in Portugal. The issue ends with the 2016 Newsletter, covering a large scope of Kant-related congresses, workshops and conferences, elaborated by CTK Newsletter editor, Ana-Carolina Gutiérrez Xivillé.
February 22, 2025: Alexandria-8h (8 am CST) Rio de Janeiro-10h (10 am) Kaliningrad-15h (3 pm Thi... more February 22, 2025: Alexandria-8h (8 am CST) Rio de Janeiro-10h (10 am) Kaliningrad-15h (3 pm This paper will argue why Kant is of great value to the environmental philosophy as it continues to negotiate the possibility of addressing climate change and the threats that it poses.
KANT300 cordially invites you to the inaugural session of our free online lecture series, celebra... more KANT300 cordially invites you to the inaugural session of our free online lecture series, celebrating 300 years of Immanuel Kant's philosophical legacy. We are privileged to host Distinguished Professor Emeritus Robert Louden from the University of Southern Maine for the opening lecture titled "OUT OF TIME," scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2024, at 4 pm in Rio de Janeiro - 9 am in Hawaii. Professor Louden will share insights from over fifty years of research in Kantian practical philosophy, focusing on themes such as international justice, war and peace, environmental concerns, artificial intelligence, and human rights. He will also explore, from a Kantian perspective, the reasons behind our minimal progress on these critical issues. The session will span 90 minutes, featuring a 60-minute lecture followed by a 30-minute period for debate, questions, and answers, including simultaneous Portuguese translation. Register at no cost by visiting www.kant300.com or by scanning the attached QR Code.
Call for Abstracts on Kant, Animal Moral Status, Environmental Ethics, and Vulnerability. Submis... more Call for Abstracts on Kant, Animal Moral Status, Environmental Ethics, and Vulnerability. Submission Deadline: June 1, 2023.
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Papers by Holly Wilson
Keywords: gender norms, women, Kant, stereotyping, gender policing
Keywords: gender norms, women, Kant, stereotyping, gender policing
The current issue is not monographic, but next —to be launched at November 2016— will be devoted to Kant scholarship in Russia and East Europe. Only even issues will have this monographic character, since we would like to alternate in the “articles” section the publishing of miscellaneous papers and of groups of texts focusing on specific subjects and coordinated by an editor.
The Dossier —five papers— with the title “Kant and violence” has been coordinated by Efraín Lazos, member of the editorial team, while Pablo Muchnik, also member of our editorial team, coordinated the Discussion section (six papers), focusing on the empirical implications of Kant’s psychology.
It is our pleasure to present in this issue —in Kant’s Texts section— the translation of the Introduction of Kant’s unique lecture on natural right, Naturrecht Feyerabend, made by Macarena Marey and Nuria Sánchez Madrid, the last one executive secretary of the journal. Thus they share with CTK a key part of a translation work currently in progress, which will offer to the Spanish-speaker Kant scholarship the first Spanish translation of this Kant’s text. The section Documents contains the Spanish version that Silvia del Luján has prepared of the article of Markus Willaschek, Recht ohne Ethik?
The eleven Reviews (three in English, four in Spanish, three in Italian and one in Portuguese) offer a large panorama on recent Kant-related international publications, between them a tribute volume to Mario Caimi, the most recent publication of Onora O’Neill and a monography of Michael Friedman that recently deserved the Fernando Gil award in Portugal. The issue ends with the 2016 Newsletter, covering a large scope of Kant-related congresses, workshops and conferences, elaborated by CTK Newsletter editor, Ana-Carolina Gutiérrez Xivillé.
We are privileged to host Distinguished Professor Emeritus Robert Louden from the University of Southern Maine for the opening lecture titled "OUT OF TIME," scheduled for Monday, April 22, 2024, at 4 pm in Rio de Janeiro - 9 am in Hawaii.
Professor Louden will share insights from over fifty years of research in Kantian practical philosophy, focusing on themes such as international justice, war and peace, environmental concerns, artificial intelligence, and human rights. He will also explore, from a Kantian perspective, the reasons behind our minimal progress on these critical issues.
The session will span 90 minutes, featuring a 60-minute lecture followed by a 30-minute period for debate, questions, and answers, including simultaneous Portuguese translation.
Register at no cost by visiting www.kant300.com or by scanning the attached QR Code.