Kant 2. Gli scritti precritici (1755 - 1763)

Summary

The script discusses Immanuel Kant's early writings, known as pre-critical works, which span from 1746 to 1770. These works reflect Kant's gradual assimilation of the Italian scientific perspective and the Newtonian mechanical model of the universe. Kant's initial ideas on cosmology, including the hypothesis of a primitive nebula, are explored. The script also delves into Kant's rejection of divine punishment for natural disasters, his critique of rationalism, and his distinction between logical and real opposition. Kant's skepticism towards metaphysical arguments for God's existence and his emphasis on empirical evidence over metaphysical demonstrations are highlighted, showcasing his evolving philosophical stance.

Takeaways

• 📜 Kant's early writings, known as pre-critical writings, span from 1746 to 1770, reflecting his gradual assimilation of the Italian scientific perspective and the acceptance of a quantitative and mechanistic explanation of the cosmos.
• 🌌 Kant's work 'Universal Natural History and Theory of the Heavens' applies Newtonian physics to explain the origin of the universe and introduces the hypothesis of a primitive nebula, which Laplace would later independently propose.
• 🤔 Kant initially hypothesizes that the original nebula was created by God but later abandons this idea, focusing instead on the ethical arguments of practical reason to ensure morality, independent of the concept of a benevolent universe.
• 🏞️ In 1755, Kant published three essays on earthquakes, attributing them to magmatic forces within the Earth and rejecting the notion of divine punishment, showing his inclination towards a metaphysical perspective while prioritizing the method of knowledge.
• 🔍 Kant distinguishes between logical and real opposition, arguing that while logical opposition is based on the principle of non-contradiction, real opposition involves predicates that are opposed but not contradictory, such as two forces acting in opposite directions.
• ⚖️ In 1763, Kant critically examines the problem of causality, questioning the identification of the relationship between premise and consequence with the relationship between cause and effect, which was a fundamental dogma of rationalism.
• 📚 Kant's critique of Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument for the existence of God in 'The Only Possible Argument in Support of a Demonstration of the Existence of God' challenges the idea that existence can be a predicate of perfection.
• 💡 Kant introduces the example of 100 thalers to illustrate the difference between thought and reality, arguing that the concept of something does not change whether the thing exists or not, thus existence is not a predicate of perfection.
• 🚫 Kant rejects the argument from the principle of sufficient reason as the only possible argument for proving God's existence, asserting that existence can only be posited through experience and not through demonstration.
• 🧐 Kant's exploration of the metaphysical realm, which deals with questions related to the soul, the world, and God, is characterized by his fascination with these topics, which he likens to a bottomless abyss or a dark, unfathomable ocean.

Q & A

What is the time span covered by Kant's pre-critical writings?

Kant's pre-critical writings cover a time span from 1746 to 1770.

What significant perspective did Kant develop in 1770?

In 1770, Kant developed the critical perspective, which is expressed in his works 'Critique of Pure Reason', 'Critique of Practical Reason', and 'Critique of Judgment'.

What scientific perspective influenced Kant's early reflections?

Kant's early reflections were influenced by the gradual assimilation of the scientific perspective from Italy, particularly the quantitative and mechanistic explanation of the cosmos.

How did Kant apply Newtonian physics to explain the universe's origin?

Kant applied Newtonian physics to explain the universe's origin by formulating the hypothesis of a primitive nebula, which was later independently developed by Laplace.

What was Kant's stance on the creation of the original nebula?

Kant hypothesized that the original nebula was created by God but without any direct relation to God, differing from the classical argument of God's necessity.

What significant event in 1755 influenced Kant's writings on earthquakes?

The earthquake that destroyed Lisbon in 1755 made the topic of earthquakes of burning actuality, leading Kant to write three essays on the subject, excluding divine punishment as a cause.

How did Kant approach the problem of causality in his 1763 writings?

In 1763, Kant questioned the identification of the relationship between premise and consequence with the relationship between cause and effect, distinguishing between logical and real opposition.

What was Kant's critique of Anselm of Canterbury's ontological argument for God's existence?

Kant critiqued Anselm's ontological argument by asserting that existence cannot be a part of the concept of a thing, as the concept remains the same whether the thing exists or not.

What is the 'single argument' for proving God's existence that Kant discusses in his 1763 writings?

The 'single argument' for proving God's existence that Kant discusses is the principle of sufficient reason, which states that nothing happens without a cause.

How did Kant view the relationship between thought and being?

Kant emphasized the distinction between the logical plane and the real plane, arguing that thought and being are distinct, and that existence is a position of a thing, its possibility of being an object of someone's experiences.

What did Kant declare his love for and compare to a 'bottomless pit'?

Kant declared his love for metaphysics, comparing it to a bottomless pit, an ocean dark, boundless, and without a shore.