Kant's Observations and Remarks
A Critical Guide

A guide to two of the most revealing of Kant's early writings, which facilitates understanding his later practical thought.

Susan Meld Shell (Edited by), Richard Velkley (Edited by)

9780521769426, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 May 2012

302 pages
23.4 x 16 x 1.8 cm, 0.61 kg

Kant's Observations of 1764 and Remarks of 1764–5 (a set of fragments written in the margins of his copy of the Observations) document a crucial turning point in his life and thought. Both reveal the growing importance for him of ethics, anthropology and politics, but with an important difference. The Observations attempts to observe human nature directly. The Remarks, by contrast, reveals a revolution in Kant's thinking, largely inspired by Rousseau, who 'turned him around' by disclosing to Kant the idea of a 'state of freedom' (modelled on the state of nature) as a touchstone for his thinking. This and related thoughts anticipate such famous later doctrines as the categorical imperative. This collection of essays by leading Kant scholars illuminates the many and varied topics within these two rich works, including the emerging relations between theory and practice, ethics and anthropology, men and women, philosophy, history and the 'rights of man'.

Introduction: Kant as youthful observer and legislator Susan Meld Shell and Richard Velkley
Part I. Kant's Ethical Thought: Sources and Stages: 1. Concerning Kant's earliest ethics: an attempt at a reconstruction Dieter Henrich
2. Chimerical ethics and flattering moralists: Baumgarten's influence on Kant's moral theory in the Observations and Remarks Corey W. Dyck
3. Two concepts of universality in Kant's moral theory Patrick R. Frierson
4. Freedom as the foundation of morality: Kant's early efforts Paul Guyer
Part II. Ethics and Aesthetics: 5. Relating aesthetic and sociable feelings to moral and participatory feelings: reassessing Kant on sympathy and honor Rudolf A. Makkreel
6. Kant's distinction between true and false sublimity Robert R. Clewis
7. Kant's 'curious catalogue of human frailties' and the great portrait of nature Alix Cohen
Part III. Education, Politics and National Character: 8. Relative goodness and ambivalence of human traits: reflections in light of Kant's pedagogical concerns G. Felicitas Munzel
9. Kant as rebel against the social order Reinhard Brandt
10. National character via the beautiful and sublime? Robert B. Louden
Part IV. Science and History: 11. Absent an even finer feeling: a commentary on the opening of Observations on the Feeling of the Sublime and the Beautiful Peter Fenves
12. The pursuit of science as decadence in Kant's Remarks in 'Observations on the Feelings of the Beautiful and the Sublime' John H. Zammito
13. Kant, human nature, and history after Rousseau Karl Ameriks.

Subject Areas: Political science & theory [JPA], Social & political philosophy [HPS], History of Western philosophy [HPC], Philosophy [HP]