Blackwell Reference Online

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de nobis ipsis silemus – of ourselves we are silent(epigraph from Francis Bacon to the Critique of Pure Reason)Kant's biography has been taken to exemplify the complete submersion of a philosopher's life in their work. Described by Elias Canetti as a ‘head without a world’, it would seem as if, outside his writings, Kant did not lead much of a life: he lectured for several hours a week, he dined with friends and took regular, afternoon walks famed for their neurotic punctuality. In the memoirs of his contemporaries the incidentals of Kant's daily life have a quality of ‘noises off’, with the main action taking place in his study, or wherever it was that he read and wrote. The opposition between Kant's quiet life and explosive thought, between his provincial surroundings in the East Prussian city of Königsberg and the world-historic significance of his writings, have become the stuff of philosophical legend. Yet it must be said that such a view of Kant is severely distorted, and obstructs an appreciation of both his life and his work.Suppose we respect Kant's reticence, and look only to his work, even then the sheer internal diversity of his oeuvre would urge caution. This diversity is apparent in spite of the best efforts of the editors of the monumental Berlin Academy of Sciences edition of Kant's writings (Akademie Ausgabe, now in its 29th volume) and the narrow focus of much ... log in or subscribe to read full text