A Peculiar Fate: Metaphysics and World-History in Kant
ISBN: 9781501734526
Platform/Publisher: JSTOR / Cornell University Press
Digital rights: Users: unlimited; Printing: chapter; Download: chapter
Subjects: Kant Immanuel 1724-1804; Metaphysics -- History -- 18th century; World history -- History -- 18th century;

Peter Fenves here investigates Kant's ongoing effort to bring metaphysical and strictly historical concepts of the world together in his presentation of world-history. Fenves argues that, far from being a mere illustration of his metaphysical principles, Kant's attempt to present history in its entirety played a vital role in the transformation of his concept of philosophy. A Peculiar Fate demonstrates for the first time how Kant's concern with history motivates and gives shape to his "discovery" that a systematic philosophical inquiry must rest on human freedom.


Peter Fenves teaches Comparative Literature at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

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