Kant &The Human Subject
Philosophy Now|December 2017 / January 2018

Brian Morris compares the ways Kant’s question “What is the human being?” has been answered by philosophers and anthropologists.

Brian Morris
Kant &The Human Subject
According to many recent texts, anthropology is the study of ‘what it means to be human’. This was Immanuel Kant’s definition of anthropology, and Kant (1724-1804) was one of the founding ancestors of the discipline, along with Rousseau, Herder, and Ferguson.

Drawing on the insights of both the Enlightenment and romanticism, anthropology has since its birth had a ‘dual heritage’ (Maurice Bloch) combining humanism and naturalism. In terms of method, it combines scientific explanations of social and cultural phenomena with hermeneutics or biosemiotics. Yet although certain people write of some great divide or schism within anthropology, it has always had, in spite of its diversity, a certain unity of vision and purpose. It employs a universal perspective that places humans firmly within nature. Anthropology has therefore always placed itself at the interface between the humanities and the natural sciences, especially evolutionary biology. In many ways it is an inter-discipline, held together by placing an emphasis on ethnographic studies, which involve a close experiential encounter with a particular way of life or culture. Both Karl Popper and Mario Bunge described anthropology as the key social science, for it is unique among the human sciences in putting an emphasis on cultural differences (Herder). This means it can offer a cultural critique of much of Western culture and philosophy, while at the same time emphasizing our shared humanity (Kant), thus enlarging our sense of moral community.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017 / January 2018-Ausgabe von Philosophy Now.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2017 / January 2018-Ausgabe von Philosophy Now.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS PHILOSOPHY NOWAlle anzeigen
Metaphors & Creativity
Philosophy Now

Metaphors & Creativity

Ignacio Gonzalez-Martinez has a flash of inspiration about the role metaphors play in creative thought.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Medieval Islam & the Nature of God
Philosophy Now

Medieval Islam & the Nature of God

Musa Mumtaz meditates on two maverick medieval Muslim metaphysicians.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Robert Stern
Philosophy Now

Robert Stern

talks with AmirAli Maleki about philosophy in general, and Kant and Hegel in particular.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Volney (1757-1820)
Philosophy Now

Volney (1757-1820)

John P. Irish travels the path of a revolutionary mind.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Philosophy Now

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

Becky Lee Meadows considers questions of guilt, innocence, and despair in this classic Christmas movie.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
"I refute it thus"
Philosophy Now

"I refute it thus"

Raymond Tallis kicks immaterialism into touch.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Cave Girl Principles
Philosophy Now

Cave Girl Principles

Larry Chan takes us back to the dawn of thought.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
A God of Limited Power
Philosophy Now

A God of Limited Power

Philip Goff grasps hold of the problem of evil and comes up with a novel solution.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
A Critique of Pure Atheism
Philosophy Now

A Critique of Pure Atheism

Andrew Likoudis questions the basis of some popular atheist arguments.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025
Exploring Atheism
Philosophy Now

Exploring Atheism

Amrit Pathak gives us a run-down of the foundations of modern atheism.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
December 2024 / January 2025