This article undertakes an analysis of the main concepts used in Kant's metaphysics of nature, applying an approach inspired by the Critique of Pure Reason, where the topic is synthesized through the guiding thread (Leitfaden) of the categories. In the present case, the leading thread is provided by Latin terms and structures incorporated into the text and has a cultural meaning. Translating Kant involves recovering these common roots, creating a cultural bridge to other European languages. In order to support this idea, two translations of Kant's metaphysics of nature - by Michael Friedman and Arnaut Pelletier (into English and French, respectively) - are considered and compared with my own Romanian translation. This brings to light, first, the relationship between what is general, or European, and what results from the evolution of the target language, and second, the way in which the three translators conceive of the relation between Kant's message and its rendering in the target language. Through such analyses, the personality of the translated author can be better understood, framed in an evolution of ideas. At the same time, the connection between the development of Kant's philosophical concepts and the development of his transcendental idealism is highlighted.
Abstract Immanuel Kant studied at the Albertina University in Königsberg from 1740 onwards. This account outlines the three-step academic process he underwent: testimonium initiationis , matriculation, and specification. The testimonium initiationis was a prerequisite examination conducted by the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty, certifying the completion of prior education. Following this, Kant was matriculated by the current rector. The specification lists, created biannually, document the composition of the student body and confirm Kant’s continuous affiliation with the Philosophical Faculty. Notably, Kant was always enrolled in the Philosophical Faculty and never officially enrolled as a theology student. A significant and unique discovery is a printed certificate signed by Kant himself as Dean, attesting to the admission of a student into the academic community. Kant’s early works, including his first publication in 1749, reflect his deep engagement with the natural sciences, mathematics, and physics. Although he was listed as a philosophy student, his interests extended beyond traditional philosophical disciplines to include the emerging field of physics. This article provides a comprehensive view of Kant’s academic environment, faculty members, and the structure of Albertina University during his time as a university student.
Abstract There is substantial scholarship concerning the origin and use of the question “ quid facti ” in Kant’s Transcendental Deduction. There is also substantial scholarship concerning the question in the work of Salomon Maimon, the skeptical critic of Kant. The pictures of the “ quid facti ” question that emerge from these two bodies of literature, however, are rather different, and there has been no attempt to reconcile them. The goal of this paper is thus to compare Kant’s and Maimon’s understandings of the quaestio facti in order to understand how and why they differ. Part I begins by summarizing the legal context of the quaestio facti and identifying three sub-questions within it. Part II lays out Kant’s understanding of the quid facti as concerning the question of the empirical origin of a judgment. Part III shows how Maimon’s skeptical use of the quid facti question was made possible by his focus on a different aspect of the legal question: the question of whether a judgment has been made. Finally, using these results, Part IV argues, against the usual interpretation, that Maimon’s skeptical use of the quaestio facti can stand alone, separate from the quaestio juris .
