Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) was a German philosopher whose ideas profoundly shaped modern Western philosophy. Born in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia), Kant’s philosophical system aimed to reconcile empiricism and rationalism. His seminal work, “Critique of Pure Reason” (1781), explored the nature of human knowledge, arguing that certain fundamental concepts are innate to the mind and influence our perception of the world. Kant’s ethical philosophy, articulated in “Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals” (1785) and “Critique of Practical Reason” (1788), introduced the categorical imperative, a moral principle based on universalizability and human dignity. This influenced discussions on ethics and morality for centuries.
His contributions extended to aesthetics, metaphysics, and political philosophy, making him a central figure in the Enlightenment. Kant’s ideas continue to be foundational in various disciplines, leaving an enduring impact on epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of mind.
