While Kant's essay, What does it mean to orient oneself in thinking?, is in a certain way focused on responding to a controversy over reason, it is a rich source of many diverse reflections as it grounds itself in what it's like to orient ourselves.

The primary concern of the essay is a defense and clarification of the writings of Moses Mendelssohn that contain speculative proofs of metaphysical entities such as soul and God. Mendelssohn's essay had been attacked by Jacobi - who opposed dogmatic philosophizing generally. Jacobi was in turn attacked for irrationalism. This was a conflict of faith and reason, and at the heart of Kant's response is an addressing of the problem of the relation of faith and reason.

Along the way Kant also presents a lot of phenomenological interpretations of the human being, which can provide a lot of insight to how Kant thought generally. In this phenomenological description Kant shows how reason is tied to feeling: that reason produces feelings, and has needs.

Another interesting angle to consider this essay from is that of criticism. Kant defends Mendelssohn despite trying to show that he didn't quite understand what he was saying. This could be compared to a strategy of "yes and" in improvisation, and is a technique that Kant continuously applies in his dealing with other philosophers.

Link to Essay:
http://users.clas.ufl.edu/burt/kantorientationinthinking.pdf

Please read the essay in advance if possible, but we will also try to read parts or all of the essay live to help orient us in thinking.

If you find this essay interesting please join us on Wednesday for additional readings in Kant.

Erik Christianson

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Kant: What does it mean to orient oneself in thinking?

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Kant: What does it mean to orient oneself in thinking?

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