Overview
Proposes that the theory of race in Kant’s thought is a part of his philosophical anthropology
Sheds light on two fundamental problems of Kant's theory of race for moral philosophy,
Considers the impact of Kant’s racial theory on his philosophy and political thought
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Problematising the “Orthodox” Reading
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Front Matter
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Reconstructing Kant’s Theory of Race
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Front Matter
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Kant’s Theory of Race and Cosmopolitanism
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
This book proposes an account of the place of the theory of race in Kant’s thought as a central part of philosophical anthropology in his political system. Kant’s theory of race, this book argues, is integral to the analysis of the “Charakteristik” of the human species and determined by human natural predispositions. The understanding of his theory as such suggests not only an alternative reading to the orthodox narrative we have seen so far but also reveals the underlying centrality of the notion of human natural predispositions in a way that is consequential for Kant’s philosophy as a whole. What is the impact of Kant’s racial theory on his philosophy and political thought? Is Kant a consistent egalitarian or a partisan Universalist thinker? Is he the symbol of racist prejudices of his time? What is the influence of his racial hierarchy on his cosmopolitan right? Or more simply, is Kant racist? From a systematic examination of Kant relevant writings, this book provides answers to these questions and shed light on two fundamental problems of his theory of race for moral philosophy, namely: (1) the completeness of the character of the White race and (2) the dispossession of the character of the beauty and the dignity of human nature of the Negro race. These two issues, unperceived from the “orthodox” reading’s perspective, however, uncovered by the “heterodox” reading, not only shape Kant’s race thinking from the beginning to the end of his life, transform his cosmopolitan right into a non-universalist form of right, but merely define Kant as a fundamental racist thinker since he developed the anthropology, the philosophy, and the politics of racism in a systematic way.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Jimmy Yab is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Southampton, UK, and Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the Institute of International Relations of Cameroon.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Kant and the Politics of Racism
Book Subtitle: Towards Kant’s racialised form of cosmopolitan right
Authors: Jimmy Yab
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69101-1
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-69100-4Published: 12 September 2021
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-69103-5Published: 13 September 2022
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-69101-1Published: 11 September 2021
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 285
Number of Illustrations: 2 b/w illustrations
Topics: German Idealism, Political Philosophy, Ethics, Social Philosophy