Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and a central figure of the Enlightenment. His work in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics laid the foundation for modern philosophy. Kant’s doctrine of transcendental idealism argued that space and time are forms of human intuition and that knowledge is shaped by perception rather than direct experience of reality.
Kant's most influential work, Critique of Pure Reason (1781), aimed to bridge rationalism and empiricism. He proposed that human understanding structures experience through innate categories, shaping how we perceive the world. His later works, including Critique of Practical Reason (1788) and Critique of Judgment (1790), explored morality, aesthetics, and human autonomy, emphasizing that moral law arises from reason itself.
Born in Konigsberg, Prussia, Kant led a disciplined life, working as a professor at the University of Konigsberg. He rarely left his hometown but became widely influential. His concept of the categorical imperative, which asserts that moral actions must be universally applicable, remains a cornerstone of ethical theory.
Despite his contributions, Kant's views on race and colonialism have sparked controversy. Later in life, he renounced some of his earlier racial theories and advocated for universal moral equality. He died in 1804, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape philosophy, politics, and the social sciences.