Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher who is best known for his work in ethics and aesthetics.
Philosopher’s ideas had a significant impact on modern philosophy, especially in the areas of metaphysics, epistemology, and logic. In the 20th century, his thought became central to the development of existentialism, postmodernism and pragmatism.
In fact, Immanuel Kant was born on April 22 1724 in Königsberg (today Kaliningrad), Prussia. His father, Johann Georg Kant, was a harness maker; his mother was Anna Regina Reuter. The family belonged to the Lutheran Church. Kant received his early education at home from his father and private tutors before entering the Collegium Fridericianum in 1740. He studied theology and philosophy at the University of Königsberg from 1740 until 1746, when he returned home to study for a law degree at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. After graduating with a doctorate in law from Erlangen in 1755, Kant taught as an adjunct professor there until 1770 when he moved to Konigsberg and was appointed to chair at the University there.
Kant’s first major work, the 1781 Critique of Pure Reason, attempted to reconcile the views of rationalism and empiricism. The result was a compromise between rationalism and empiricism that had a major impact on subsequent philosophy. Kant also wrote popular works on ethics, religion and law. Kant became one of the most influential figures in Western philosophy and is considered by many to be one of the greatest philosophers to have ever lived.
