Kantian Philosophy and the 18th Century Enlightenment

Historical Context of the Critique of Pure Reason

The text belongs to the prologue of the second edition of the Critique of Pure Reason (1787). This work belongs to the critical period, which opened with a long silence of nearly 11 years—the time it took to develop the work.

The Three Periods of Kant's Philosophical Development

There are two more periods in the work of Kant:

• The Pre-critical Period: During this time, he published extensively on physical and philosophical themes, such as Natural History and Theory of the Heavens.
• The Post-critical Period: This era is highlighted by works such as Religion within the Limits of Mere Reason.

The Age of Enlightenment and the Power of Reason

Kant lived in the historical period spanning from the Second English Revolution (the Glorious Revolution) to the French Revolution. The 18th century was the scene of the so-called Age of Enlightenment.

The Enlightenment, understood as a critique aimed at individual emancipation, required a blind faith in reason. Within this movement, the concept of reason acquired special significance, as did the progress of nature and society.

A New Model of Reason

Inspired by John Locke and Isaac Newton, the Enlightenment rejected the Cartesian model of reason and proposed a new model: empirical, analytical, and secularized. The enlightened thinkers intended to educate the people to reach the kingdom of happiness and freedom.

Nature, Progress, and Secularization

Regarding the idea of nature, 18th-century scientists believed that nature was autonomous from God because natural phenomena could be explained without resorting to divine intervention. The enlightened considered nature as a last-resort reference and generally rejected the supernatural.

Furthermore, the idea of progress suggested that a better world lay in the future rather than the past. This future was seen as alien to God; thus, history was conceived as the secularized progress of humanity apart from divine providence.

Society and the Rise of Enlightened Despotism

Society was understood as the result of a social pact. However, Enlightenment ideas were not imposed easily. While the most common form of state in Europe was the absolute monarchy, a new form emerged called Enlightened Despotism.

In economically backward countries, the state was obliged to modernize and subdue the nobility; Frederick the Great was the most important figure in this regard. On the other hand, the papacy lost influence, and religious tolerance gained ground.

Economic Shifts and the Crisis of the Old Order

In the 18th century, parts of Europe experienced a population explosion due to an Agricultural Revolution and an Industrial Revolution driven by steam and carbon. Despite this, most European states remained on the verge of bankruptcy, and the stratified society entered a period of crisis.

The Transition to Critical Philosophy

Influenced by the thought of David Hume, Kant began to realize that any metaphysics must begin with a critical examination of reason. Kant's critical attitude was already present in his dissertation, On the Form and Principles of the Sensible and Intelligible World, where he considered space and time to be the forms of the sensible world.

However, at the end of his pre-critical period, he definitely began to doubt the very possibility of metaphysics as a science.