Kant s Embedded Cosmopolitanism

Kant's omnipresence in contemporary cosmopolitan discourses contrasts with the fact that little is known about the historical origins and the systematic status of his cosmopolitan theory. This study argues that Kant's cosmopolitanism should be understood as embedded and dynamic. Inspired by Rousseau, Kant developed a form of cosmopolitanism rooted in a modified form of republican patriotism. In contrast to static forms of cosmopolitanism, Kant conceived the tensions between embedded, local attachments and cosmopolitan obligations in dynamic terms. He posited duties to develop a cosmopolitan disposition (Gesinnung), to establish common laws or cosmopolitan institutions, and to found and promote legal, moral, and religious communities which reform themselves in a way that they can pass the test of cosmopolitan universality. This is the cornerstone of Kant's cosmopolitanism, and the key concept is the vocation (Bestimmung) of the individual as well as of the human species. Since realizing or at least approaching this vocation is a long-term, arduous, and slow process, Kant turns to the pedagogical implications of this cosmopolitan project and spells them out in his later writings. This book uncovers Kant's hidden theory of cosmopolitan education within the framework of his overall practical philosophy.

Auteur

Georg Cavallar, University of Vienna, Austria.

Résumé

"The book Kant's Embedded Cosmopolitanism. History, Philosophy and Education for World Citizens is an ambitious project which both deals with Kant's cosmopolitanism in the context of the late eighteenth century and analyses the uniqueness of Kant's cosmopolitan theory and its differences from contemporary trends. [...] It has to be studied in its complexity, especially with its essential republican and educational dimension."
Sandra Zákutná in: Con-Textos Kantianos. International Journal of Philosophy, N.o 3, Junio 2016, pp. 481-485

"I strongly recommend Kant's Embedded Cosmopolitanism to all readers who wish to learn more about both the historical sources and legacy of Kant's cosmopolitanism."
Robert B. Louden in: Kantian Review Volume 21 (2017), 2, S. 324-329