Letters on the Kantian Philosophy, published between 1786 and 1789, served as the primary mechanism for introducing Immanuel Kant to a broad audience. Written by an Austrian philosopher who initially trained for the priesthood, this project transformed dense, academic critique into accessible inquiry, bridging the gap between moral concerns and abstract epistemology for an eager late 18th-century readership.
Early Ecclesiastical Training and Departure
Born in Vienna in 1757, he entered the Jesuit seminary at St. Anne’s Church in 1772. Following the suppression of the Jesuit order in 1773, he transitioned to the Barnabitenkollegium St. Michael. By 1780, he was ordained as a Catholic priest. However, dissatisfaction with monastic life led to a decisive change in his trajectory. In November 1783, he abandoned his post, relocated to Leipzig, and subsequently converted to Lutheranism, marking a complete break from his religious origins.
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After settling in Weimar in 1784, he collaborated with Christoph Martin Wieland on the journal Der Teutsche Merkur. During this period, he married Wieland’s daughter, Sophia Catharina Susanna, in 1785. His influential letters in the Merkur advocated reading Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason in reverse, prioritizing moral questions over complex epistemology. This approach ignited public interest in Kant, positioning Reinhold as a vital mediator between technical philosophy and the general intellectual public.
Elementarphilosophie and Academic Career
In 1789, he released his primary work, Versuch einer neuen Theorie des menschlichen Vorstellungsvermögens, which introduced the principle of consciousness. His systematic attempt to ground philosophy in a single first principle became known as Elementarphilosophie. This work influenced later thinkers such as Johann Gottlieb Fichte. He served as a faculty member at the University of Jena from 1787 until 1794, before accepting a position at Kiel University, where he remained until his death in 1823.
Legacy and Affiliations
Beyond his academic duties, he held memberships in the Illuminati and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He was also associated with the Freemasons' lodge Zur wahren Eintracht. His literary output included the 1788 work The Hebrew Mysteries, published under the pseudonym Decius. Throughout his career, he received formal recognition, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Jena and the Order of the Dannebrog. He is buried at Eichhof Park Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1757, Vienna
- Died: 1823, Kiel
- Citizenship: Austrian Empire
- Primary Movement: German idealism
- Education: University of Jena
- Key Publication: Versuch einer neuen Theorie des menschlichen Vorstellungsvermögens (1789)
- Religion: Lutheranism
- Awards: Order of the Dannebrog
Questions readers ask
Why did he suggest reading Kant in reverse?
He believed readers should start with Kant’s discussions on morality, free will, and immortality, which were presented at the end of the Critique of Pure Reason, rather than starting with the more difficult epistemological sections.
What was the significance of the principle of consciousness?
It was the cornerstone of his Elementarphilosophie, intended to unify Kantian theory by asserting that every idea relates simultaneously to a subject and an object.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Kiel University and University of Jena
- Educated at University of Jena
- Worked as philosopher and university teacher
