German Chancellor Scholz accused Russia of trying to appropriate Kant's works
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz accused the Russian authorities of trying to “appropriate at any cost” the philosopher Immanuel Kant and his works. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no reason to quote Kant, because the policies of the Russian leader allegedly contradict the basic teachings of the philosopher.
Why was Kant associated with Ukraine?
According to the German Chancellor, the discrepancy between Russian policy and Kant’s ideas lies in the fact that in the treatise “Towards Eternal Peace,” the philosopher established the right to self-defense for those who were attacked. This idea Scholz tied up with the alleged impossibility of peace in Ukraine on terms different from the Ukrainian “peace formula”.
For Kant it is obvious that the one who is attacked is allowed to defend himself. And he should not be forced to agree to a peace treaty, which the aggressor concludes with the evil intention of renewing the war at the first favorable opportunity.
In a conversation with Lenta.ru, Sergei Rebrov, a junior researcher at the Sociological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about the importance of interpretation in the use of Kant’s statements and added that Kant lived “in somewhat different conditions”, therefore the principles described in his works “are incorrect to compare with current realities” .
The question of who is the defending republic and who is the attacker is a matter of interpretation. More often than not, the one who attacks, or the one who somehow imposes his will, never acknowledges this fact. Just remember Yugoslavia or even the current bombing of Yemen – American officials always say first that they have the right to self-defense
In February, the governor of the Kaliningrad region, Anton Alikhanov, also spoke about the direct attitude of the German philosopher to the conflict in Ukraine, speaking during an expert discussion.
Kant, who was born here, has almost a direct connection with the global chaos, the global reorganization that we are now facing. Moreover, it is directly related to the military conflict in Ukraine
The head of the region explained his statement by saying that the philosopher “laid the foundation of German classical philosophy, pumped up the German will, while simultaneously cutting it off from higher values,” which created new socio-cultural conditions. According to Alikhanov, both the First World War and the Ukrainian conflict “began” in Kant’s works.
Putin about Kant
In 2005, Putin statedthat Russia is trying to adhere to the teachings of Kant regarding the peaceful resolution of interstate disputes.
I would like to remind you of one circumstance that I consider extremely important for today. Kant was categorically against resolving any interstate disputes through war
In January 2024, Putin again referred on Kant’s teachings, noting that “his call to live by your own mind is extremely relevant today.”
Kant's connection with Russia
The philosopher Immanuel Kant was born and worked in the Prussian city of Konigsberg, which from 1758 to 1762 was part of the Russian Empire, as it was occupied by Russian troops during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). In 1758, city residents swore allegiance to the Russian crown. Among them was Immanuel Kant, who became a subject of the Russian Empire. Then Koenigsberg again ceded to Prussia. In 1945, the city became part of the USSR following the Great Patriotic War and was renamed Kaliningrad. Currently, city guests can visit the grave of the famous philosopher near the Cathedral.
Historians have found no evidence of Kant’s refusal to be a citizen of the Russian Empire. At the same time, Kant was a German-speaking philosopher, and his works are classified as part of the direction of German classical philosophy.
In connection with Kant’s Russian citizenship, Governor Alikhanov called the philosopher a Russian trophy, like “everything you see in the Kaliningrad region.” The head of the region made this statement on April 22.
Expert Sergei Rebrov noted that “Kant was a German, wrote in German and lived in the territory of East Prussia, which currently belongs to several countries, including Russia,” but Russia can lay claim to the legacy of the great philosopher by adapting his ideas.
Russia had a wealth of experience in adapting the ideas of Western intellectuals – let's remember Karl Marx. If Russia can embrace the legacy of such a great philosopher as Marx, why can’t the same be done with Kant?
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