BODY AND PRACTICE IN KANT

THE EMBODIED MIND
if we cannot observe these thoughts, we may observe their signs. 102 What
kind of signs might these be? And what kind of theory is implied here?
My guess is that this theory is more or less the same as the one implied by
Kant’s theory of the virtual presence of the mind in Dreams of a spiritseer
and the Inaugural dissertation. While the mind as it exists in itself is
unknown to us, there are other aspects of the mind of a person that are
open to empirical investigation, i.e. facial expressions, gestures, acts, etc.
1.15 Anthropology
The Anthropology was first published in 1798 and a second edition
followed in 1800, but the text was based on lectures Kant had been
delivering since the 1770s. Some of the material in these lectures derived
from even earlier ones. 103 Kant was the first to introduce anthropology as
a branch of study into German universities, and he took pride in the fact
that these lectures were given at no other institution. 104
The Anthropology belongs to the group of Kantian texts generally
regarded as of little or no philosophical interest or significance. Reinhard
Brandt, one of the editors of volume 25 of the Academy edition
containing Kant’s lectures on anthropology, observes that no major
[namhafte] study has ever been dedicated to the Anthropology. Unlike
other Kantian texts, it has also led to no controversy between schools. 105
This does not mean, however, that the work has been totally ignored,
and some have even emphasized its interest. In his introduction to an
English translation of the Anthropology, Pitte argues that even if this text
is written in a popular style full of examples and humorous elements, this
should not cause us to conclude that it is not worthy of serious
attention. 106 The work supplies a rough outline of Kant’s entire system
and thus serves as an excellent introduction to his thought, Pitte argues.
Moreover, in this work we find clues of several kinds that may help us
understand both Kant and his system more completely. 107 This last point
is, I think, significant, and I will return to it later.
102
A 359.
103
Pitte (1971), 11 and 15.
104
Ibid., 3.
105
Brandt (1999), 7.
106
Others signalling a positive attitude towards Kant's Anthropology are Munzel
(1999), Gerhardt (1987) and Zammito (2002).
107
Pitte (1978), xix.
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