Letters on the Kantian Philosophy (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy) - Karl Leonhard...

7/22/2019 Letters on the Kantian Philosophy (Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy) - Karl Leonhard Reinhold

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C A M B R I D G E T E X T S I N T H E

H IS TOR Y OF P H ILOS OP H Y

R E I N H O L D

Letters on the Kantian Philosophy


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C A M B R I D G E T E X T S I N T H E

H I S T O R Y O F P H I L O S O P H Y

Series editors

K A R L A M E R I K S

Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame

D E S M O N D M . C L A R K E

Professor of Philosophy at University College Cork

The main objective of Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy is to expand the

range, variety and quality of texts in the history of philosophy which are available in

English. The series includes texts by familiar names (such as Descartes and Kant) and

also by less well-known authors. Wherever possible, texts are published in complete and

unabridged form, and translations are specially commissioned for the series. Each volume

contains a critical introduction together with a guide to further reading and any necessary

glossaries and textual apparatus. The volumes are designed for student use at under-

graduate and postgraduate level and will be of interest not only to students of philosophy,

but also to a wider audience of readers in the history of science, the history of theology

and the history of ideas.

For a list of titles published in the series, please see end of book.


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KARL LEONHARD REINHOLD

Letters on theKantian Philosophy

E D I T E D B Y

K A R L A M E R I K S

University of Notre Dame

T R A N S L A T E D B Y

J A M E S H E B B E L E RUniversity of Notre Dame


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Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, So Paulo

Cambridge University PressThe Edinburgh Building, Cambridge , UK

First published in print format

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Cambridge University Press 2005

2005

Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521830232

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision ofrelevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take placewithout the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

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Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy ofsfor external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does notguarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York

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Contents

Preface page vii

Introduction ix

Chronology xxxvi

Further reading xxxix

Note on the texts and translation xliii

Letters on the Kantian Philosophy

F i r s t L e t t e r : T h e n e e d f o r a C r i t i q u e o f R e a s o n 1

S e c o n d L e t t e r : T h e r e s u l t o f t h e K a n t i a n p h i l o s o p h y o n

t h e q u es t io n o f G o d s e x is t en c e 18

T h i r d L e t t e r : T h e r e s u l t o f t h e C r i t i q u e o f R e a s o n

c on c er n i n g t h e n e c e ss ar y c on n e ct i on b e t w ee n mor al i tyan d r e l i gi on 28

F o u r t h L e t t e r : O n t h e e l e m e n t s a n d t h e p r e v i o u s c o u r s e o f

c o n v i c t i o n i n t h e b a s i c t r u t h s o f r e l i g i o n 50

F i f t h L e t t e r : T h e r e s u l t o f t h e C r i t i q u e o f R e a s o n c o n c e r n i n g

t h e f u t u r e l i f e 65

S i xt h L e tt e r: C o nt i nu a t io n o f t h e p r ec e di n g l e tt e r:

T h e u n i t e d i n t e r e s t s o f r e l i g i o n a n d m o r a l i t y i n

t h e c l e a r i n g a w a y o f t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l g r o u n d f o rc o g n i t i o n o f a f u t u r e l i f e 76

S e v e n t h L e t t e r : A s k e t c h o f a h i s t o r y o f r e a s o n s p s y c h o l o g i c a l

c o n c e p t o f a s i m p l e t h i n k i n g s u b s t a n c e 89

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E i gh t h L e tt e r: C o nt i nu a ti o n o f t h e p r ec e di n g l e tt e r: T h e m a s te r

k e y t o t h e r a t i o n a l p s y c h o l o g y o f t h e G r e e k s 104

Appendix: the major additions in the 1790edition 124

A P re fa ce 125

B S el ec ti o n f r o m t he F ir st L et te r, Th e s pi ri t o f o ur a ge

a n d t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e o f t h e s c i e n c e s h e r a l d s a u n i v e r s a l

r e f ormat i on of p h i l osop h y 129

C S e co n d L e tt e r, C on t in u a ti o n o f t h e p r e c ed i ng l e tt e r:

T h e n e e d f o r a h i g h e s t r u l e o f t a s t e , f o r g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e sf o r p o si t iv e t h eo l og y a n d j u ri s pr u de n ce , a n d, a b ov e a l l,

f o r a f i rs t b a si c p r in c ip l e o f n a tu r a l ri g h t a nd m o r a l it y 146

D S el ec ti on s f ro m t he T hi rd L et te r , T he s ha k in g i n t he

d o m a i n o f t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f r e l i g i o n h e r a l d s a r e f o r m a t i o n

o f t h is p h il o so p h y: m y j u dg m en t r e ga r di n g t h e K a nt i a n

p h i l os op h y i n ge n er al 168

E S el ec ti on f ro m t he F ou r th L et te r, Th e r es ul t o f t he

K a n t i a n p h i l o s o p h y o n t h e q u e s t i o n o f G o d s e x i s t e n c e ,c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e g e n e r a l a s w e l l a s p a r t i c u l a r r e s u l t s o f

p r e vi ou s p h i l os op h y r e gard i n g t h i s s u b j ec t 177

F S el ec ti o n f r o m t he E ig ht h L et te r, Th e r es ul t o f t he

C r i t i q u e o f R e a s o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e f u t u r e l i f e 189

G S el ec ti on f ro m t he N in t h L et te r, El uc id a ti on o f t he

m e ta p h ys i ca l g r ou n d f o r c o g ni t io n o f t h e i m mo r ta l i ty

o f t h e s o u l w i t h r e g a r d t o i t s o r i g i n a s w e l l a s i t s

consequences 193H S el ec ti on f ro m t he E le v en th L et te r, Th e k ey t o t he

r a ti o n al p s yc h ol o g y o f t h e G r ee k s 201

I T w el f t h L et t er , S ug g es t io n s r eg a rd i n g t he i n f lu e nc e

o f t h e u n de v el o pe d a n d m i su n d er s to o d b a si c t r ut h s o f

r e l i g i o n o n c i v i c a n d m o r a l c u l t u r e 206

Index 227

Contents

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Preface

The editor and the translator of this volume are heavily indebted to many

other scholars. Very useful advice on specific points was offered by

Alessandro Lazzari, Alexander von Schonborn, Angela Smith, Christian

Johnson, Daniel Breazeale, David OConnor, Doris Jankovits, Eric

Watkins, Faustino Fabbianelli, Fred Rush Jr., Gary Gutting, George di

Giovanni, Gunter Zoller, Lara Ostaric, Manfred Frank, Marcelo Stamm,

Martin Bondeli, Megan Halteman Zwart, Noell Birondo, Paul Franks,Sabine Roehr, and Stephen Dumont. The translation benefited especially

from the help of Susanne Hebbeler, and some very difficult points in

Reinholds notes were clarified by Andrew Rosato and Patrick Gardner.

In comparing the two versions of the text and working out the best way

to display the complex relation between them, the editor was fortunate to

have the invaluable advice and assistance of the translator, James Hebbeler.

Encouragement and advice from Hilary Gaskin at Cambridge University

Press were of enormous help throughout the project.

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Introduction

A na ly si s a n d h e rm e ne ut ic s o r r at h er t he a na l yt ic p ri n ci pl e a n d

t he he rm en eu ti c p ri nc ip le a ro se i n m us ic h is to ry ( or a t l ea st

a t ta i n ed h i st o r ic a l s i gn i fi c a nc e ) a s o p p os i te w a ys o f u n ra v e li n g t h e

d i f f i c u l t i e s p o s e d b y t h e r e c e p t i o n o f B e e t h o v e n .1

Reinholds L et t er s o n t h e K a nt i an P h il o so p hy i s a r g u a b l y t h e m o s t i n f l u -

e nt ia l w or k e ve r w ri tt en c on ce rn in g K an t. O n t he b as is o f t he s tu nn in g

s u c c e s s o f t h e Letters, R e i n h o l d w a s a p p o i n t e d p r o f e s s o r o f p h i l o s o p h y a tJena, and his engaging lectures quickly drew unprecedented crowds.

O v e r n i g h t , h i s t e a c h i n g t u r n e d t h e s m a l l u n i v e r s i t y t o w n i n t o t h e c e n t e r

o f t h e n e x t g e n er a ti o n o f G e rm a n t h o ug h t a n d t h e f i rs t p r o f es s io n al h o me

o f t h e G er ma n I de al is ts : F ic ht e, S ch el li ng , a nd H eg el . I t a ls o h el pe d t o

a tt ra ct t o J en a a n e xt ra or di na ry c on st el la ti on o f w ri te rs , i nc lu di ng

S c hi l le r , H ol d er l in , N o va l is , a n d F r ie d ri c h S c hl e ge l , w h o a l l b e ga n t o

f o c u s o n K a n t a n d t o r e a c t t o h i m i n t e r m s o f t h e w a y t h a t t h e C r i t i c a l

s y s t e m w a s i n i t i a l l y p r e s e n t e d b y R e i n h o l d .

R e in h ol d s s u cc e ss h a d i t s p r ec o nd i ti o ns i n K a nt s d i ff i cu l ti e s. W h en

the first e dition of the C ri ti qu e o f P ur e R ea so n a pp ea re d i n 1781,

M en de ls so hn a nd G oe th e f ou nd i t i mp en et ra bl e i n f or m, a nd t he f ir st

r ev ie we rs h ar sh ly c ri ti ci ze d i t s i de al is t c on te nt . I n 1783 K an t i ss ue d a

s ho rt e r a cc ou nt o f h is C ri ti ca l p hi lo so ph y i n t he Prolegomena, but this

w o r k i s s o c o n d e n s e d a n d s o r i d d l e d w i t h t o u c h y r e a c t i o n s t o c r i t i c i s m s

1 C a r l D a hl ha us , Nineteenth-Century Music ( B e rk e l e y, U ni v e rs i t y o f C a l i f or ni a P r e s s,1980) , p .11.

G i ve n w h at h a p p e ne d a f t er R e i n ho l d, K a nt m a y b e t o s u bs e qu e nt p h i l o so p hy w h a t B e e th o ve n i s t o

s ub s eq ue nt m us i c .

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t ha t i t d id l it tl e t o i mp ro ve t he e ar ly r ep ut at io n o f t he Critique. Reinhold

dramatically changed this sit uat ion b y presenting a version of K ants

C ri t ic al t ho ug ht th at ma de i t h ig hl y a cc es si b le a nd a tt ra ct iv e t o a r ea de r-

s hi p e xt en di ng f ar b ey on d t he r an ks o f pr of es si on al p hi lo so ph y. N ow o nd e r t h at Ka n t q u ic k ly e x pr e ss e d h i s a p pr e ci a ti o n t o R e in h ol d :

I have read the lovely Letters, e xc el le nt a nd k in d s ir , wi th w hi ch y ou

h a ve h on o re d m y p hi lo so ph y . T he i r c o mb in at io n o f t ho ro u gh ne ss

and charm are matchless and they have not failed to make a great

i m pr es si on i n t hi s r e gi on . I w a s t he re f or e a ll t h e m or e e a ge r s o me h ow

t o e xp re s s m y t ha n ks in w ri ti ng , m o st li ke l y i n t he D e u tsch er M e r ku r ,

a nd a t l ea st t o i nd ic at e b ri ef ly t ha t y ou r i de as a gr ee p re ci se ly w ith

m i ne , an d t ha t I a m g ra te fu l f or y o ur s uc c es s i n s im p li fy in g t he m .2

The Letters a pp ea re d or igi na ll y a s a s er ie s of a rt ic le s in t he l ea di ng

Weimar journal, D e r T e ut s ch e M e rk u r , p ub li sh ed i n i ss ue s fr om A ug us t

1786 t o S ep te mb er 1787. T he j ou rn al w a s ed it ed b y C . M . W ie la nd , an

e mi ne nt li te ra ry f ig ur e w ho w as al so R ei nh ol d s f at he r- in -l aw a nd e ne r-

getic ally in defending Enlightenment causes. A book version of the

Letters, tw ic e a s l on g a s t he s et of or ig in al ar ti cl es , wa s p ub li sh ed i n

1790. It ma de a s er ie s o f t er min ol ogi ca l c ha nge s, ad de d a f ew ne w t he mes( e. g. , a es th et ic s) , a nd e xp an de d t he f or ma t f ro m e ig ht t o t we lv e l et t er s.

3

A s ec on d v ol um e, d ea li ng w it h t op ic s su ch a s la w, p ol it ic s, a nd t he w il l,

w as a dd ed i n 1792, a nd i n t he t we nt ie th c en tur y t he t wo v ol um es o f t he

1790s w er e r ei ss ue d t og et he r i n a s in gl e v ol um e. A lt ho ug h i t i s t he 1790

v e rs i on t h at is no w c i te d m o st of t en , b e ca u se o f i t s g r ea t er av a il a bi l it y i n

l i br ar i e s , it i s be s t to e n c o un te r the Letters f i rs t i n t h e c o mp a ct fo r ma t o f

the original journal version. It is this version, therefore, that constitutes

t he b as ic t ext o f th e p re se nt t ra ns la ti on , al th ou gh a n a pp en di x i s al so

p ro vi de d w it h a ll t he l en gt hi er a dd it io ns i n t he l at er v er si on .

O ne l oo k a t t he t it le s o f t he i nd iv id ua l l et t er s d is cl os es R ei nh ol d s

m om en to us d e ci si on t o t ur n a tt en ti on a wa y f ro m t he a bs tr ac t e pi st em o-

l o g ic a l i ss u e s at th e h e a r t o f the Critique s a r gu m en t s w h at R e i nh o ld

c al le d i ts in te rn al gr ou nd s a nd t ow ar d i ts co nc re te p ra ct ic al an d

2 K an t t o R ei n ho ld , D ec em be r 28, 1787, C o r r e s p on d e n ce / I mman u e l K a n t , e d. Ar nu lf Z wi eg

( C a m br i dge , C a m b ri dg e U ni v e rs i t y P r e s s, 1999) , p . 271. S ee a ls o t he l et te rs o f D . J . J en is ch t o

K a nt , M a y14, 1787, L . H . J ak ob t o K an t, M ar ch 26 a n d J ul y17, 1786, a n d R e i nh o ld t o K an t

( c a l l i ng hi m a s e c o nd I m m a nue l ) , O c t . 12,1787.3

F o r det a i l s , s e e b e l o w, N ot e o n t h e t ex ts a n d t ra n sl a ti on, and Appendix .

Introduction

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r e li g io u s r es u lt s ( F ou r th L e tt e r, p .117n .) . A t t hi s t im e, t he se r es ul ts

h ad b ee n d is cu ss ed b y K an t h im se lf o nl y b ri ef l y, i n r em ar ks i n t he l as t

s e c t i o n s o f t h e Critique ( s e e t h e S o l u t i o n o f t h e T h i r d A n t i n o m y , A546/

B574A557/B585, and the Canon, A795/B823A830/B858) and a fews h o r t w o r k s s u c h a s t h e e s s a y W h a t D o e s i t M e a n t o O r i e n t O n e s e l f i n

T h i n ki n g ? (1786).4 R e in h ol d s u n ca n ny a b il i ty t o c a pt u re K a nt s u l ti -

m at e p os it iv e a im s c on tr as te d w it h o th er r ea de rs a t t he t im e, s uc h a s

M en de ls so hn , w ho h ad t ak en t he Critique t o i n te n d a n a ll - cr u sh i ng

a tt ac k o n t ra di ti on al s ys te ms . T hi s w as a c om mo n a nd u nd er st an da bl e

r e a c t i o n , s i n c e K a n t c l a i m e d t o h a v e r e f u t e d a l l t h e o r e t i c a l p r o o f s o f G o d

a n d i m m o r t a l i t y . T h i s s i t u a t i o n g a v e R e i n h o l d a c h a n c e t o g a i n f a m e b y

e f f e c t i v e l y b r i n g i n g o u t , i n c o n t r a s t , t h e n e g l e c t e d a f f i r m a t i v e g o a l o f t h e

C r i t i c a l s y s t e m . I t i s a l m o s t a s i f R e i n h o l d w e r e c l a i r v o y a n t i n1786 about

t he p os it ion t ha t K ant w as t o e la bor at e on ly l at er , i n t he e xt en siv e

t re at me nt of t he m or al a rgu me nt f or Go d i n t he C r it iq u e o f P r ac ti c al

Reason (1788) a n d t h e C r i t i q u e o f t h e P o w e r o f J u d g m e n t (1790) a p o i n t

t h a t c a n b e t o t a l l y m i s s e d i f o n e r e a d s o n l y t h e 1790 Letters.

T h e r e w a s a l s o a n e g a t i v e s i d e t o R e i n h o l d s s h i f t o f f o c u s t o w a r d l a t e r ,

m o r e p o p u l a r , a n d s p i r i t u a l t h e m e s , b e c a u s e t h i s s h i f t m a d e t h e v a l u eof t he C ri tic al p hi lo so ph y s ee m t o h ing e e nt ire ly on K an t s h ig hl y

c o nt r ov e rs i al m o ra l a r gu m en t f r om p u re p r ac t i ca l r e as o n a n d t h e i m pl i -

c at io ns o f h is u nu su al ly d em an di ng n ot io n o f d ut y. A cc or di ng t o t hi s

a rg um en t, w e a ll o ug ht t o s tr iv e f or t he hi gh es t g oo d, i .e ., a s it ua ti on

w it h a n i de al c oo rd in at io n o f j us ti ce a nd h ap pi ne ss , a nd t he re fo re w e

m us t po st ul at e t he c on di ti on s t ha t a pp ea r n ec es sa ry t o t he r at io na l

p o s s i b i l i t y o f h o p i n g f o r t h i s e n d , n a m e l y o u r o w n i m m o r t a l i t y a n d a G o d

w i t h t h e r e q u i s i t e p o w e r , k n o w l e d g e , a n d g o o d n e s s . T h e a p p r o a c h o f t h e

4 I n t h e s e y e a r s , K a n t w r o t e , i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e Prolegomena, t he e s s a y s I de a f o r a U ni v e r s a l H i s t o r y

w it h a C os mo po li ta n I nt en t (1784) , An A ns we r t o t he Q ue st io n: W ha t i s E nl ig ht en me n t?

(1784) , On t he C on j ec tu ra l B eg in ni n g o f t he H is to ry o f H um an i ty (1786) , a nd Re ma rk s o n

Jakob (1786) . E sp ec i al ly r el ev an t f or R ei nh ol d a n d K an t s w or k i n t hi s d e ca de a s a w ho le i s a

p a ss a ge a t C r it i qu e o f P u re R e as o n A 589/B 617: F o r g r a n t i n g t h a t t h e r e a r e i n t h e i d e a o f r e a s o n

o bl ig at io ns w hi c h a re c om p le te ly v al id , b ut w hi c h i n t h ei r a pp l ic at io n s t o o ur se lv es w ou l d b e

l ac ki ng i n a ll r ea li ty t ha t i s, o bl ig at io ns t o w hi ch t he re w ou ld b e n o m ot iv es s av e o n t he

a s s u m p t i o n t h a t t h e r e e x i s t s a s u p r e m e b e i n g t o g i v e e f f e c t a n d c o n f i r m a t i o n t o t h e p r a c t i c a l l a w s ,i n s u c h a s i t u a t i o n w e s h o u l d b e u n d e r a n o b l i g a t i o n t o f o l l o w t h o s e c o n c e p t s w h i c h , t h o u g h t h e y

m a y n o t b e o b j e c t i v e l y s u f f i c i e n t , a r e y e t , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t a n d a r d o f o u r r e a s o n , p r e p o n d e r a n t ,

a n d i n c o m p a r i s o n w i t h w h i c h w e k n o w o f n o t h i n g t h a t i s b e t t e r o r m o r e c o n v i n c i n g . Q u o t a t i o n s

f r o m t he Critique a r e f r o m t he N o r m a n K e m p S m i t h t r a ns l a t i o n ( L o ndo n, M a c m i l l a n, 1929) , w i t h

t h e s t a n d a r d A a n d / o r B r e f e r e n c e s t o t h e f i r s t a n d / o r s e c o n d G e r m a n e d i t i o n s .

Introduction

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Letters t ur ne d a tt en ti on e nt ir el y a wa y f ro m t he c ru ci al b e gi nn in g a nd

m id dl e s ec t io ns o f t he Critique, w hi ch d ef in e t he c or e o f K an t s s ys te m

a n d e s t a b l i s h t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l p r e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e m o r a l a r g u m e n t : t h e

pr oof s of t he sy nt he ti c a priori st ruct ures of space and time, t heT ra ns ce nd en ta l D ed uc ti on o f t he c at eg or ie s, t he A na lo gi es a rg um en t

f or t he p ri nc ip le o f c au sa li ty , a nd t he r es tr ic ti on o f a ll o ur d et e rm in at e

t he or et ic al k no wl ed ge t o a r ea lm o f s pa ce a nd t im e t ha t i s t ra ns ce nd en -

t a l l y i d e a l a n d n o t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h i n g s i n t h e m s e l v e s .

T hi s s hi ft o f f oc us m ay w el l b e a m aj or f ac to r, s ti ll n ot f ul ly a pp re -

c ia te d, i n t he c en tu ri es -l on g s pl it b et we en t w o v er y d if fe re nt s ch oo ls o f

a p pr o ac h t o K a nt a n d p h il o so p hy i n g e ne r al . I n A n gl o ph o ne c o un t ri e s,

which did not expe rience the direct impact of Reinholds Letters

( R e i n h o l d s w o r k w a s n o t a v a i l a b l e i n E n g l i s h u n t i l l a t e i n t h e t w e n t i e t h

c en tu ry ), t he sp ir it ua l s id e o f K an t s t ho ug ht w as m or e a nd m or e

ne gl ec te d i n f avo r of t he or et ic al a sp ec ts of t he Critique t h at o ve rl ap

w i th t h e b r oa d ly n a tu r al i st c o nc e rn s o f e m pi r ic i sm a n d t r ad i ti o na l a n a-

l y ti c p h il o so p hy . I n R e in h ol d s o w n e n vi r on m en t , h o we v er , t h e Letters

c hoi ce of a m uc h b roa de r ra nge o f i ss ue s w as a f ir st c au se , o r a t l eas t a

c ru ci al e ar ly s ig n, o f a v er y d if fe re nt k in d o f o ri en ta ti on , o ne t ha t h asc o n ti n u e d to d o m i n a te Co n ti n e n ta l p h i l o s o p h e r s . T h e J e n a p h i l o s o p h e r s

an d t he ir f ol lo we rs w er e a ll m esm er iz ed b y t he p roj ec t of t rum pi ng

R ei nh ol d s w or k b y p re se nt in g t he ir o wn v ar ia ti on o f a p os t- Cr it ic al

t re at me nt o f t he sp ir it ua l i nt er es ts b eh in d K an t s p os tu la te s a n

i s s u e t h a t r e m a i n e d i n c i d e n t a l , a t b e s t , i n t h e a n a l y t i c t r a d i t i o n .

Th is i s n ot t o sa y t hat m ost w ri tin g i n t he J en a t ra dit ion h as b ee n

e x p l ic i tl y o r i e n ted to wa rd s p i r itu a l to p i c s . R e i n h o ld h i m s el f a tte m pte d to

m a k e g o o d h i s r e l a t i v e n e g l e c t o f K a n t s t h e o r e t i c a l a r g u m e n t s b y b e g i n -n i n g t o d e v e l o p , r i g h t a f t e r t h e o r i g i n a l Letters, a s y s t e m o f h i s o w n , t h e

s o - c a l l e d E l e m e n ta r y - Ph i l o s o p h y , wh i c h wa s s u p p o s e d to p r o v i d e a m o r e

a de qu at e g en er al f ou nd at io n f or t he C ri ti ca l p hi lo so ph y. T hi s w as t he

first of many attempts by Reinhold as well as his followers to

f or mu la te in te rn al g ro un ds b et te r t ha n K an t s o wn f or t he s ak e o f

m os t e ff ec ti ve ly a ch ie vi ng w ha t w as t ak en to b e in s pi ri t t he s am e

a d mi r ab l e r es u lt s t h at t h e Critique promised.5

T he c or e m at er ia ls o f t he

5 T hi s s tr at eg y i s m os t s tr ik in g i n c as es w he re K an t a n d R ei n ho ld s ti ll a l lo w t ha t G od m ay e xi st

l i t e r a l l y a s a t r a n s c e n d e n t p e r s o n , w h e r e a s l a t e r w r i t e r s a l l o w n o m o r e t h a n t h a t G o d m a y e x i s t i n

s pi ri t, i . e. , i n t h e f u lf il le d s pi ri t o f h u ma n c ul tu re . T he c on tr as t o f l et te r a n d s pi ri t w as a v er y

c o mm o n t o p i c o f t h e p e ri o d.

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p a r a d i g m a t i c f o u n d a t i o n a l i s t v e r s i o n o f t h i s p o s t - K a n t i a n p r o j e c t c a n b e

t ra ce d i n t he c ha ng es i n t he 1790 v er si on o f t he Letters, a n e di ti on t ha t

a l r e a d y g a v e a n i n d i c a t i o n o f R e i n h o l d s f a t e f u l i n t e n t i o n t o m o v e b e y o n d

b e i n g r e g a r d e d a s a m e r e c a t a l y s t f o r o t h e r p h i l o s o p h e r s .

The situation of philosophy before the Letters

T h r e e m a i n f a c t o r s t h e Enlightenment , Jacobi, a n d Kant d e te r mi n ed

t h e p h il o so p hi c al c o nt e xt f a ci n g R e in h ol d i n t h e1780s . T o u nd er st an d

t he s ig ni fi ca nc e o f t he Letters, o ne n ee ds t o a pp re ci at e w ha t R ei nh ol d s

m os t d ee pl y e nt re nc he d v ie ws w er e b ef or e h e h ad e ve n h ea rd o f K an t,

w ha t t he d om in an t p hi lo so ph ic al d is pu te w as a t t ha t t im e i n G er ma ny ,

a nd w ha t w as s o r em ar ka bl e a bo ut t he s pe ci fi c s tr at eg y o f r es or ti ng t o

K a n t s f i r s t C r i t i c a l w r i t i n g s a s a r e s p o n s e t o t h i s s i t u a t i o n .

R e i n h o l d s p e n t h i s e a r l y y e a r s i n V i e n n a a s a l i b e r a l C a t h o l i c p r i e s t a n d

p r ol i fi c E n li g ht e nm e nt a c ti v is t , s u pp o rt i ng t h e f a r- r ea c hi n g b u t c o nt r o-

versial reforms initiated during the reign of Emperor Joseph II

(178090) . F ee li ng i t n ec es sa ry t o s ee k m or e f re ed om e ls ew he re , h e l ef t

A us tr ia a nd C at ho li ci sm b eh in d f or ev er w he n h e a ba nd on ed b ot h h is

c ou nt ry a nd t he o rd er o f t he B ar na bi te s o n N ov em be r18, 1783, t hr ee

d ay s a ft er h is t we nt y- si xt h b irt hda y. Th e f ir st ma in i nf lu en ce o n

R e i n h o l d a n d t h e o n e w i t h t h e l o n g e s t h o l d o n h i m w a s t h u s t h e s e t

o f p ro gr es si ve p ra ct ic al i de al s t ha t h e b ro ug ht a lo ng w it h h im w he n

f le ei ng t o W ei ma r a nd P ro te st an ti sm . T he s ec on d m ai n i nf lu en ce o n

the Letters w as t h e P a nt h ei s m C o nt r ov e rs y , w h ic h e r up t ed i n G e rm a ny

in1785 u p on t he p ub l ic at io n o f F . H . J ac ob i s O n t h e D o c t r i n e o f S p i n o z a

i n L e t t e r s t o M r . M o s e s M e n d e l s s o h n .

6

Jacobi insisted that Mendelssohn a n d t h e r e b y i n e f f e c t a l l t r a d i t i o n a l p h i l o s o p h e r s h a d t o c h o o s e b e t w e e n

t he a ll eg ed f at al is ti c a nd S pi no zi st ic p os it io n o f L es si ng a nd t he o nl y

a l te r na t iv e J a co b i t h ou g ht w a s f e as i bl e , a l i be r ta r ia n a n d a n ti - ra t io n al i st

v e r s i o n o f C h r i s t i a n i t y . T h e t h i r d m a i n f a c t o r o n t h e s c e n e w a s t h e l o n g

s h a d o w c a s t i n1781 b y t h e f i r s t e d i t i o n o f K a n t s m a s s i v e Critique, a w o r k

t h a t b e f u d d l e d i t s f i r s t r e a d e r s n o t o n l y b e c a u s e o f i t s u n u s u a l d i f f i c u l t y

b ut a ls o b ec au se o f i ts m an y a mb ig uo us s ta nc es . I t s ee me d a im ed , f or

6 F o r a c o nc i s e r e v i e w o f t he P a nt he i s m C o nt r o v e r s y , s e e A l l e n W o o d, T r a ns l a t o r s I nt r o duc t i o n,

in R e l i gi o n a n d R a ti o na l T h eo l og y /I m m an u el K a nt , t r. a nd e d. G . d i G io va nn i a nd A . Wo od

( C a m br i dg e , C a m b ri dg e U ni v e rs i t y P r e s s, 1996), pp. 36. S ee a ls o b el ow , n. 11.

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e x a m p l e , a t s h a r p l y c r i t i c i z i n g , a n d y e t a l s o s o m e h o w d e f e n d i n g , n u m e r -

o u s c o re c l ai m s o f c o mm o ns e ns e e x pe r ie n ce , m o de r n s c ie n ce , m e t ap h y-

s i c a l r e a s o n , a n d t h e C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n .

Reinholds Letters e le ga nt ly t ie d a ll t he se t he me s t og et he r b y a rg ui n gt ha t e ve ry on e e l se h ad f ai le d t o n ot ic e t he o bv io us s ol ut io n, n am el y t ha t

K an t s w ork h ad t o b e r ead p ro pe rl y a nd p os it iv el y f ro m b ac k t o f ro nt . A ft er

t hi s r eo ri en ta ti on , i t w as s up po se dl y e as y to s ee t h at K an t h ad s u cc ee de d i n

his ultimate a i m s , wh i c h c o n c e r n e d p h i l o s o p h y o f r e l i g i o n , a n d th a t h e h a d

a lr ea dy p ro vi de d, i n a r em ark ab le f eat of a nt ici pa ti on , a n e nl ig ht en ed

s ol ut io n f or t he s it ua ti on o f p hi lo so ph y a f te r J ac ob i. E ve n w it ho ut p re se nt -

i ng a ny th in g l ik e a f ul l- le ng th r ev ie w o f t h e Critique, R e in h ol d p r es u me d

t ha t h is Letters c ou ld s ho w h ow t he K an ti an p hi lo so ph y c on ta in ed t he

m e a n s f o r m e e t i n g G e r m a n y s m o s t c r y i n g n e e d s a n d f o r b o l s t e r i n g h i s

o wn h op es o f g ai ni ng i nf lu en ce a s a n a ut ho ri t at iv e s po ke sm an o f t he a ge .

T hi s w as a n e xt ra ord in ar y p ro gr am , a nd R ei nho ld c ame v er y c lo se t o

s u c c e e d i n g o n a l l fr o n ts .

T he Enl i g hte nm e nt b ackg r ound

R e i n h o l d s o p t i m i s m w a s r o o t e d i n t h e m o s t b a s i c p h i l o s o p h i c a l f e a t u r e s

o f h is i ni ti al c on ce rn s. F ro m t he t im e o f h is e ar li es t w ri ti ng s, t he m os t

d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e o f R e i n h o l d s c o m m i t m e n t t o t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t w a s

h i s i n s is t en c e o n f i nd i ng a w a y t o s u p p or t s o c i al r e fo r m w i th a p h il o so p hy

t ha t m et t he d ou bl e d em an d o f b ei ng popular and systematic i n t h e b e s t

s e n s e . I t i s e a s y t o s e e h o w t h i s d e m a n d a r o s e , e v e n i f i t u l t i m a t e l y t o o k a

r a th e r u n us u al f o rm . T h e f u nd a me n ta l p r ac t ic a l g o al o f E n li g ht e nm e nt

r ef or ms w as t o g iv e c om mo n p eo pl e a c ha nc e t o d et er mi ne t he ms el ve st hr ou gh r at i on al it y, a nd t hu s t o b e co me f re e f ro m t he a rb it ra ri ne ss o f

n at ur al p ow er s a nd t ra di ti on al a ut ho ri ti es i n a w or d, t o a ch ie ve a ut o-

n om y. En li gh te ne d d es po ts s uc h a s J os ep h I I c on st a nt l y r an i nt o t he

p a r a d o x , h o w e v e r , o f h a v i n g t o f o r c e o t h e r s t o b e f r e e , a n d t h e y o f t e n

r e s o r t e d t o m e t h o d s o f d e c e p t i o n o r w o r s e i n o r d e r t o t r y t o w e a n t h e i r

s ub je ct s a wa y f ro m a d ee pl y e ng ra in ed a tt ac hm en t t o u ne nl ig ht en ed

b el ie fs a nd c us to ms . I ni ti al ly a t l ea st , R ei nh ol d h ad a v er y c on fi de nt

Le ib nizian conviction that there w as an alternat ive, that theE nl ig ht en me nt d id n ot h av e t o r es or t t o s uc h q ue st io na bl e m et ho ds . I t

c o u l d p r o c e e d b y a n a l y s i s , a c l e a r i n g u p t o u s e t h e l i t e r a l m e a n i n g o f

t he v er b f or m o f t he G er ma n t er m Au fk la ru ng o f c o n f u s e d i d e a s i n a

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w ay t ha t i n p ri nc ip le c ou ld b e r ea di ly a ck no wl ed ge d b y a ny on e w it h

c om mo n s en se . F or R ei nh ol d, t hi s a pp ro ac h r eq ui re d p hi lo so ph ic al

p ri nc ip le s t ha t w er e m or e t ha n s im pl y u ni ve rs al i n v al id it y a nd s co pe

(al lg em ein gu lt ig ) , i . e . , a p p ly i ng t o a n d h e l pi n g a l l h u ma n it y i n p r in c ip l e; i ta ls o d em an de d p ri nc ip le s t ha t w er e m et ho do lo gi ca ll y u ni ve rs al (allge-

meingeltend ) i n t he se ns e o f b ei ng un ive rsa ll y ac ce pt ed, or a t l ea st

s uc h t ha t i n f ac t t he y c ou ld b e e as il y a ck no wl ed ge d. R ei nh ol d w as n ot

i nt ere st ed i n p opu la rit y i n a c ru de se ns e, b ut h e a ls o d id n ot w an t t o

e n c o u r a g e a r e t r e a t t o a u t h o r i t a r i a n i s m b y r e l y i n g o n b a s i c p r i n c i p l e s t h a t

c ou ld b e p ro pe rl y j us ti fi ed o nl y b y a dv an ce d s pe ci al is ts . M or eo ve r, h e

w a s v e r y s t r u c k b y t h e f a c t t h a t r e c e n t s c i e n t i f i c a n d l e g a l a d v a n c e s h a d

c re at e d a s it ua ti on i n w hi ch p eo pl e w er e a lr ea dy u si ng p ri nc ip le s t ha t

w e r e r a t i o n a l n o t m e r e l y i n t h e m s e l v e s b u t a l s o i n a w a y t h a t e v e r y o n e

c ou ld d ir ec t ly a pp re ci at e. R ei nh ol d s c ha ll en ge w as t o f in d a m ea ns f or

c on st ru ct in g p ri nc ip le s w it h a s im il ar t ra ns pa re nc y i n t he f i el ds o f p hi -

l os op hy , m or al it y, a nd r el ig io n, s o t ha t a ll m em be rs o f m od er n s oc ie t y

c o u l d f i n a l l y l e a d a t h o r o u g h l y a u t o n o m o u s l i f e .

A l l t h i s c a n h e l p e x p l a i n w h y , u p t o a n d d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d o f t h e Letters,

Reinhold was unwilling to promote the Enlightenment by a relatively loosephi losophical syst em or a st rate gy of di vi sion of labor. Even lat er h e

continued to insist that a linkage of popular and systematic credentials

in one s pri ncipl es was not a mere ab st ract ideal b ut a deeply fel t nee d of t he

a g e , a n d h e we n t s o fa r a s to c l a i m th a t, R i g h ts c a n be r e c o g n i z e d by s ta te s

only when philosophers are clear about them.7

Moreover, he believed that

if principles were to be not only satisfying for philosophers but also capable

of h ol di ng up a s p op ul ar i n t he l on g r un , t he n t he y h ad t o b e o rga ni ze d i n

a highly systematic way and given an irreversible scientific foundation.T hi s i ns is te nc e o n f in di ng a p hi lo so ph y s at is fy in g t he double demand of

s tr on g c on di ti on s o f p op ul ar it y a s w el l a s s ys te ma ti ci ty w as a m aj or f ac to r i n

R ei nh ol d s i nt er es t i n K an t, s in ce h e t ho ug ht t ha t t he Critique, and the

Critique a l on e, was p ro pe rl y o ri en te d to wa rd m ee ti ng th is d em an d. L ate r,

h owe ve r, a s a c on se qu en ce o f a mbi ti ou s p re su mp ti on s a bo ut the way thi s

d em an d s ho ul d b e m et , R ei nh ol d b eg an t o t ur n a wa y f ro m K an t. B y1790

R e i n h o l d h a d c o m e t o b e l i e v e t h a t n o t o n l y K a n t s w o r k b u t e v e n h i s o w n

7 Reinhold, U b e r d a s F u n d ame n t d e s p h i l o so p h i sc h e n W i s s e n s : U b e r d i e M og l i c h k ei t d e r P h i l o so p h i e a l s

strenge Wissenschaft ( J e na , M a uk e , 1791; r e pr . H a m b ur g , M e i ne r ,1978) , p . v i i . C f . m y K a n t a n d t h e

F a t e o f A u t o n o m y ( C a m b ri dg e , C a m b ri dg e U ni v e rs i t y P r e s s,2000) , p .123.

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i ni ti al e xp os it io n o f t he C ri ti ca l p hi lo so ph y w as i na de qu at e; h en ce t he

dif fere nc es b etw ee n the t wo versions of Letters. T he r evo lut io na ry

Critique, w hi ch w as t o p ro vi de b y i ts el f a p ra ct ic al ly s ac re d n ew g ro und

fo r a l l fu tu r e p h i l o s o p h y , tu r n e d o u t to n e e d a h a s ty r e fo r m u l a ti o n i n te r m sof Reinholds new doctrine of the foundation of philosophy in a single basic

facult y of re presen tation (Vor ste llu ngs ver mogen ). This doctrine was

g ro un de d i n a s up po se dl y t ra ns pa re nt a nd a bs ol utely self-determining

principle of consciousness (S at z d es B ew us st se ins).8

R ei nh ol d fel t tha t

t hi s p ri nc ip le c ou ld d o a m uc h b et te r j ob o f m ee ti ng t he d ou bl e d em an d

tha n Kan t s s ys te m by i tse lf, whi c h n ow s ee me d n ei the r a bso lu tel y fu nd a-

mental nor truly universally accessible. Like many readers in our own time,

R ei nh ol d w or ri ed t ha t K an t a pp ea re d t o s ta rt h is s ys te m a t t oo hi gh a

l ev el , on e t ha t t ook or di nar y k now le dge a nd n ot io ns s uc h a s c onc ep t,

i ntui ti on , s pa ce , a nd ti me a s gi ve n s ta rtin g p oi nts r ath er tha n a s i te m s

derived from a foundation in something absolutely elementary, such as the

ba r e n o ti o n o f m e n ta l r e p r e s e n ta ti o n . I n a v e r y s h o r t ti m e , R e i n h o l d l i k e

e a c h o f h i s G e r m a n I d e a l i s t s u c c e s s o r s i n tu r n c h a n g e d fr o m p l a y i n g th e

role of an aft er t he fact John th e Bap tist for Kan t s go sp el to s ettin g

h i m s e l f u p a s t h e p o p e o f a n e w i n f a l l i b l e s y s t e m .

9

T he P ant he is m C o nt r ove r s y

T h e i n i ti a l v e r s i o n o f th e Letters s ti l l fo c u s e d o n c o n v e y i n g th e v a l u e o f th e

end point s of the Crit ical phil osophy rat her than on seeking an ide al

f ou nd at io na l f or mu la ti on o f i ts s ta rt in g p oi nt s. T hi s f oc us m ad e s en se

gi ve n the role that the P anthe ism Controversy pl ayed in me diat ing

Reinholds early interests in the Enlightenment and Kant. The underlyingi ss ue h er e c on ce rn ed Jacobi s c on ce pt io n o f t he c ap ac it ie s o f p hi lo so ph y as a

theoret ical disc iplin e i n general. Jacobi s highly negative view of

t he se c ap ac it ie s pl ay ed a c en tr al r ole i n t he w ay t ha t R ei nh ol d a nd a ll

h is s o- ca ll ed K an ti an s uc ce ss or s b eg an t he ir t hi nk in g a bo ut t he c or e o pt io ns

in mode rn phil osophy. For Jacobi, not only S pinoza or Lessing b ut

8

T he r e pr e s e nt a t i o n i n c o ns c i o us ne s s i s di s t i ng ui s he d b y t he s ub j e c t f r o m t he s ub j e c t a nd t he o b j e c ta n d r el at ed t o t h em b ot h, Fundament , p.78. C f . G e o rg e di G i o va nni, The F a c t o f C o ns c io usne s s,

in B e t we e n K a n t a n d H e ge l , e d. G . di G i o v a nni ( I ndi a na po l i s , H a c k e t t , 2000) , p .14.9 T hi s n e w p er io d t ur ne d o ut t o b e b ri e f a s w el l. A ft er o bj e ct io ns f ro m o th er s i n J en a, R ei n ho ld

m o v e d t o w a r d a l e s s f o u n d a t i o n a l s y s t e m i n t h e 1790s , a n d t h e n o f t e n c h a n g e d h i s v i e w s a g a i n t o

a c c o m m o da t e ne w po s i t i o ns s uc h a s F i c ht e s phi l o s o phy .

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traditional theoretical philosophy in general encouraged pantheism because

i t a pp ea re d t o b e a bl e t o d o l it tl e m ore t ha n l ink d ep en de nt p art ic ul ar s

tog ethe r wi th o ne a no th e r a s p ar t o f a n ec es sa ri l y c on n ec te d a ll -i nc lu si ve

w hol e. I t t hu s l ef t n o r oo m f or t hi nk ing of on es el f a s a n a bs ol ut el y f re ei nd iv id ua l, r el a te d to o th e r i nd ep en de nt i nd iv id ua ls a nd a G od who tr an s-

c en ds the wor ld -who le . Whi le J ac obi fou nd the m os t c on si sten t v er si on o f

d eter mi ni sti c h ol is m i n Sp in oz is m, h e r ea li ze d tha t th er e was a ls o a s ke p-

tical Hume an version of it whic h starte d from a posi tion t hat is more

e pi stem ol og ic a l a nd s ubj ec tiv is t tha n o ntol og ic a l a nd r ati on al is t. O n thi s

p sy ch ol og is ti c v er si on o f tra di ti on al p hi lo so ph y, o ne h ad to beg in s im pl y

w it h c er ta in i nn er r epr es en ta ti on s, a nd t he n, as l on g as o ne re mai ne d

r i g o r o u s a n d c o n s i s te n t, th e be s t th a t o n e c o u l d e n d u p wi th wa s a n i n te r n a l

aggregate of necessarily connected (i.e., associated) representations. Here

a ga in , u lt im at e f in it e i nd iv id ua li ty a nd p er so na l f re ed om w er e l os t, a nd

t he re w as n o l on ge r a ny e xt er na l n at ur e, a ny p lu ra li ty o f a ct ua l b ei ng s,

physical or personal, that could be legitimately asserted.

Jacobi was most concerned with the practical implications of this concep-

t ion o f p hi lo so ph y. I t s eem ed t o h im t hat i t c le ar ly d ive st ed l if e o f a ny

p er so na l m ea ni ng , a ny s ig ni fi ca nt o ri gi n o r g oal, a nd t hus u nde rc ut a llo rd i na ry be li e f, m o ra l i ty , a n d th ei s ti c r e li gi o n.10

H is a lt er na ti ve w as t o

p ro po se t ha t t his w hol e c on cep ti on h ad m ad e t he m is ta ke o f b ec om in g

fi xa te d o n demonstration. W e s ho ul d r ea li ze t ha t w e d o n ot e xi st on ly t o

c o nn e ct, i n th e s e ns e o f m e re l y g ath e ri n g c o nti n ge n t r e pr es e nta tio n s o r

br u te m a te r i a l i te m s to g e th e r i n o n e wh o l e , h o we v e r i m m e n s e . R a th e r , th e

f a c t i s t h a t w e a r e a l w a y s a l r e a d y w h e n n o t m i s l e d b y b a d p h i l o s o p h y

open to the direct revelation of intrinsically meaningful external matters.11

T h e r e w a s a n o b v i o u s c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e s e v i e w s f o r J a c o b i s p h i l o s o p h yo f r el ig io n. S in ce f or h im t he d om in an t c on ce pt io n o f p hi lo so ph y c ou ld n ot

e ve n j us ti f y o rd in ar y c la im s a bo ut a ny o th er f in it e b e in gs , p hy si ca l o r

p e r s o n a l , h e c o u l d c o n t e n d t h a t b e l i e v e r s d i d n o t h a v e t o b e e m b a r r a s s e d

10A d ra ma ti c r ef or mu la ti on o f J ac ob i s w or ri es c an b e f ou nd i n t he t ra ns it io n f ro m p ar t I I

( D ou b t ) t o p a rt I I I ( Fa i t h ) o f F i c ht e s 1800 essay, T he V oc at io n o f M an, e d. P . P re uss

( I ndi a na po l i s, H a c k e tt ,1987).11

S e e J a co b i s f a mo u s s t at e me n t i n O n t he D o ct ri ne o f S pi no za i n L et te rs t o M os es M en de ls so hn(Bre sla u, Lo we, 1785) , p .31, i n m y j u d g m e n t t h e g r e a t e s t s e r v i c e o f t h e s c i e n t i s t [ p h i l o s o p h i c a l

writer, Forscher ] i s t o u n v e i l e x i s t e n c e , a n d t o r e v e a l i t [ D a s e in z u e n t h ul l e n , u n d z u o f f e nb a r e n].

T r a ns la t i o n f r o m F r i ed r ic h H e in r ic h J a co b i , T he M ai n P hi lo so ph ic al W ri ti ng s a nd t he N ov el

Allwill , e d. G . d i G io va n ni ( Mo nt re al a nd K in gs to n, M cG il l- Qu ee n s U n iv er si ty P re ss ,

1994) , p .194.

Introduction

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b y t he s up er na tu ra l b e li ef s o f C hr is ti an it y, f or t he se w er e i n n o w or se a

po sit ion t ha n t he e ve ry da y c la ims t ha t t hi s p hil oso phy h ad p ut in to

q u es t io n . I n o t he r w o rd s , J a co b i s r e ad e rs c o ul d e i th e r a c ce p t t ra d it i on a l

p h i l o s o p h y a n d a m e a n i n g l e s s a n n i h i l a t i o n o f t h e i r o w n s e l v e s a s u l t i m a t ei n d i v i d u a l s , o r t h e y c o u l d r e j e c t t h i s n i h i l i s t i c p o s i t i o n a n d c o n t i n u e t o

h o ld o n to t h e ir e v er y da y o n to l og y a n d w h at e ve r m o ra l a n d r e li g io u s c l ai m s

a ls o s ee me d t o b e re ve al ed t o t he m. F or J ac ob i , t he l es so n o f m ai ns tr ea m

t he or et ic al p hi lo so ph y w as t ha t i t l ed a t b es t t o a s o- ca ll ed kn ow le dg e o f

r ep re se nt at i on s t ha t c ou ld n ev er b e f ul fi ll in g. J ac ob i s a im w as t o b ri ng

h i s r e a d e r s b a c k t o t h e s a t i s f y i n g n o n - d e m o n s t r a t i v e b e l i e f s t h a t t h e y h a d

al wa ys h el d, i n s uc h a w ay t ha t e ve n i n a m ode rn c on te xt t he y c oul d

c o n t i n u e t o l e a d a l i f e o f b e l i e f o p e n t o o t h e r s a n d t o f a i t h .

The options that Jacobi insisted on were a huge embarrassment for most

Enlightenment philosophers. Jacobis personal charm, his education and

bro ad c on ta cts (he was a g oo d fri en d o f m os t o f the l ea di ng E nl ig hten me nt

fig ur es , i nc lu di ng G oe th e), a nd h is r ep utatio n a nd s ty le a s a wri te r m ad e i t

d iffi cu lt to d is mi ss h im a s a r ea ctio na ry c ra ck po t. I t was the re fo re a ll the m or e

d is tu rbin g tha t J ac obi s a ge nd a a pp ea re d s o o pp os ed to the m ai ns tr ea m o f the

l ater G er ma n E nl ig hten me nt, whi ch a ss um ed p re ci se ly tha t o ne d id not havee ve n to thi nk a bo ut fac in g the s ta rk c ho ic e o f e ithe r a n u ns atis fy in g ra ti on al

p hi lo so ph y o r a l iter al ly s up er na tu ra l r el ig io n. I ns te ad , o ne c ou ld s el ec t o ne o f

many different, supposedly satisfying forms of rational religion, or natural

theology. The differences between most eighteenth-century successors to

De sca rt es , Le ib niz , and Loc ke we re re lat ivel y min or i n t his co nt ext .

E nl ig hten me nt p hi lo so ph er s ten de d n o l on ge r to s ee a ny n ee d to i ns is t o n

the m ir ac ul ou s d oc tr in es o f Chr is ti an sp ec ia l r ev el atio n, but for a l on g tim e

they continued to assert that rational philosophy and natural teleology pointtoward at least the likelihood of a God who provides a meaningful existence

andfinalendforhumanindividuals.Bythelatereighteenthcentury,however,

th e c o r r o s i v e i n fl u e n c e o f fi g u r e s s u c h a s H u m e a n d Sp i n o z a h a d l e d a n e w

g en er at io n o f p hi lo so ph er s t o s us pe ct t ha t n on e o f t he o ld t ec hn iq ue s o f

the or etic al p hi lo so ph y c ou ld d efen d a p os itio n e nc ou ra gi ng thi s k in d o f

rational religion, let alone anything like old-time supernaturalism.

K a n t i a n p r a c t i c a l r e a s o n

R ei nh ol d s r es po ns e t o t hi s s it ua ti on i n1786 w as t o p ro po se t ha t Kant

h a d a l r e a d y p r o v i d e d a n i d e a l w a y t o e n d o r s e a v e r s i o n o f r a t i o n a l r e l i g i o n

Introduction

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a ft er a ll , o ne t ha t s av ed g en ui ne m or al it y, u lt im at e p er so na l i nd iv id ua li ty ,

a nd t he k ey c la im s o f C hr is ti an it y. H e a rg ue d t ha t t he d is cu ss io n b e tw ee n

Jacobi and Mendelssohn did not need to be taken to reveal the limits of

re as on or ra tio nal r el igi on a s su ch . It sh ow ed o nl y t he l im it s o f t het r ad i ti o na l d og m at i c a n d t h eo r et i ca l m e ta p hy s ic s t h at w a s u n fa m il i ar

w i t h K a n t s C r i t i c a l v i n d i c a t i o n o f r e a s o n a n d r e l i g i o n o n p u r e p r a c t i c a l

grounds.

R einh old s c on ce rn wi th r el ig ion w as c on ne ct ed t o a v ery s er io us

c om pl ic at io n t ha t m an y r e ad er s o f t he Critique c ho se t o i gn or e o r d ow n-

p lay i n th e1780s, a s m any s ti ll do t o t hi s da y, n ame ly t hat t he C ri tic al

p hi lo so ph y b y n o m ea ns e xc lu de s t ra ns ce nd en t m et ap hy si cs a nd s up er -

n at ur al r el ig io n i n a ll s e ns es . A s R ei nh ol d a st ut el y r ec og ni ze d, a lt ho ug h

Ka nt c l ea r ed a way theoretical arguments f or a ss er ti on s a b ou t G od , f re ed om ,

a n d i m m o r ta l i ty , h e a l s o p r o m i s e d a n e l a bo r a ti o n o f th e r i g h tfu l c l a i m s o f

pure practical reason, a nd an e xte nd ed de fe nse o f a t l eas t s ome true and

substantive non-theoretical beliefs o f a tr a d i ti o n a l r e l i g i o u s n a tu r e . F o r Ka n t,

t he se b el ie fs h ad t o b e c al le d pur e p ra ct ic al a nd no n- th eo re ti ca l

s i m p l y be c a u s e th e o n l y a d e q u a te epistemic ground f o r t h e m w a s a p r e m i s e

s e t th a t wa s n o t e n ti r el y th eo re tic a l bu t i n cl u de d a s a n e s se n ti a l c o m po n en ts o m e s tr i c t m o r a l c o n s i d e r a ti o n s . I t wa s v e r y i m p o r ta n t, h o we v e r , th a t th e

content o f s u ch be l ie fs g i ve n tr an s ce n de n tal i d ea l is m a n d th e p o stu la te s

c o nc lu s io n s a ffir m in g a j u st G o d a n d i m mo r ta l ity s til l e x pr e ss e d tr uth s

s p ec i fi a bl e i n n o n- m or al te rm s , fo r e x am p le , th e e x is ten c e o f be in g s wi th

non-spatiotemporal powers.

R e i n h o l d e x p e c te d h i s a d v o c a c y o f Ka n t s p h i l o s o p h y to h a v e c o n s i d e r -

a bl e p op ul ar i mp ac t, a nd t o g ai n s up po rt f ro m t he r el ev an t a ut ho ri t ie s i n

l ib er al r eg im es , b e ca us e i t c ou ld p ro vi de t he m w it h a c on ve ni en t e sc ap efr o m th e th r e a te n i n g e x tr e m e s th a t J a c o bi h a d p r e s e n te d . I f a r a ti o n a l bu t

n on -d og ma ti c d ef e ns e o f r el ig io n w as f ea si bl e, t h en t he c ul tu re w ar s o f

Aberglaube and Unglaube s u p e r s ti ti o u s fa i th a n d c r u d e n o n be l i e f c o u l d

b e a v o i d e d . T h i s s t r a t e g y w o u l d e n d e a r R e i n h o l d t o t h e g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f

h is r ea de rs , w ho w er e s ti ll r el at i ve ly t r ad it io na l. J us t a s i mp or ta nt ly , i t

w ou ld a ls o a tt ra ct m or e p ro gr es si ve t hi nk er s w ho e sc he we d a ll s up er-

n at ural n ot io ns b ut r ema in ed ve ry int er es te d in fi ndi ng so me w ay t o

s ec ur e t he s ec ul ar v alu e i nhe re nt i n t he C ri ti cal n ot io n o f t he h ig he stg o o d , n a m e l y th e th o u g h t o f a r e a l m o f fu l l h u m a n s a ti s fa c ti o n a n d j u s ti c e .

T ha t K an t h im se lf s t il l c on ne ct ed t hi s v al ue t o f ai rl y t ra di ti on al i de as o f

G o d , fr e e d o m , a n d i m m o r ta l i ty wa s n o t s u r p r i s i n g , g i v e n th e fa c t th a t th i s

Introduction

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c om ple x o f i de as h ad a v er y w el l- kn ow n a nt ic ip at io n a nd d emo cra ti c

p ed ig re e in f av or it e te xts o f th e t ime, su ch as th e t hre ef ol d cr ee d o f

R ou s se a u s Sav oy a rd Vi c ar (1762).12

I n p r og r es s iv e J e na , r e su l ts a t

least s o m ew hat l i ke K an t s p os tu la te s t h us b ec am e a c om mo n g oa l, e ve nwh i l e p r a c ti c a l l y e v e r y o n e , i n c l u d i n g R e i n h o l d h i m s e l f s o o n , a l s o t hought

i t n ec es sa ry t o c om e u p w it h b et t er pr em is es t h an K an t s o wn .13 This

w a s t r u e e v e n o f f i g u r e s s u c h a s t h e y o u n g S c h e l l i n g , w h o a s a s t u d e n t w a s

extremely disturbed by the attempts of theologians in Tubingen to modify

t he g en er al a rg um e nt f or m o f K an t s p os tu la te s f or t h ei r o wn o rt ho do x

e n d s . T h e E a r l i e s t Sy s te m Pr o g r a m o f G e r m a n I d e a l i s m (1796 or1797)

wa s p e r h a p s th e m o s t fa m o u s e x p r e s s i o n o f th i s d e s i r e o f th e l e a d e r s o f th e

n e w g e n e r a ti o n to s u c c e e d R e i n h o l d by r e a c h i n g th e underlying spiritual

g o a l o f K a n t s p o s t u l a t e s i n a m o r e r a d i c a l w a y o f t h e i r o w n .

H i st o ri c i ty , s y st e ma t ic i ty , a n d c o mm o n s e ns e

E ve n i f i t i s u nd er st an da bl e w hy K an t s g en er al i de al o f t he h ig he st g oo d

p ro ve d h ig hl y a tt ra ct iv e a t t he t i me , i t s ho ul d a ls o b e c le ar o n r ef le ct io n

th at th e p h il o so p hi c al e n er g y be hi n d th es e a p pr o pr i ati on s o f Ka nt h a d tob e gr ou nde d i n s om eth in g o th er t han t he pr ac ti ca l a rg ume nt s of t he

Critique i t se lf . T he se a rg um en ts w er e w oe fu ll y c on de ns ed , a nd t he y d id

n o t e v e n s e e m to be v e r y g o o d r e p r e s e n ta ti o n s o f Ka n t s o wn be s t th i n k i n g

a t t he t ime . T he y a pp ea re d t o i ns is t, q ui te d ogm at ic all y, t ha t w e h ave a

p ur e m o ra l n ee d to o bta i n d e se r ve d r e wa r ds fo r o u r m o ra l s tri v in g ,

a nd y et t he ve ry pu ri ty o f t hi s i nt ent io n s ee me d i n t en si on w it h t he

a d m i s s i o n th a t we h a v e a p s y c h o l o g i c a l we a k n e s s r e q u i r i n g th e th o u g h t o f

G o d , o r o f a G o d - l i k e p u n i s h i n g a n d r e wa r d i n g fo r c e , to s p u r u s o n . N ow o n d e r t h a t K a n t h a d t o w o r k v e r y h a r d , i n h i s 1786 Orientation essay,

t o t r y t o d i s t i n g u i s h h i s c o n c e p t o f a necessary need o f p u r e p r a c ti c a l r e a s o n

a s s uc h f ro m a nyt hi ng l ik e t he c on ti ng en t s en si bl e d ri ve s o r r an do m d esi re s

f o r t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l t h a t h e t o o k t o b e t h e s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r t h e u n a c c e p t -

a b l e p o s i t i o n o f f i g u r e s s u c h a s J a c o b i a n d h i s a l l y W i z e n m a n n .

12

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, t r. B . F ox le y ( Lo nd on , J . M . D en t ,1911) , p p .228 78.13 S e e S c h e l l i n g s l e t t e r t o H e g e l , J a n . 5,1795, w h i c h c l a i m s t h a t K a n t s p h i l o s o p h y h a s o n l y g i v e n

t h e c on c l us i on s , f o r w h ic h t h e p re m is e s a r e s t il l n e e de d , a n d t h at a l l i m ag i na b le d o gm a s

h a v e b e e n s t a m p e d a s p o s t u l a t e s o f p u r e r e a s o n , i n B r i e f e v o n u n d a n H e g e l , e d . J . H o ff m ei s te r

( H a m b ur g , M e i ne r ,1981) , v o l . I , p.13. R e i n h o l d s w o r k w a s d i s c u s s e d i n t e n s i v e l y i n t h e S t i f t i n

T ub i ng e n a nd w a s t he f o c us o f S c he l l ing s e a r l i es t w r i t ing .

Introduction

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I n ste ad o f p r ov id i ng e x po s ito ry d e ta i ls a n d direct support f or t h e m or al

argument a t t he ce nt er of i ts o wn i nt er pr et at ion o f t he C ri ti ca l ph il o-

sophy,14

the Letters i nt ro du ce d t h re e q ui te d if fe re nt w ay s o f i n di re ct ly

b ui ld ing a c as e f or K an t: h is to ri ca l, s ys te ma tic , a nd c om mo ns en si ca l.F i rs t, R e in h ol d r e pe a te d ly i l lu s tr a ted th e r e ma r ka ble wa y i n wh ic h Ka nt

s en se d a nd r es po nd ed t o t h e m os t b a si c n eed s o f t he a ge, n eed s t ha t h ad

t h e m s e l v e s t o b e u n d e r s t o o d i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e whole history o f h um an

c u ltu r e. T h is p o in t r e fl e c te d R e in h ol d s d e ep m e th o do lo g ic a l c o nv i cti on

t ha t p hi lo so ph ie s a nd r el ig io ns i n g en er al h ad t o b e a ss es se d i n t er ms o f t h ei r

h is tor ic al r es po ns iv en es s t o t he n ee ds o f r ea son i n a p ar ti cu la r e ra a t he me

t ha t t he G er ma n I de al is ts , e sp ec ia ll y H eg el , f ol lo we d u p o n i n g re at d et ai l.

S ec on d, R ei nh ol d r ep ea te dl y h in te d t ha t K an t h ad a d ee p a nd c on -

v i n c i n g g e n e r a l a n a l y s i s o f t h e s u b j e c t i v e s t r u c t u r e o f o u r f a c u l t i e s , a n d t h a t

t hi s s tr uc tu re p ro vi de d t he h id de n in te rn al g ro un ds a nd t ec hn ic al

a ut ho ri t y n ee de d f or t he C ri ti ca l p hi lo so ph y s sc ie nt if ic s ta nd in g.

R ei nh ol d a ss um ed t ha t o nl y t he a b so lu t el y f ir m g ro un ds o f a s ci en ti fi c

p h i l o s o p h y c o u l d p r o v i d e a n e f f e c t i v e p r o g r a m f o r a c h i e v i n g t h e k i n d o f

r e l i a b l e p r a c t i c a l r e s u l t s n e e d e d t o c o m p l e t e t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t a n d t o

r es ol ve t he P an th ei sm C on tr ov er sy . H e t he re fo re d ev ot ed h al f o f t heLetters t o t h e s e e m i n g l y o u t o f p l a c e t o p i c o f p h i l o s o p h y o f m i n d i n o r d e r

t o c on te nd t ha t K an t s t he or y o f s ub j ec ti vi ty c ou ld d o m uc h m or e t ha n

a n s w e r t h e s p e c i f i c p r o b l e m o f i m m o r t a l i t y : t h e t h e o r y c o u l d a l s o e x p l a i n

t h e w h o l e h i s t o r y o f t h e m i n d b o d y p r o b l e m a n d r e s o l v e t h e m a i n i s s u e s

o f e p i s t e m o l o g y . B y t h e t i m e o f t h e1790 e d i ti o n , h o we v e r , r e fl e c ti o n o n

t h e s e i s s u e s l e d R e i n h o l d b e y o n d K a n t s o w n a c c o u n t a n d t o a n e m p h a s i s

o n t h e n o t i o n o f a b a s i c f a c u l t y o f r e p r e s e n t a t i o n . T h i s n o t i o n b e c a m e t h e

fo u n d a ti o n o f R e i n h o l d s n e w E l e m e n ta r y - Ph i l o s o p h y , a n d th e p r e v i o u sn e g l e c t o f t h e n o t i o n p r o v i d e d h i m w i t h a c o n v e n i e n t e x p l a n a t i o n f o r t h e

Critique s i na bi li ty t o g ai n f ul l a cc ep ta nc e a ft er a ll , eve n a ft er t he e xt ra -

o r d i n a r y i m p a c t o f t h e i n i t i a l v e r s i o n o f t h e Letters.15

14F or s ym pa th e ti c t re a tm en ts o f t he m or al a rg um en t, s ee A ll en W oo d, K a nt s M o ra l R e li g io n

( I th a c a, C o rn e l l U n iv e rs i ty P r es s , 1970) , a nd R ob er t M . A da ms , Mo ra l A rg um en ts f or

T he i s ti c B e l i e f, i n Ra t i o na l i t y a n d Re l i g io u s B e l i ef , e d . C . F . D e la n e y ( N o tr e D a m e , U n i v er s it y

o f N o tr e D a me P r es s , 1979) , p p . 11640. H u me a n d K a n t n o tw i th s ta n d in g , t r ad i t io n al n o n -m o ra la r g um e nt s f o r G o d ha v e a l s o r e c e i v e d s i g ni f i c a nt de f e ns e s i n r e c e nt a na l y t i c phi l o s o phy , no t a b l y

i n t h e w o r k o f R i c h a r d S w i n b u r n e a n d A l v i n P l a n t i n g a .15 S i mi l ar c o ns i de r at i on s w e re s o on u s ed b y F i ch t e t o c l a im t h at n o th i n g l i k e R e in h o ld s p r og r am

c o ul d s uc c e e d unt i l i t s t he o r y o f s ub j e c t i v i t y w a s f unda m e nt a l l y i m pr o v e d. T hi s t a c t i c c o nt i nue s

t o b e r e p e a t e d b y s u c c e s s o r s o f R e i n h o l d a n d F i c h t e .

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B ot h o f t he se p oi nt s c on ne ct w it h t he t hi rd g en er al t he me t ha t c on ce rn ed

R ei nh ol d, n am el y t he p hi lo so ph ic al i mp or ta nc e o f t he E nl ig ht en me nt

n ot io n o f co mm o n s e ns e. E xp li ci t r es pe ct f or sound c om mo n s en se w as c e nt ra l

t o R ei nh ol d s h is to ri ca l c ha ra ct er iz at io n o f o ur o wn e nl ig ht en ed e ra , a nd f orh i m i t a l s o p r o v i d e d a s y s te m a ti c s ta n d a r d fo r a d e q u a te th e o r i e s o f s u bj e c -

ti v i ty . H e n c e h e s o u g h t a p h i l o s o p h y wi th p r e m i s e s th a t we r e i m m e d i a te l y

e v i d e n t a n d th a t u s e d a s s i m p l e n o ti o n s a s p o s s i bl e , s u c h a s r e p r e s e n ta ti o n .

E ve n a pa rt f ro m s pe ci fi c i ss ue s c on ce rn in g h is to ry a nd m in d, h ow ev er ,

c om mo n s en se h ad a g en er al m et ho do lo gi ca l v al ue f or R ei nho ld a s a n

i rr ep la ce ab le t ou ch st on e f or a ny p hi lo so ph y a im in g t o b e b ot h m or al ly

r e sp on s ibl e a n d p r op e rl y p o pu l ar a n d s ys te ma tic .

I n s um , w hi le t he b ro ad ly m et aph ys ic al p roj ec t o f a d ef en se o f c or e

C hr is ti an d oc tri ne s ( a t ran sc en de nt G od a nd a n i mm or ta l s oul ) o n t he b asi s

o f a f ou nd at i on al is t v er si on o f a Ka nt ia n s ci en ce o f s ub je ct iv it y d om i-

n at ed t he r el at iv el y f am il ia r s ur fa ce o f t he Letters, t h e a rt ic ul at io n o f t hi s

p r oj e ct wa s d e te r mi n ed th ro u gh o ut by R e in h ol d s m u ch l e ss we ll - kn own ,

a nd h ig hl y o ri gi na l, a pp re ci at io n f or t he p hi lo so ph ic al s ig ni fi ca nc e o f

h is to ri c it y a nd c om mo n s e ns e. M os t p os t- Ca rt es ia n p hi lo so ph er s h ad

i ns is te d t h at o ne m us t e mp ha si ze e it he r h i st or ic it y, l ik e H er de r a nd h isfo l l o we r s (wh o m o d e l e d p h i l o s o p h y o n a r t a n d i n te r p r e ta ti o n ), o r s y s te m -

a ti c i ty , l i k e L e i bn i z a n d h i s fo l l o we r s (wh o m o d e l e d p h i l o s o p h y o n m a th e -

m at ic s a nd l og ic ) b ut n ot b o th a t o nc e. A l th ou gh R ei nh ol d h ad s pe ci al

r es pe ct f or H er de r a nd L ei bn iz , t he Letters e xh ib it ed a n ew a nd i mm ed i-

a tel y i n fl u en ti al s tyl e o f wr iti ng th at a i me d a t l e ad i ng m o de r n p h il o so p hy

b ey on d t he f or ce d c h oi ce o f e it he r r el a ti vi st ic h is to ri ci sm o r s ys te ma ti c

a h is tor i ci ty. Wh at m a de R e in h ol d s a p pr o ac h e v en m o re r e ma r ka ble wa s

t he w ay t ha t i t w as c om bi ne d w it h a v er y s t ro ng r es pe ct f or c om mo n s e ns e,a r es pe c t t ha t c ou ld e as il y s ee m i nc om pa ti bl e w it h t ak in g v er y s er io us ly

either h is to ry o r t ra di ti on al s ys te ma ti c p hi lo sop hy , e sp ec ia ll y a f te r t h e

i mpa ct of moder n sc ien ce. Ka nt w as an i nf lu en ce he re too, fo r, as

R ei nh old s aw , t he C ri ti ca l p hi lo so ph y w as d is ti nc ti ve i n a im ing t o d o

j u stic e to c o mm o n s e ns e a n d p h il o so p hi c al s y ste ma tic i ty to ge the r e v en

t ho ug h K an t s eve re ly c ri ti ci ze d H erd er a nd n ev er incorporated history

i nt o h is methodology t o t h e d eg re e t ha t R ei nh ol d d id .16

I r on i ca l ly , i t wa s

16 See my Reinhold on Systematicity, Popularity and The Historical Turn, in System and Context:

E a rl y Ro ma n ti c a n d E a rl y I d ea l is t ic C o ns te l la t io n s/ S ys te m u n d K o nt e xt . F r uh r o ma n ti s ch e u nd

Fruhidealisti sche Konstella tionen, e d. R . A hl e r s , The New Athenaeum7 (2004),10938.

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p r e c i s e l y th e d i ffi c u l ti e s i n th e r e c e p ti o n o f Ka n t s o wn wr i ti n g th a t fo r c e d

R ei nh ol d e ve nt ua ll y to i ns is t al l t he mo re o n a n hi st or ic al tu rn i n

p hi lo sop hy , a nd t o s tre ss t ha t a s pec ia l h erm en eu ti ca l p ers pe ct iv e w as

n e ed e d i n o r de r fo r u s p r op e rl y to a p pr o pr i ate th e u n de r ly i ng r a ti o na li tyo f o ur p hi lo so ph ic al d ev el op me nt a nd i ts u lt im at e c om pat ib il it y w it h

c o m m o n s e n s e . H i s a i m wa s to d i s p l a y th e c o m p l e x fa te th a t i n n o v a ti v e

p hi lo so ph ie s r ep ea te dl y u nd er we nt , a s t h ey s t ru gg le d t o b e u nd er st oo d a nd

t o s ur vi ve t hr ou gh ou t t h e n on -t ra ns pa re nt d ia le c ti c o f h is to ry , w he re

progress regularly o cc ur re d, a s H ege l w as t o i ns is t, be hi nd t he b ac k of

consciousness.17

A l l t h i s e x p l a i n s w h y t h e t i t l e s a n d c o n t e n t s o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l L e t t e r s

a re ve ry u nl ik e w ha t w ou ld b e e xp ec te d s im ply b y c on si de ri ng t he

Critique s t ab le of c on te nt s a nd t he r ea ct ion s of i ts ot he r re ad er s. In

p la ce o f t ra ns ce nd en ta l a rg um en ts a bo ut s pa ce , t im e, c at eg or ie s, a nd

i de al is m, R ei nh ol d s r ea de rs w er e t re at ed t o n ew v is io ns o f p hi lo so ph y

a s e ss en t ia ll y h is to ri ca l, sc ie nt if ic , a nd p ra ct ic al ( in a m or al s en se )

v i s i o n s t h a t a l l t u r n e d o u t t o b e e x t r eme l y i n f l u e n t i a l , e v e n i f t h e y a t f i r s t

a p pe a re d t o c o nt r ad i ct o n e a n ot h er .18

The situation of philosophy within the Letters

R ei nh ol d s p ri or e nc ou nt e r w it h t he E nl ig ht en me nt , J ac ob i, a nd K an t

c am e t o b e e xp re ss ed i n t he Letters a s a n h is to ri ca ll y f ra me d d ef en se o f

common sense, rational Christianity, and Critical subject ivity.

R ei nh ol d s E nl ig ht en me nt o ri en ta t io n i s m os t e vi de nt i n t he F ir st a nd

F o u r t h L e t t e r s , w h i c h c l a i m t h a t t h e c o r e d o c t r i n e s o f b o t h t h e f o u n d e r

o f C hr is ti an it y a nd t h e Critique s go sp el o f p ur e r ea so n w er e n ot hi ngot he r t han t he m os t a pp rop ri at e r esp on se s of r ea son t o t he d ee pe st

ne ed s o f c om mo n s en se ( Fi rs t L et t er , p .121) i n t he h is to ri ca l s it ua -

t i o n s i n w h i c h t h e s e d o c t r i n e s w e r e i n t r o d u c e d . T h e S e c o n d a n d T h i r d

17G . W . F . H e ge l , I nt r od u c ti o n, i n P h e no m en o lo g y o f S p ir i t , t r. A . V . M il l er ( Ox fo rd , O xf or d

U ni v e rs i t y P r e s s,1977) , p .56.18 D e s pi te t he i r hi g h- f l o wn m e t a phys i c a l l a ng ua g e , t he I de a l i st s l a r g el y f o l l ow e d R e i nhol d s pr a g -

m a t i c e x a m p l e i n t h e i r m e t h o d o l o g y , a l t h o u g h S c h e l l i n g a n d H e g e l h a d a v e r y d i f f e r e n t r e a c t i o nt o J a co b i. R a th e r t h an r u sh i n g a w ay f r om t h e t h ou g ht o f t h e a l l -d e te r mi n in g w o rl d -w h ol e a n d

i n si s ti n g o n f r ee i n d iv i d ua l it y , l i k e R e in h ol d ( a nd t h en F i ch t e) , t h ey e x pl o re d t h e n e w o p t i o n o f

g iv in g t hi s w ho le a h um an f ac e, o f s ho wi ng t ha t i t h as a n i n t e r n al t e l e ol o g i c al f or m, s o t ha t

s o me t hi n g l i ke t h e h i g h e st g o od c a n b e a c h ie v ed n e c e s sa r i l y w i t h i n n a t ur e b y a c u n ni n g o f r e as o n

t h a t n e e d n o t b e r e g a r d e d a s p u r e l y p r a c t i c a l .

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L e t t e r s c o n t e n d , m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h a t t h e c u r r e n t e r a d e s p e r a t e l y n e e d s

a n e nl ig ht en ed v er si on o f C hr is ti an it y t ha t s ec ur es G od s e xi st e nc e a s a

p os tu la t e o f m or al r ea so n a nd t hu s a vo id s t he e xt re me s o f J ac ob i s a nt i-

r at io na li sm a nd M en de ls so hn s d og ma ti sm . T he p os tu la te o f a f ut ur el i f e , a t o p i c t h a t K a n t h i m s e l f n e v e r t r e a t s a t l e n g t h , d e t e r m i n e s t h e F i f t h

t h r o u g h E i g h t h L e t t e r s , t h e w h o l e s e c o n d h a l f o f t h e w o r k . T h e p r a c t i c a l

g oa l o f s at is fy in g t he un if ie d i nt er es ts o f m or al it y a nd r el ig io n t ur ns

o u t t o d e pe n d o n l e tt i ng C ri t ic a l g r ou n ds o f c o gn i ti o n s u pp l an t m o re

t r ad i ti o na l m et a ph y si c al t h eo r ie s o f t h e s o ul . O n ly a b a la n ce d C r it i ca l

a c c o u n t o f t h e f u n c t i o n a l i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n o f o u r s p o n t a n e o u s a n d r e c e p -

t i v e p o w e r s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y c a n p r o v i d e a b a s i c p h i l o s o p h i c a l s c i e n c e o f

o ur f ac ul ti es t ha t d el iv er s u s f ro m t he t wi n e vi ls o f sp ir it ua li sm a nd

materialism.

Reasons need

A l l t h e s e c o n c e r n s s u r f a c e e x p l i c i t l y i n t h e t i t l e o f t h e F i r s t L e t t e r , T h e

N e e d f o r a C r i t i q u e o f R e a s o n , a n e e d t h a t i s s p e l l e d o u t f u r t h e r i n t h e

1790 t i t l e i n t h e t y p i c a l R e i n h o l d i a n p h r a s e s s p i r i t o f t h e a g e , p r e s e n ts t at e o f t h e s c ie n ce s , a n d u ni v er s al r e fo r ma t io n . T h e w o rd s n ee d ,

c ri t i qu e , a n d r ea s on p o in t d i re c tl y t o K a nt s c l ai m t h at t h e C r it i ca l

d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f r e s t r i c t i o n s o n w h a t i s d e t e r m i n a b l e b y p u r e t h e o r e t i c a l

r e a s o n i s t h e p r e r e q u i s i t e t o c o n c e i v i n g a p o s s i b l e s a t i s f a c tion o f p r a c t i c a l

r e a s o n s fu n d a m e n ta l n e e d to a c h i e v e th e h i g h e s t g o o d .19

Al th o u g h th e

c o m m o n s e n s e n o t i o n o f j u s t r e w a r d s ( w h i c h i s c e n t r a l t o t h e i d e a l o f t h e

h ig he st g oo d) i s n ot i nt ri ns ic al ly h is to ri ca l, R ei nh ol d s c la im i s t ha t, a t

c ru ci al t urn in g p oi nt s i n ou r c ul tu re , o ur c onc er n w it h t hi s n ot io nn ee de d t o b e v iv id ly s ti mu la te d b y t he m or al v is io ns o f r ev ol ut io na ry

r el ig io us f ig ur es ( J es us a nd h is f ol lo we rs ) a nd t he n m et ap hy si ca ll y

s ec ur ed b y a p hi lo so ph y ( K an t a nd h is f ol lo we rs ) t ha t p ro pe rl y d ef in es

t he b ou nds of r ea so n. T he sp ir it o f t he ag e in G er ma ny i n 1786 is

d e f i n e d b y c o n f u s i o n a b o u t t h e s e p o i n t s . H e n c e , t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e o f i t s

p h il o so p hi c al s ci e nc e r e qu i re s a u ni v er s al r e fo r ma t io n i n o r de r t o

o ve rc om e a f un da me nt al m is un de rs ta nd in g a bo ut r ea so n i ts el f t ha t i s

19 T h e c r uc i al c o ns i d er a ti o n h e re , w h ic h R e in h ol d d o e s n o t e x p la i n , i s t h a t a c c o rd i n g t o K a nt t h e

e x ac t l a ws o f n a tu r e, w h ic h n e c es s ar i ly s t ru c tu r e o u r e x p er i en c e , a r e s t il l c o mp a ti b le w i th o u r

a b so l u te f r ee d om a n d i m ma t er i al i ty , g i ve n t h e m e ta p h ys i ca l i d e al i ty o f s p ac e a n d t i me .

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c r e a t i n g d e s p a i r a b o u t t h e p o s s i b l e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f h u m a n i t y s m o s t b a s i c

interests.

The First Letter introduces this problem through a summary of worries

that incline Reinholds imaginary correspondent toward pessimism aboutthe E nl i gh ten me nt i n G er ma ny . Sha rp ly c on fli cti ng r es ul ts i n m eta ph ys ic s,

e sp ec ia ll y a bo ut t he e xi st en ce o f G od , h av e l ed t o in di ff er en ce a bo ut

r ea so n i tse lf, d es pi te the d an ge r o f i nc re as in g a uth or ita ri an is m i n p ol i ti cs

an d n on re as on ab le a tt it ud es of s up er st it io n a nd n on be li ef i n r el igi on

(pp. 99105). R ei nh ol d s o ptim i sti c r ep ly i s tha t c on fli c ti ng m eta ph ys ic al

a rg um en ts d o n ot b y t he ms el ve s n ul li fy t he p os si bi li ty t ha t r ea so n h as a

proper and consta nt conce rn he re, one t hat can b e sat isfie d once it is

r eo ri e nted towar d g ro un ds tha t c le ar ly h av e a c ha nc e o f u ni ve rs al a c ce ptan c e

(pp. 1059) . A s l on g a s t he re i s t he p os si bi li ty o f a ra ti on al m et ap hy si cs o n

s uc h g ro un ds , the re m ay be a n e sc ap e fr om the s ta le o pti on s o f tra di tio na l

m etap hy si cs , wh ic h d ea ls d og ma ti c al l y with c on ce pts a lo ne , a nd hy pe r -

physics, which makes claims about supernatural powers but lacks a proper

b as is in i nt ui ti on t o b ac k i ts c la im s ( pp . 11016) . T he se e xt re me o pt io ns c an

h av e a c ru ci al h ist or ic al r ol e, h ow ev er , as p ar t o f a t el eo log y o f re as on ,

whe re in r ea so n s o wn ex pe ctati on s d is cl os e the s ho rtc om in gs o f p as tm et ap hy si ca l a tt em pt s i n a s ys te ma ti c w ay t ha t i nd ir ec tl y p oi nt s t o t he

n ew k in d o f p ra ct ic al m et ap hy si cs t ha t i s n ee de d n ow ( pp .11722) . N ot

surprisingly, precisely this kind of metaphysics is found in Kants Critique,

which Reinhold claims, contrary to other interpretations, is neither simply

negative and all-crushing nor dogmatic and neologistic; it has positive

re su lt s t ha t c an b e si mp ly e xp la in ed a nd l ea d t o p hi lo so ph ic al a nd

r el ig io us p ea ce (pp . 1236). I n c lo si ng r e ma rk s, R ei nh ol d a ck no wl e dg es

t he me ta cr it ic al w or ry t ha t t he re a re c on ti nu in g d is pu te s a bo ut t heCritique i ts e l f a n d th e s o u r c e o f i ts o wn a u th o r i ty (h o w c a n i t n o n - q u e s ti o n -

b eg gi ng ly u se r ea so n t o e va lu at e r ea so n? ), b ut h e i nv ok es a c om pa ri so n w it h

N ew to n t o s ug ge st t ha t i t i s n ot s ur pr is in g i f a r ev ol ut io na ry a pp ro ac h m ee ts

i n i ti a l r e s i s ta n c e be c a u s e i t m a k e s u s e o f n e w i d e a s (p p .1267).

G o d s e x i s t e n c e a s a r e s u l t

T he S ec on d L et t er f oc us es o n K an t s p os it iv e re su lt c on ce rn in g t hee xi st en ce o f G od . R ei nh ol d b eg in s b y c la im in g t ha t a s ig ni f ic an t s ig n o f

t he p ow er o f r ea so n m ay b e f ou nd i n t he fa ct t ha t a ll c ul tu re s h av e

a f fi r me d G o d s e x i s te n ce . T h e p r es e nt a g e, n e v e rt h el e ss , t a k es a v e r y d i m

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v ie w o f r ea so n b ec au se t ra di ti on al d em on st ra ti on s o f G od n ow a pp ea r

t o b e v e r y w e a k , a n d s o w e s e e m t o b e h e a d i n g t o w a r d t w o b l e a k o p t i o n s :

th at r ea so n m us t r em ov e f ai th o r fa it h m us t b e w it ho ut r ea so n

(pp. 12931) . H er e a ga in , t he Critique p oi nt s t o a s av in g p os si bi li ty , a ra t io na l f ai th t ha t e sc ap es t he se o pt i on s a nd m ee ts t he ne ed o f t he

ag e f or a st ab le s ys te m, w hi le sh ow ing n ot on ly t he w ea kn es se s o f

traditional t heoretical argument s for a personal God but also the

i mp o ss i bi l it y o f a n y d i sp r oo f s ( i nc l ud i ng p a nt h ei s m) o f s u ch a G o d s

e x i s te n c e (p p .1323) . B y e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e l i m i t s o f t h e o r e t i c a l r e a s o n a n d

t h e n m a k i n g u s e o f p r a c t i c a l r e a s o n , K a n t s p o s i t i o n i s l i k e f a i t h , f o r i t

i n vo k es a n o n- t he o re t i ca l g r ou n d ( n am e ly m o ra l d e ma n ds ) a n d a f fi r ms

G o d , a n d i t i s a l s o l i k e r e a s o n i n g e n e r a l , f o r i t a p p e a l s t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n s

t h at a r e n e ce s sa r y, u n iv e rs a l, n o n- s en s or y , a n d s y st e ma t ic ( p p. 1345).

M or eo ve r, h is a pp ro ac h r ev ea ls h ow r ea so n, a s p ra ct ic al , c an s at is fy t he

m o s t c o m m o n p e r s o n , a n d n o t o n l y p h i l o s o p h i c a l e x p e r ts , be c a u s e m o r a l -

i t y i s a d d r e s s e d t o a l l ( n o r m a l , m a t u r e ) h u m a n b e i n g s a s s u c h a n d c a n b e

a p p r e c i a t e d e v e n b y t h o s e w h o l a c k s p e c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e o r s k i l l s . R e a s o n

e v e n s h o w s a w a y t o h e a l c l a s s d i v i s i o n s , s i n c e t h e d e e p e s t g r o u n d o f t h e

C ri t ic al p hi lo so ph y l ie s i n a n a wa re ne ss t ha t e ve ry on e c an h av e o f t he iro w n r a t i o n a l s e l f , w h i c h i s s u p p o s e d l y t h e s a m e a s t h e p r o p e r g r o u n d f o r

t he p ro of o f Go d a nd a s o ld a nd a s u ni ve rs al ly a cc es si bl e a s c om mo n s en se

(pp.1367).20

I ns te ad o f e la bo ra ti ng o n e xa ct ly h ow t he Critique argues

from this ground, Reinhold turns at this point to Kants 1786

Or ie nt at ion e ssa y. It i s h er e t ha t K an t d ir ec tl y r esp on ds t o t he

P an th ei sm C on tr ov er sy b y i nd ic at i ng t ha t h is m or al a rg um en t f or G od

p r o v i d e s a n a l te r n a ti v e to bo th J a c o bi s s u p e r n a tu r a l a n ti - r a ti o n a l i s m a n d

M e nd e ls s oh n s t h eo r et i ca l r a ti o na l is m . W h at R e in h ol d a d ds i s a t y pi c alh is to ri ca l c la im t ha t t he se e rr on eo us e xt re me s w er e a ls o v er y v al ua bl e,

s i n c e t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t h e l p e d t o d i s c l o s e t h e l i m i t s o f w h a t p h i l o s o p h y

c a n a c c o m p l i s h w i t h i n t h e o l d d o g m a t i c o r i e n t a t i o n s . T h o s e w h o s a y t h a t

Jacobi is like Kant are right only in that both philosophers acknowledge

s om e l im it s t o t he or et ic al d em on st ra ti on . M uc h m or e i mp or ta nt i s t he

f ac t t ha t K an t s ti ll r el ie s o n r ea so n o f a u ni ve rs al k in d ( mo ra l) , w he re as

Jacobi seems to go beyond rationality altogether through immediate and

20 T h e m o s t s t ri k in g p a ss a ge i n t h is r e ga r d i s i n t h e T h ir d L e tt e r, w h er e R e in h o ld c a l ls t h e m o r a l

a r g um e nt f o r G o d a s i nt ui t i v e a nd i l l um i na t i ng a s t he s e l f - c o ns c i o us ne s s t ha t a hum a n b e i ng ha s

o f i t s r a ti o na l n a tu r e ( p p.30 1).

Introduction

xxvi
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