Kant Calendar: This year, 2024, marks the tricentennial of the birth in 1724 of the Königsberg philosopher, Immanuel Kant. In celebration, each month, the Keele-Oxford-St Andrews Kantian (KOSAK) Research Centre’s blog will feature one or two short pieces on significant milestones or trivial events during Kant’s lifetime on the anniversary of their occurrence. This is meant to be a fun and instructive way of bringing the philosopher’s biography and intellectual context to life.
On April 22nd, 1724, 300 years ago today, Kant was born in Königsberg to Anna Regina Kant (1697-1737) and Johann Georg Kant (1682-1746). Many academic events are set to occur this year for the tricentennial, so in this post we have decided to focus on some perhaps lesser-known biographical trivia about Kant’s childhood.
Did you know…
- … that if Kant had been born just a day earlier or a day later his name would have been different? The date April 22nd 1724 not only gave Kant to the world, but also gave Kant his name. According to Manfred Kuehn’s biography, the Old Prussian Almanac associated the name ‘Emanuel’ with the date April 22nd. Kant later changed the spelling of his name to ‘Immanuel’, believing that it was a better rendition of the original Hebrew. He very much liked his name, and reportedly often remarked its meaning: “God is with him”. (Kuehn: p. 26)
- … that the vordere Vorstawdt, the outskirts of Königsberg where Kant was born, was a dangerous place to live? There were swampy meadows and irrigation channels, and parents had to be vigilant of where the neighborhood’s children, including Kant, went out to play. Moreover, several times there had been fires, floods, and storms that ravaged the neighborhood. (Kuehn: p. 58)
- … that Kant felt deeply indebted to both his parents (and especially his mother)? He wrote: “my two parents (from the class of tradesmen) were perfectly honest, morally decent, and orderly. They did not leave me a fortune (but neither did they leave me any debts). Moreover, they gave me an education that could not have been better when considered from the moral point of view. Every time I think of this I am touched by feelings of the highest gratitude.” (AA 13: 461; quoted from Kuehn: p. 31)
- … that Immanuel Kant had siblings? Indeed, he was one of five surviving siblings in the Kant household, with four other siblings passing away at an early age. His sister Katharina Barbara went to Immanuel’s house during his last days to care for him. Throughout his life he was not particularly close to any of them. (Kuehn: pp. 28, 34)
Happy 300th birthday, Immanuel Kant!
References
- Kuehn, Manfred (2002). Kant: A Biography. Cambridge University Press.
The Keele-Oxford-St Andrews Kantian Research Centre 