Appropriation instead of reflexivity in Kant’s understanding of self-consciousness and autonomy

Abstract

There are certain notions in Kant’s philosophy that play a key role, such as “self-consciousness” (Selbstbewusstsein) and “autonomy” (Autonomie). Our aim is to offer some indications as to how to understand these notions, especially as to how their prefix ‘auto-’ (Auto-, Selbst-) is to be understood. Although in some sense it can be understood that there is a reflexive relation in these acts, that is not the main aspect, but the fact that such acts are performed by the subject itself, that is, that they are proper acts. With the addition of the prefix ‘auto-’ one is not referring to something different from what is designated by the expression without the prefix, but to the manner or the how of the act designated by the latter.