The Material Conditions of Thought. Body, force, and faculty in the Allgemeine Naturgeschichte

Abstract

The contribution examines the third part of the Allgemeine Naturgeschichte, written by Kant in 1755, and focuses in particular on the mind-body relationship. In particular, the contribution highlights the presence of two layers in Kantian discourse. In the first one, the body is considered a limitation of the spirit, which would fully develop its cognitive faculties if it were not tied to a matter. In the second one, on the contrary, the body, or rather the material quality of the body, gives the spirit the ability to exercise the power of thought.