Philosophy WI: No Kant

Goldstein

Banned
Like it says. How might Western philosophy have developed if Immanuel Kant died in the cradle?

Inspired by this thread, sort of.

You know, there is a problem with philosophical PODs... It's kind of easy, with a basic philosophical knowledge, to outline possible short-term or very general outcomes for the absence of a philosopher, according to the movements he influenced. It is even possible to outline alternate philosophical movements from scratch, according to scenarios in which such movements would fit. Outlining a reasonable development of a discipline that generates such complex and often contradictory responses, that would probably take a titanic mind.

As for my half-assed attempt as a response, the direct result is that positivism and German idealism, or their equivalents, would look quite different. Which would lead to a very mutated form of marxism, and to a slighly different nietzschean texts, assuming that Marx and Nietzsche still exist. Actually, any political theory involving internationalist concepts, would look different.
Finally the consequences for the 20th century would be enormous in every single field. From their political concepts, to their popular culture, to their approaches to scientific method, TTL people would look like aliens to us.
 
I feel like British and French philosophy would be more influential than the German tradition. Perhaps there would be less of a Continental vs. Analytical divide, with a bit more permeation between nations. This is because Kant was such an influential philosopher that removing him would cause a vacuum which would be filled with all sorts of other thinkers. I see this leading to less diversity, with more people discussing generally the same ideas. I hope Hume fills the void.
 
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