Kant on Spontaneity

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The concept of spontaneity is central to Kant's philosophy, yet Kant himself never dealt with it explicitly. Instead it was presented as an insoluble problem concerning human reason. The ambiguity surrounding his approach to this problem is surprising when one considers that he was a philosopher who based his theoretical programme on the critique of the faculties of knowledge, feeling and desire. However, this ambiguity seems to have avoided up to now any possible critique. This highly original book presents the first full-length study of the problem of spontaneity in Kant. Marco Sgarbi demonstrates that spontaneity is a crucial concept in relation to every aspect of Kant's thought. He begins by reconstructing the history of the concept of spontaneity in the German Enlightenment prior to Kant and goes on to define knowing, thinking, acting and feeling as spontaneous activities of the mind that in turn determine Kant's logic, ethics and aesthetics. Ultimately Sgarbi shows that the notion of spontaneity is key to understanding both Kant's theoretical and practical philosophy.

Reviews

I know of no one writing in English who has this kind of grasp of Kant in the full historical context. The result is an encyclopedic treatment of this central Kantian theme, a theme lying at the heart of the critical philosophy that, despite the massive Kantian literature, has apparently never been discussed in depth in any language. This is an impressive study.' -- Tom Rockmore, McAnulty College Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Duquesne University, USA.
The idea of spontaneity is central to interpreting Kant's philosophy and has been surprisingly underdeveloped in Kant's English-language reception. Marco Sgarbi addresses this lacuna by insightfully and lucidly articulating the historical development and philosophical significance of spontaneity in Kant's thought. This book will be an important resource for students and scholars of Kant interested in an original and sophisticated perspective on Kant's approach to spontaneity in its historical context and contemporary relevance.' -- Eric S. Nelson, Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA.

Author Bio

Marco Sgarbi is Adjunct Professor in Philosophy at the University of Verona, Italy.