Leiden University Student Repository

Bruin, Joes (2024)

Kant, Brilliant or Bigot? Investigating Racism in Kant's 'Perpetual Peace'

Bachelor thesis | Filosofie (BA)

This Bachelor Thesis investigates if the claim made by Simone Kleingeld in her influential 2007 'Kant's Second Thoughts on Race' that Kant turned from a racist (inconsistent universalist) to not being a racist (consistent universalist) during the 1790s but before the writing of Perpetual Peace is correct by investigating if there is racism apparent in Perpetual Peace. It has found that although Kant makes an attempt in Perpetual Peace to become a consistent universalist, and thus not a racist, this attempt is not completely successful as there are still hints of his old racist remarks that shine through in the text of Perpetual Peace. Therefore, this thesis refutes the claim made by Kleingeld (2007) that Kant turned from being a racist to a consistent universalist.

Race, Racism, Kant, Perpetual Peace, Simone Kleingeld, Kant's Second Thoughts on Race, Anthropology Kant

Author

Bruin, Joes

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Ethiek en Politieke Filosofie

Supervisors

Dr. M. Vujosevic

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en