Realism and Idealism in Kant's Political Thought

Abstract

What is exactly the relation from a priori and empirical principles in Kant’s Political Thought? How to think the relation from abstract, universal and necessary principles and empirical, particular and contingent circumstances? What is the relation between moral, right and politics? And how to think these instances in the context of political change? Today, political realism has been addressing most of its critics against what can be seen as Kantianism: an abstract way of thinking politics that is ineffective, that give us a moral perspective, but no guidance in real politics. The idea of this panel is not to discuss the realist way of reading Kantianism, or to argue how unfair (or not) it is to Kant’s texts. Kant faced the same kind of objection that the realist addresses to his epigones. Our aim it to read Kant’s political texts in the light of both, realist and idealist perspective, and see that Kant’s political thought in no way is blind to the context of political action and to historical circumstances. The exact opposite, Kant’s political reflection was profoundly perceptive of the political changes that Europe was then facing. The panel will discuss these issues systematically, in a sort of transcendental topology, and historically, confronting Kant with his own realist critics.