Abstract for the Kant in Asia
International Conference
at Hong Kong Baptist
University
20-23 May 2009
Roman Seidel,
“The Reception of Kantian Philosophy in Iran and its Significance for Western Kant Studies”
Western Kant-studies tend to neglect non-European reception of Kantian thought, despite the fact that his works are widely read beyond Europe and North America. In today's Iran for instance Kant belongs to the most influential thinkers, although the academic reception of Kant's philosophy is a relatively young phenomenon, which started with the first translations and critical examinations in the 1980ies right after the Islamic revolution. In Iranian readings and criticism Kant often is compared with the Irano-Islamic tradition of philosophy (esp. the tradition of Molla Sadra). In my paper I will first briefly point to the main strands of Iranian Kant-reception, thereafter I will draw upon one exemplary Iranian approach focusing either on the question of being, the meaning of God and its existence, the possibility of synthetic judgments a priori or the question of autonomy. Finally I will reflect upon the significance of the respective reading for western Kant-studies since it may point to issues marginalized in western thought.