[138] Opus Postumum By Immanuel Kant

Ai introduction and summary of "Opus Postumum" By Immanuel Kant 1993 This volume is the first-ever English translation of Kant's last major work, the so-called Opus postumum, a work Kant himself described as his "chef d'oeuvre" and as the keystone of his entire philosophical system. It occupied him for more than the last decade of his life. Professor Förster's introduction places the text in the context of Kant's earlier writings and provides a comprehensive account of the remarkable history of the manuscript from Kant's death to its eventual publication in the 1930s. Also included are extensive explanatory notes and a helpful glossary. Opus Postumum was the last work by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who died in 1804. Although efforts to publish the manuscript were made in 1882, it was not until 1936–1938 that a German edition of the whole manuscript appeared. History of the manuscript One of the problems experienced in handling the manuscript is that the individual sheets of paper had not been bound, and following Kant's death curious people visiting his house messed up their order. Johann Friedrich Schultz, a close friend and trusted expositor of Kant was presented with manuscript by Kant's executor, Ehregott Andreas Wasianski [de]. However Schultz declared the manuscript barely started and uneditable. Schultz then passed them onto Carl Christoph Schoen, who had married Kant's niece. Schoen attempted to edit the text, but abandoned the project. The manuscript remained lost amongst his papers for fifty years only to be discovered by his daughter after his death