Kant and the meaning of history.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze Kantian philosophy of history from the essay Idea of a Universal History in a Cosmopolitan Key because it was his first reflection on history and allows a systematic understanding of the need to establish general principles for history. These principles start from the assumption of a sense, namely, the plan of nature that directs humanity to a progressive reason and, perhaps, morality. Although this perspective is considered static or official because it disregards later writings or the possibility of an evolution in Kantian thought, I point out that this essay condenses a specific concern of Kant's: to continue in the Enlightenment tradition of studying history to justify progress, to think history as a Kepler would in expectation of a Newton, and to be a response to Herder.