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CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE
HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
REINHOLD
Letters on the Kantian Philosophy
CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE
HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY
Serieseditors
KARL AMERIKS
ProfessorofPhilosophyattheUniversityofNotreDame
DESMOND M. CLARKE
ProfessorofPhilosophyatUniversityCollegeCork
ThemainobjectiveofCambridgeTextsintheHistoryofPhilosophyistoexpandthe
range, variety and quality of texts in the history of philosophy which are available in
English.Theseriesincludestextsbyfamiliarnames(suchasDescartesandKant)and
alsobylesswell-knownauthors.Whereverpossible,textsarepublishedincompleteand
unabridgedform,andtranslationsarespeciallycommissionedfortheseries.Eachvolume
containsacriticalintroductiontogetherwithaguidetofurtherreadingandanynecessary
glossaries and textual apparatus. The volumes are designed for student use at under-
graduateandpostgraduatelevelandwillbeofinterestnotonlytostudentsofphilosophy,
butalsotoawideraudienceofreadersinthehistoryofscience,thehistoryoftheology
andthehistoryofideas.
Foralistoftitlespublishedintheseries,pleaseseeendofbook.
KARL LEONHARD REINHOLD
Letters on the
Kantian Philosophy
EDITED BY
KARL AMERIKS
UniversityofNotreDame
TRANSLATED BY
JAMES HEBBELER
UniversityofNotreDame
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Contents
Preface pagevii
Introduction ix
Chronology xxxvi
Furtherreading xxxix
Noteonthetextsandtranslation xliii
LettersontheKantianPhilosophy
FirstLetter:TheneedforaCritiqueofReason 1
SecondLetter:TheresultoftheKantianphilosophyon
thequestionofGod’sexistence 18
ThirdLetter:TheresultoftheCritiqueofReason
concerningthenecessaryconnectionbetweenmorality
andreligion 28
FourthLetter:Ontheelementsandthepreviouscourseof
convictioninthebasictruthsofreligion 50
FifthLetter:TheresultoftheCritiqueofReasonconcerning
thefuturelife 65
SixthLetter:Continuationoftheprecedingletter:
Theunitedinterestsofreligionandmoralityin
theclearingawayofthemetaphysicalgroundfor
cognitionofafuturelife 76
SeventhLetter:Asketchofahistoryofreason’spsychological
conceptofasimplethinkingsubstance 89
v
Contents
EighthLetter:Continuationoftheprecedingletter:Themaster
keytotherationalpsychologyoftheGreeks 104
Appendix:themajoradditionsinthe1790edition 124
A Preface 125
B SelectionfromtheFirstLetter,‘‘Thespiritofourage
andthepresentstateofthesciencesheraldsauniversal
reformationofphilosophy’’ 129
C SecondLetter,‘‘Continuationoftheprecedingletter:
Theneedforahighestruleoftaste,forguidingprinciples
forpositivetheologyandjurisprudence,and,aboveall,
for a first basic prin ciple of natura l righ t and mor ality’’ 146
D SelectionsfromtheThirdLetter,‘‘Theshakinginthe
domainofthephilosophyofreligionheraldsareformation
ofthisphilosophy:myjudgmentregardingtheKantian
philosophyingeneral’’ 168
E SelectionfromtheFourthLetter,‘‘Theresultofthe
KantianphilosophyonthequestionofGod’sexistence,
comparedwiththegeneralaswellasparticularresultsof
previousphilosophyregardingthissubject’’ 177
F SelectionfromtheEighthLetter,‘‘Theresultofthe
CritiqueofReasonconcerningthefuturelife’’ 189
G SelectionfromtheNinthLetter,‘‘Elucidationofthe
metaphysicalgroundforcognitionoftheimmortality
ofthesoulwithregardtoitsoriginaswellasits
consequences’’ 193
H SelectionfromtheEleventhLetter,‘‘Thekeytothe
rationalpsychologyoftheGreeks’’ 201
I TwelfthLetter,‘‘Suggestionsregardingtheinfluence
oftheundevelopedandmisunderstoodbasictruthsof
religiononcivicandmoralculture’’ 206
Index 227
vi
Preface
Theeditorandthetranslatorofthisvolumeareheavilyindebtedtomany
other scholars. Very useful advice on specific points was offered by
Alessandro Lazzari, Alexander von Scho¨nborn, Angela Smith, Christian
Johnson, Daniel Breazeale, David O’Connor, Doris Jankovits, Eric
Watkins, Faustino Fabbianelli, Fred Rush Jr., Gary Gutting, George di
Giovanni,Gu¨nterZo¨ller,LaraOstaric,ManfredFrank,MarceloStamm,
Martin Bondeli, Megan Halteman Zwart, Noell Birondo, Paul Franks,
SabineRoehr,andStephenDumont.Thetranslationbenefitedespecially
from the help of Susanne Hebbeler, and some very difficult points in
Reinhold’snoteswereclarifiedbyAndrewRosatoandPatrickGardner.
Incomparingthetwoversionsofthetextandworkingoutthebestway
todisplaythecomplexrelationbetweenthem,theeditorwasfortunateto
havetheinvaluableadviceandassistanceofthetranslator,JamesHebbeler.
EncouragementandadvicefromHilaryGaskinatCambridgeUniversity
Presswereofenormoushelpthroughouttheproject.
vii
Description:Reinhold's Letters on the Kantian Philosophy is arguably the most influential book ever written concerning Kant. It propelled Kant's Critical Philosophy, which had previously enjoyed an equivocal reception, into the central position which it has held to this day. It also brought fame to Reinhold, wh
