Immanuel Kant

Critique of Pure Reason

Early Modern influential 83 sayings

Sayings by Immanuel Kant

The concept of freedom is the keystone of the whole edifice of a system of pure reason.

1788 — Critique of Practical Reason, Preface
Controversial Unverifiable

The existence of God, freedom, and immortality are postulates of practical reason.

1788 — Critique of Practical Reason, Book II, Chapter 5
Controversial Confirmed

Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal law.

1785 — A simplified version of the Categorical Imperative from 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals'. T…
Humorous Unverifiable

All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason.

1781 — From 'Critique of Pure Reason'. The absolute declaration can be seen as unintentionally comedic in i…
Humorous Unverifiable

Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience is mere intellectual play.

1781 — From 'Critique of Pure Reason'. A concise and witty summary of his epistemological stance.
Humorous Unverifiable

Man is an animal that, so long as he lives among other animals of his species, needs a master.

1784 — From 'Idea for a Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Purpose'. A rather cynical, almost darkly hum…
Humorous Unverifiable

Dare to know! (Sapere aude.) 'Have courage to use your own understanding!'—that is the motto of enlightenment.

1784 — From 'What is Enlightenment?'. The imperative nature, while serious, has a punchy, almost comically …
Humorous Confirmed

Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination.

1785 — From 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals'. A rather dry, witty observation on the elusive natur…
Humorous Unverifiable

The greatest human endeavor is the striving for a good character.

1780s (approximate) — Attributed saying.
Humorous Unverifiable

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.

1780s (approximate) — Attributed saying. A neat, aphoristic distinction.
Humorous Unverifiable

Act in such a way that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an end.

1785 — One formulation of the Categorical Imperative from 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals'. Its de…
Humorous Unverifiable

The Negroes of Africa have by nature no feeling that rises above the trifling.

1764 — From "Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime"
Controversial Confirmed

Humanity is at its greatest perfection in the race of the whites.

1775 — From "Of the Different Human Races"
Controversial Unverifiable

The Jews still cannot claim any true genius, any truly great man.

1798 — From "Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View"
Controversial Unverifiable

Women will avoid the wicked not because it is unright, but because it is ugly.

1764 — From "Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime"
Controversial Unverifiable

The Hindus always stay children and do not reach the maturity of judgment.

1790 — From "Lectures on Anthropology"
Controversial Unverifiable

A woman is embarrassed little that she does not possess high insights... her beauty compensates for everything.

1764 — From "Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime"
Controversial Unverifiable

The American Indians are too weak for hard labor, too indifferent for industry, and incapable of any culture.

1802 — From "Physical Geography"
Controversial Unverifiable

The Chinese are a race of liars.

1790 — From "Lectures on Anthropology"
Controversial Unverifiable

The Jews are a nation of cheaters.

1798 — From "Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View"
Controversial Unverifiable