Link exploring an unique connection: Immanuel Kant's influence on Latvian philosophy
Immanuel Kant's Choice of Publisher: A Mystery Unraveled?
Immanuel Kant, the renowned German philosopher, published his final major "critical work," the Critique of Judgment, in 1790. But the choice of publisher, Lagarde and Friedrich, based in Libau, Latvia, remains a subject of intrigue.
According to Rihards Rubīns, a Latvian historian and philosopher, the decision might have been cost-related or due to less stringent book censorship in Liepāja. However, the reasons behind Kant's preference for Lagarde and Friedrich over Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, a prominent publisher in Riga, are not entirely clear.
Hartknoch had established the largest publishing and bookselling business in the region. Key works such as the "Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten" and "Metaphysische Anfangsgründe der Naturwissenschaft" were published by Hartknoch, indicating that Kant did use his services for important works around that time. Yet, the Critique of Judgment was published by Lagarde and Friedrich.
The first edition of the Critique of Judgment was published by this duo, and the first inside pages of all their books attest to their affiliation. Kant himself praised the quality of the paper and typesetting letters used by Lagarde, which may have played a role in his decision.
Aija Taimiņa, a literary scholar and book historian, has expressed no direct explanation as to why Kant changed his publisher. The choice of publisher for Kant's major publications seems to have depended on the context or the specific work.
Meanwhile, Kant's relationship with his younger brother, Johann Heinrich Kant, was cold throughout his life. Immanuel did not personally inform his brother that he rejected the offer of a professorship at the Academia Petrina. When Johann Heinrich wrote to Immanuel expressing regret over not meeting him in Mitau, Immanuel did not respond.
Despite the lack of brotherly bonding or love, Kant left his sister-in-law and her children a generous inheritance, a decision driven by a sense of duty rather than affection. In his older years, Kant adopted a more personal tone towards his distant relatives.
The work and activities of Johann Heinrich Kant, who served as co-rector and then rector at the Academia Petrina in Mitau, have been found noteworthy and interesting by former Latvian President Egils Levits, but they remain relatively unknown facets of Latvia's history.
The Critique of Pure Reason and the Critique of Practical Reason were also published by Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, yet the reason Kant selected Lagarde and Friedrich to publish the Critique of Judgment remains a mystery. The enigma surrounding Kant's choice of publisher adds another layer to the intrigue surrounding this great philosopher's life and work.
