Chapter 1: Life, Works, and Character Summary and Analysis

Immanuel Kant was born in the Prussian city of Koenigsberg in 1724. He was the fourth of nine children of a poor family; his father was a harness maker. Even at a very young age, he impressed people with his intelligence. In fact, he was even allowed to attend a local school, a rare occurrence for a child in his economic class. He actually hated his time there, especially the strictness of the teachers, and was hesitant to speak about those years in his adult life. However, if he had not been given that improbable opportunity, it is quite likely that the world would never have benefited from his brilliant philosophical mind. After he finished school, he attended the University of Koenigsberg where he would eventually become a professor. His early academic career was...