Abstract

Over the last three decades, considerable debate has surrounded Immanuel Kant’s views on race. However, these discussions often revolve around the question of whether Kant himself was racist or not. In contrast, in this article, we propose to address the question of race philosophically, explicitly and systematically relating it to Kant’s critical work. In doing so, we will show the following: First, it will become evident that Kant’s engagement with race can only be fully comprehended within the context of his teleological theory, wherein he interprets nature as a purposive whole facilitating the realization of freedom. Since Kant understands this teleological theory as the completion of his critical work, it occupies a key position in his philosophy – turning race into a philosophically meaningful concept. Second, thereby it becomes understandable why Kant’s concept of race, although initially introduced within the framework of his natural philosophy, acquires a deeper meaning that extends beyond the boundaries of nature into the realm of culture, denying non-white people the ability to participate in the actualization of reason. Finally, we will conclude by advocating for an alternative form of teleological judgment that can serve as a means to criticize racism, rather than legitimize it.