Post-Darwinian Kantians and Post-Kantian Darwinians
Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Science
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/revfil.2025.65011Keywords:
Kant, Kuhn, Haeckel, Epistemology, Metaphysics, ScienceAbstract
In this article, I argue that Kant's work influenced the epistemology and science of the 19th and 20th centuries. This influence can be understood in both positive and negative ways. To address this, I consider two paradigmatic cases. The first is Thomas Kuhn, who defined himself as a «post-Darwinian Kantian» in his text, The Road since Structure. Kuhn is interesting in addressing the question of the meaning of this statement. The second case is Ernst Haeckel, who begins by criticizing Kant's dualist philosophy. The influence here is negative if we consider his monistic approach.
Downloads
References
Ayala, Francisco. 2009. «En el centenario de Darwin». Ludus Vitalis, 17 (32), 1-16.
Dewey, John. 2010. «La influencia del darwinismo en la filosofía». En: La miseria de la epistemología. Biblioteca Nueva.
Forrester, Stefan. 2020. «Ernst Haeckel’s ‘Kant Problem’: metaphysics, science, and art». Biology & Philosophy, 35:27
Gould, Stephen y Vrba, Elizabeth. 1982. Exaptation-A Missing Term in the Science of Form». Paleobiology, 8(1), 4-15.
Haeckel, Ernst. 1929. The Riddle of the Universe. WATTS & CO.
Haeckel, Ernst. 1909. Las maravillas de la vida. F. Sempere y Compañía.
Hossfeld, Uwe y Levit, Georgy. 2016. «'Tree of life' took root 150 years ago». Nature 540, 38. https://doi.org/10.1038/540038a
Kant, Immanuel. 2003. Crítica de la Razón Pura. Losada.
Kuhn, Thomas. 2000. The Road since Structure. The University of Chicago Press.
Ramírez, Adrián. 2022. Las flores de Darwin. La revolución darwiniana desde la botánica. Editorial Universidad Nacional.
Schwarz, Hans. 1980. «Darwinism between Kant and Haeckel». Journal of the American Academy of Religion, XLVIII(4), 581:602. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/XLVIII.4.581
Rosenberg, Alex y McShea, Daniel. 2008. Philosophy of biology: A contemporary introduction. Routledge.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista de Filosofía de la Universidad de Costa Rica
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY AND PUBLICATION AUTHORIZATION[1]
By this means, the author presents to the Editorial Committee of the Philosophy Magazine of the University of Costa Rica (RF-UCR) the article of his own authorship, which he presents for its evaluation and publication in said Magazine.
THE AUTHOR DECLARES UNDER FAITH OF OATH that:
The article is ORIGINAL and UNPUBLISHED: that is, it constitutes an intellectual production of the person indicated in it and has not been published in another print or digital journal, nor is it simultaneously postulated for publication in another print, electronic, or online journal. any other written media or editorial body.
While the article is in the editorial process of the RF-UCR, it will not be submitted to any other journal, until it has been duly rejected or withdrawn by the RF-UCR.
The author has not signed contracts for the transfer of economic rights or licenses to use with third parties in relation to the intellectual property rights that he holds over the postulated article that prevents its publication by means of the license described in point 5.d. of this document. In case of not being the owner of the economic rights, he has the authorization of the owner of the right to publish it under said license.
If the article was prepared collaboratively (either in the case of works in which the authors have the same degree of participation or those in which there is a main author and one or more secondary authors), that all( as) they have contributed intellectually to the preparation of the document.
In the event that the article is accepted for publication, the author accepts that the article be published by the RF-UCR under the following conditions:
a) The publication and full reproduction of the work or part of it, both by print and electronic media, including the Internet and any other known or unknown technology.
b) The adaptation of the work to formats for reading, sound, voice and any other representation or technical mechanism available, which makes it possible for people who are partially or totally blind, or with some other form of special abilities that prevent them from accessing it. the conventional reading of the article.
c) The distribution and access of the work to the public so that they can access it from the time and place that each person chooses, through physical or electronic mechanisms.
d) That the work be distributed through the Creative Commons, Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Costa Rica license, which implies the possibility that readers can freely download, store, copy and distribute the final approved version and published (post print) of the article, as long as it is done without commercial purposes, derivative works are not generated and the source and authorship of the work is mentioned. The full text of the license can be consulted on the website: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/cr/legalcode
The author accepts that the editing team of the RF-UCR adjust the article to the "Instructions to authors" previously established and published on the official website of the Journal (https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/ index.php/philosophy/index); regarding procedures, format, correction, editing, translation, publication, duration of the editorial process and other requirements requested in said regulations.
The author accepts that the application and possible publication of the article in the RF-UCR will be governed by its editorial policies, the institutional regulations of the University of Costa Rica and the legislation of the Republic of Costa Rica.
The author declares that from the research that originates this article:
a) No other articles have been derived
b) I am considering submitting other articles for publication
c) There are other articles that are postulated in:
[1] This document is based on the letter of originality and assignment of rights of the Journal of Economic Sciences of the University of Costa Rica
