300-year-old Immanuel Kant invites you to visit Herkai Kant Culture

Descriptions applied to I. Kant: one of the main thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment; a central figure in the history of human thought and the founder of modern thinking and cognitive principles and moral laws; a man whose influence transcended the boundaries of philosophy and who understood the future world far better than his contemporaries.

The Prussian philosopher was born in 1724. April 22 In Kraliaučius, the city that became the seat of his future academic life. Although the distance to Karaliaučius from Klaipėda is only 130 km, let’s ask ourselves, do we know much about I. Kant and his fundamental breakthrough and impact? How many of us have tried to read his works and, after reading them, did we understand what he was writing about? And why do we have so many signs of I. Kant in Klaipėda? A street, a library, I. Kant’s school once operated and I. Kant Square was named after him. The interlocutors of two events organized in Klaipėda to mark the 300th anniversary of I. Kant will try to answer all these questions.

Facts of I.Kant’s biography

• I. Kant was a subject of the King of Prussia, born, made his academic career and died in King’s Landing, where he lived almost his entire life.
• For 42 of his almost 80 years of life, he taught at the Royal University.
• At the age of 46, he became a professor of logic and mathematics there. He served seven times as the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, twice as the rector of the University (at that time, deans and rectors rotated every semester).
• I. Kant created about 90 treatises on epistemology (cognitive theory), ethics, aesthetics and other topics. In the long run, three criticisms earned him worldwide recognition – “Critique of Pure Reason” (1781), “Critique of Practical Reason” (1788) and “Critique of the Power of Decision” (1790).
• I. Kant’s grandfather Hans lived a large part of his life in 1715. died in Klaipėda, where in 1682 Imanuel’s father Johan Georg was also born. Both were craftsmen. Imanuel was the fourth of JohanGeorg’s nine children and the first child in the family to receive this level of education.
• Although I. Kant himself wrote that his ancestors came from Scots, some Lithuanian authors from the 20th century the beginning derives it from Lithuanians.

The University of Klaipėda invites those who are interested to another place in Klaipėda, indirectly reminiscent of the philosopher – the Herkus Kantas bar, which is popular with a wide variety of audiences, located near the Old Port.

Thursday, April 18, 7 p.m. – the first event. Philosophers Aldis Gedutis (University of Klaipėda) and Kęstas Kirtiklis (University of Vilnius) will be translators between the fundamental philosophy of the 18th century and the people of today. They will explain and actualize I. Kant’s complex theories, trying to show their significance in today’s world.

KU photo/Imanuelis Kantas

Friday, April 26, 7 p.m. – the second event. It is dedicated to I. Kant’s memory marks, interpretations of his origin and family. The organizers promise to separate the truth from the myths, to tell about when and why Klaipėda identified with I. Kant, and to reveal what I. Kant, Nicolaus Copernicus and Adam Mickevičius have in common. Journalist Agnė Bukartaitė will interview Klaipėda University historian Vasilijus Safronov during this event. After this conversation, a concert awaits bar visitors, during which Larion Diakov, a violist from Kantograd, who has been living in Klaipėda for many years, will build symbolic bridges with I. Kant’s hometown. “Herkus Kantas” will charge a symbolic fee for the musical part of the evening.