Reviews for Egoism: A Study in the Social Premises of Religion (1905)

The average rating for Egoism: A Study in the Social Premises of Religion (1905) based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-12-26 00:00:00 Philippe Lavallee In this work, the philosopher, Immanuel Kant, seeks to carry out the enormous difficulty and great merit. It is about trying to place religious thought and the feeling of religiosity within the scope of human rationality. Religion within the limits of Simple Reason is a work that aims to unveil the rational mechanisms that engender the perception of divinity, discarding, however, the direct interventions of God and the hypotheses linked to divine enlightenment by the work of the Divine Holy Spirit, by Dues or by his Angels and Saints. The author in his investigations assumes that the duality of existence, represented in good and evil, fundamentally affect the individual and that only through inner clarification, man can understand his role in the face of the universal struggle between good and evil, which is in the world, but is also present within it. Throughout his book, he demonstrates that in all monotheistic religions, the dual principle exists. When compared, all these religions reveal common characteristics, which suggest common ways of harmonizing man with nature and God. In short, what Kant intends in this work is to demonstrate that the experience of religiosity and contemplative ecstasy is also possible through the path of rational enlightenment and philosophical speculation, focused on the study of sacred works, especially concerning monotheistic religions, and, even closer, to Christian religions. To this end, it indicates ways of seeking divinity and "enlightenment" based on logical reasoning.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-11-13 00:00:00 Kyle Fukumoto I read this after the Prolegomena but before the three Critiques. It is probably best read after reading at least the first two Critiques. Kant was of pietist parentage and took it seriously enough not to attend public services in keeping with the injunction to pray in one's closet. Well, come on, this is Kant we're considering here! Jesus' injunction isn't the reason Kant didn't go to church, Kant's agreement with the reason Jesus gave such advice is the reason--and such is the nature of this book. If you are not a Christian, but have familiarity with the scriptures, then Kant may make you reconsider. Rather than go into a lecture on the subject of Kant's ethical religion, see my article on the subject posted herein.