Kant’s Transcendental Idealism Revamped in Biology: On Uexküll and the Umwelt Theory

Kant’s Transcendental Idealism Revamped in Biology

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/2965-1557.037.e202531814

Abstract

On the occasion of Immanuel Kant's birth tercentenary (1724-2024), this paper examines Jakob von Uexküll's Umwelt theory as a unique example of the influence of Kant's thought on theoretical biology. Uexküll adapts Kant's transcendental idealism to biology and semiotics by extending Kant's transcendental approach to non-human animals. To trace this particular adaptation, the paper first revisits Kant's doctrine of transcendental idealism, his perspectives on nature's purpose, and his views on biological life. Then, it explores Uexküll's Umwelt theory and its Kantian origins in the context of subjectivity, teleology, time and space. Finally, the paper evaluates the potential for Kantian biology within Uexküll's Umwelt.

Keywords : Kant. Transcendental idealism. Teleology. Uexküll. World.

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Author Biography

Tugba AYAS ÖNOL, Sakarya University

Doutora em Filosofia

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Published

2025-05-02

How to Cite

AYAS ÖNOL, T. (2025). Kant’s Transcendental Idealism Revamped in Biology: On Uexküll and the Umwelt Theory: Kant’s Transcendental Idealism Revamped in Biology. Revista De Filosofia Aurora, 37. https://doi.org/10.1590/2965-1557.037.e202531814

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Continuous Flow