Abstract
Stephen Palmquist’s Kant and Mysticism represents another valuable contribution to the burgeoning body of recent literature focused on Kant’s philosophy of religion. In thirteen chapters, P. explores the significance of Kant’s 1766 work Dreams of a Spirit-Seer for the formation of his mature thought and suggests that the primary elements of his Critical philosophy are already present in that work. P. details some of the distinct purposes of this 1766 work, one of which involves Kant rejecting uncritical forms of mysticism (Schwärmerei) in order to supplant them with a “Critical Mysticism,” in which mystical experience “revitalizes our experiences of this world and our reflection on it from various perspectives” (44). Additionally, P. examines Emmanuel Swedenborg’s relevance as an influential figure for Kant’s Copernican Revolution and argues that Swedenborg, perhaps even more so than Hume, was the crucial figure in Kant’s awakening from a dogmatic slumber. Thus, P. attributes to Swedenborg a significance for understanding Kant’s Critical philosophy that other interpreters might not have previously considered. The book divides into three major sections, “I: Swedenborg’s Influence on Kant’s Critical Awakening,” “II: Kant’s Critical Philosophy as Critical Mysticism,” and “III: The Opus Postumum as an Experiment in Critical Mysticism,” followed by a brief concluding chapter.
This work will undoubtedly ruffle the feathers of a certain contingent of Kant scholars. However, the author is hardly painting Kant out to be a mystic in any conventional sense. P.’s claims are not without textual warrant and should be taken seriously by anyone intent upon understanding the relationship between Kant’s pre-Critical and mature thought. Furthermore, this work opens several interesting lines of inquiry for further research not only for Kant scholars, but also for theologians and religious historians interested in appraising Kant’s work for resources relevant to studies in mysticism, religious experience, and metaphysics.