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

O idealismo transcendental de Kant renovado na biologia: Uexküll e a teoria do Umwelt

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; Umwelt.