Platonic Elements in Kant’s Theory of Time in the Inaugural Dissertation

Abstract

In this article, I re-examine Kant’s Platonic turn in the Inaugural Dissertation by considering its theory of time. While Kant’s reference to Plato in 1770 is usually connected with his new account of ideas and metaphysics, I submit that the new account of time Kant provides in this work also contains Platonic elements. I show this by reading the theory of time Kant expounds in Part III together with his claim from the Scholium to Part IV (a section often neglected by Scholars), according to which time is divine eternity as phenomenon. I argue that this claim testifies to the Platonic character of Kant’s theory of time in 1770 and the originality of the Dissertation.