''Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces'' () is

Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant (born Emanuel Kant; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German Philosophy, philosopher and one of the central Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works ...

's first published work, published in 1749. It is the first of Kant's works on

natural philosophy Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe, while ignoring any supernatural influence. It was dominant before the develop ...

. The ''True Estimation'' is divided into a preface and three chapters. Chapter One is titled "Of the force of bodies in general". Chapter Two is titled "Examination of the theorems of the Leibnizian party concerning living forces" and is a critique of Leibniz and his followers' position on living forces. Chapter Three, titled "Presenting a new estimation of living forces, as the true measure of force in nature", presents Kant's resolution of the conflict between the Cartesian and the Leibnizian measures of force.

Mind-body dualism and belief in vis activa

Although written in 1744–46 when Kant was a young student, it was published in 1749 (not 1747, as is often claimed) since publication was delayed for three years due to financial issues. Kant’s aim in the ''True Estimation'' was to settle the '' vis viva'' debate amongst Descartes and Leibniz as well as their respective followers. It reflected Kant's position as a

metaphysical Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of h ...

dualist at the time. In it he argues against the ''vis motrix'' ("moving force") view supported by Wolff and other post- Leibnizian German rationalists that proposed that bodies have no essential force, and claimed that, instead, the existence of an essential force can be proven by metaphysical arguments. Kant criticized Leibniz's followers for looking "no further than the senses teach," and stayed close to Leibniz's original '' vis activa'' ("active force"; also known as ''vis viva'', "living force") point of view.

Notes

References

* Carpenter, Andrew N.
"Review of The Philosophy of the Young Kant: The Precritical Project."
''Kantian Review'' 5: 147–153.

External links

Online version of the text
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thoughts On The True Estimation Of Living Forces 1747 non-fiction books 1747 debut works Books by Immanuel Kant German non-fiction books Metaphysics books Dualism (philosophy of mind)