Abstract
ABSTRACT The article investigates Kantian cosmopolitanism, based on the philosopher’s works and his main commentators. The study chooses and highlights three central and specific themes: the evolution of the human species, the dilemma between sovereignty and cosmopolitanism, and the issue of hospitality. By casting light on these themes, the article attempts to fill in a gap in specialized literature from the fields of international relations and philosophy. Regarding the evolution of the human species, I emphasize the philosopher’s understanding of “unsociable sociability“ – a natural mechanism which provides the elementary basis for the advent of cosmopolitanism and perpetual peace. The dilemma between sovereignty and cosmopolitanism leads to the significant analysis of whether Kant has reflected upon or proposed transcending the paradigm of classical sovereignty. Finally, the discussion about hospitality becomes particularly relevant, and is scrutinized according to its juridical and ethical.
Highlights
The philosopher does not explicitly treat hospitality in these texts (GMS and MS), we find a maxim among his obligations of virtue that could very well be assimilated to the ethical duty of hospitality
The philosopher does not exactly elaborate on hospitality, it is possible to infer that hospitality is considered as a part of ethics, an obligation of virtue, in terms of the duty to welcome ones who need shelter and some rest, or who might even have arrived in foreign lands under perfect conditions
For Kant, possession consists – as described in Hugo Grotius’s De jure belli ac pacis – of an “originary participation of all in the possession of the Earth” (Höffe, 2005a:248). This idea does not have any empirical basis, but rather a conceptual one, and it serves as a reminder and landmark for the fact that private law is directly originated from a juridical act, but its material basis is bequeathed, donated to men (Höffe, 2005a:249)18. This supranationality, when analyzed from a theoreticalconceptual perspective as the “law of the surface [...] which belongs to the human species” (Kant, 2004a:137), is consecrated as a project of Perpetual Peace based on a right, with a hospitality interface in relation both to men and states
Summary
Kant’s political philosophy writings undeniably consist of important references and historical-philosophical frameworks for international relations and international law. Investigations of Kantian cosmopolitanism ceived relatively scant attention in international relations and political science studies – such as in the case of the idea of the evolution of the human species as a part or result of nature These questions ensue significant contemporary implications, challenges and practices – such as in the case of the intersection between sovereignty and hospitality on one side and highly topical issues as migration, citizenship, and nationality on the other. This was the moment when “the first global lines” appeared, which – relying on Christian philosophy and culture – made ius gentium emerge, and enabled and prompted discussions about cosmopolitanism and hospitality/migrations – both central issues for Kant Another historic phenomenon which draws our consideration are religious wars. In Kant’s works, all of these factors do contemplate political facts and ideas of significant implications, which influenced and structured the politico-philosophical thinking of the 18th and 19th centuries
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