Abstract
Kant’s final chapter of Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, puts forth certain observations concerning the characteristics of human beings. In order for these observations to have rational validity as a proposed ‘human nature,’ however, Kant admits that it is necessary to compare between humans and another species of rational animal. Thus in an effort not to succumb to a naively anthropocentric thesis of nature, Kant still falls victim to his own anthropocentric privileging of rationality as a strictly human capacity—at least terrestrially speaking. While Kant fails to recognize any other earthly species as a rational animal, he nevertheless speculates as to the possible existence of an extraterrestrial species of rational animal, with which we might compare ourselves in order to construct a more rationally objective anthropology. In the conclusion of his final volume, Kant’s alien speculations help lead him to espouse a cosmopolitical order. Our focus here will be to examine the popular television series The X-Files in order to illuminate certain resonances between the show’s use of the alien and Kant’s cosmopolitanism.
Recommended Citation
Knickerbocker, Jeremy
(2016)
"I Want To Believe: Kant, The X Files, And Cosmopolitical Unity,"
Cinesthesia: Vol. 5:
Iss.
2, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cine/vol5/iss2/3