Immanuel Kant: the good European

At the next meeting of the Philosophy Society, being held on Thursday April 1 at the Erin Serracino Inglott Hall at 7p.m., Professor David Cooper will talk about Immanuel Kant: the good European.

The current celebrations of the bicentenary of the death of, arguably, the greatest philosopher of modernity, Immanuel Kant, and of Malta's impending accession to the European Union may seem entirely unrelated. Professor Cooper argues, however, that in some of his very late writings Kant showed himself to be an intellectual ancestor and prophet of European political union. Those writings may, moreover, be fruitfully consulted for their contribution to issues of policy and structure presently, and hotly, debated by members of the EU ­ for example, the issue if immigration. Finally, it is argued, Kant was, ahead of his time, an advocate of one important and contentious vision of the very character and spirit of European union.

David E. Cooper is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Durham, England. He has been a visiting professor at universities in many countries, including Malta, and has been president of several learned societies. His many books include Metaphor, World Philosophies: an historical introduction and most recently, The Measure of Things: humanism, humility and mystery and Meaning. Professor Cooper is a frequent visitor to Malta, where he has taught and examined, and he has on several occasions had the pleasure of addressing the Philosophy Society at the University of Malta.

The guest of honour for this occasion will be H.E. the German Ambassador, Mr G. Merten. Professor Joe Friggieri will introduce the speaker and open the discussion.

Pizza and wine, at a nominal charge, will be served at the Farmhouse after the discussion. The general public in cordially invited to attend.

22nd March, 2004