Between Certainty and Critique: Reinhold, Maimon, and the Kantian Dilemma

The internal debates among Kant’s followers began as early as the late 1780s—while the philosopher himself remained intellectually active and deeply engaged. At times, Kant did not hesitate to challenge his own disciples, leading to a vigorous exchange of ideas that would shape the trajectory of post-Kantian thought.

One such exchange unfolded between two prominent Kantians, Karl Leonhard Reinhold and Salomon Maimon. Their correspondence reflects the evolving tension between epistemological certainty and the nature of philosophical foundations:

“All philosophy must begin with self-evident facts, and these are indemonstrable since they are the basis of all demonstration,” Reinhold asserted in a 1791 letter to Maimon.

Maimon, ever the skeptic and dialectician, responded incisively: “Of course all philosophy must begin with self-evident facts, but the question is how we know the principle of consciousness expresses such a fact.”

This intellectual sparring exemplifies the fertile ambiguity within Kant’s legacy—a system rigorous enough to inspire clarity, yet open enough to provoke doubt.