Kant-Index

The Academy edition divided Kant’s works into four different sections: works, letters, literary estate and lectures. The result was that in the edition of the works the literary estate could only be incorporated fragmentarily at best, and the same thing applies to the lecture transcripts in the later edition of the literary estate. Thus most of the numerous intellectual links between the different sections have remained unnoticed up to now. The Kant Index of the University of Trier makes these accessible, since it is divided into subject areas, consolidating Kant’s various statements on one and the same subject into one whole. This means that many of Kant’s reflections can be seen in a new light. A basic requirement and a by-product of this Index is the correction of philological imperfections, above all in the fourth section of the Academy edition. The individual index volumes often contain literally hundreds of corrections in the text. According to today’s experts, the corresponding volumes of the Academy edition cannot be used properly without referring constantly to the Index. Thus the new Kant Index belongs in every decent library right beside the Academy edition.