Kant is the most influential philosopher of the modern era. Although his writings are often difficult to understand, he is widely discussed and celebrated: images and books, medals, and postage stamps from all over the world bear witness to this.
Kant’s fame began already during his lifetime. Since then, every generation has rediscovered him in its own way; his rich body of work offered many points of connection: contemporaries took offense at his critique of religion; in the 19th century he was regarded as a theorist of science; today his political ideas are at the forefront.
The image of Kant was diverse: democrat or duty-obsessed Prussian, German genius or cosmopolitan. At present, he is also an important point of reference for critics of European modernity.