5 - Succinct exposition of some meditations on fire (1755)

Summary

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

Kant's “Succinct Exposition of Some Meditations on Fire” (Meditationum quarundam de igne succincta delineatio) was the first of three Latin works that he used to satisfy the requirements necessary to become a professor at the university. On 17 April 1755, Kant submitted his essay on fire to the Philosophy Faculty as a written thesis for the Master's Degree (Magister). The public examination was held four weeks later on 13 May, and the degree was formally awarded on 12 June. The essay was not, however, published in Kant's lifetime. On 27 September 1755 he then submitted his “A New Elucidation of the First Principles of Metaphysical Cognition” (Principiorum primorum cognitionis metaphysicae nova dilucidatio), which was required for the venia legendi, i.e., the right to teach at the university. Finally, on 23 March 1756, while teaching as an adjunct lecturer (Privatdozent), Kant submitted his so-called Physical Monadology (Metaphysicae cum geometrica iunctae usus in philosophia naturali, cuius specimen I. continet monadologiam physicam), in the (unfulfilled) hope of being offered the extraordinary professorship of metaphysics and logic, which had been vacant since Martin Knutzen's death in 1751. Thus, after working as a tutor for three different families over seven years, Kant (re-)established himself at the university and made clear his intent to pursue an academic career in natural philosophy (broadly construed) in Königsberg.

The “Succinct Exposition of Some Meditations on Fire” is divided into two sections. The first section argues that various phenomena pertaining to the solidity and fluidity of bodies can be explained not by dividing bodies into small, smooth parts and invoking either motion or contact forces (as proponents of the mechanical philosophy, such as Descartes, claim), but rather only by positing an elastic matter. The second section then explains how the elastic matter of fire, which is compressed into the interstices of larger bodies, can be used to account for phenomena involving vapors, air, and flame, as well as the proper way to measure heat. The elastic matter of the first section is also identified here with both the matter of fire and the matter of light, or the ether. Kant thus attempts to account for a wide, albeit selective range of natural phenomena by positing a small number of forces and entities.