Salomon Maimon 1753 – 1800
Salomon Maimon (1753 – 1800) was a Polish-German philosopher of the Modern era, associated with Jewish Philosophy and German Idealism.
Salomon Maimon was a Polish-born Jewish philosopher of the German Enlightenment, born in Lithuania to a poor Hasidic family, who escaped his early circumstances to become one of the most important critics and continuators of Kant's critical philosophy. His Essay on Transcendental Philosophy, which Kant himself acknowledged as the most penetrating critical work directed at his own system, drew on his earlier study of Maimonides and the Kabbalah to argue that Kant's distinction between sensibility and understanding could be sustained only by recourse to an infinite intellect within the finite knower. His autobiography, the first extended Jewish autobiography in any modern language, gave a vivid account of his journey from the Polish shtetl to the Berlin Aufklarung.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Polish-German
- Era
- Modern
- Movements
- Jewish Philosophy, German Idealism
Selected quotes
-
Attributed to Salomon Maimon:
“The infinite intellect is not a separate being beyond the finite mind; it is the unattainable limit of the finite mind itself.”
-
Attributed to Salomon Maimon:
“Kant has shown us where the boundary of knowledge lies; the question that remains is whether we can stand at the boundary at all.”
-
Attributed to Salomon Maimon:
“Maimonides taught me to read with care; Kant taught me what was worth reading.”
-
Attributed to Salomon Maimon:
“A philosophy that has not first asked whether it is even possible is not yet philosophy.”
-
Attributed to Salomon Maimon:
“I did not leave the shtetl; the shtetl is the texture of my thought.”
Frequently asked about Salomon Maimon
- When did Salomon Maimon live?
- Salomon Maimon was born in 1753 and died in 1800.
- Where was Salomon Maimon from?
- Salomon Maimon was a Polish-German philosopher of the Modern era.
- What philosophical movements is Salomon Maimon associated with?
- Salomon Maimon was associated with Jewish Philosophy and German Idealism.
- What was Salomon Maimon known for?
- Salomon Maimon was a Polish-born Jewish philosopher of the German Enlightenment, born in Lithuania to a poor Hasidic family, who escaped his early circumstances to become one of the most important critics and continuators of Kant's critical philosophy.
- How many quotes are attributed to Salomon Maimon?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Salomon Maimon in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.