Abstracts

Theodoros Skalidakis (Bio)

Ethics as Hospitality from the Perspective of Kantian and Derridean Philosophy

The third article of Perpetual Peace is strictly connected to Kant’s upbringing in Königsberg, which was a vibrant commercial hub, an important port, and a cosmopolitan university town, played a significant role in shaping his intellectual development. According to Kant, cosmopolitan right shall be limited to conditions of universal hospitality, which provides citizens with the opportunity to present themselves through free communication and free trade. The right to present oneself for society, belongs to all human beings; Kantian philosophy is based on a conception of reason that requires a cosmopolitan social framework to be realized. Τhe principles of tolerance and cosmopolitan citizenship, as outlined by Kant, could contribute to the embracing of diversity, concerning the guarantee of perpetual peace. At this point I would like to emphasise that Kant limits himself to the right of visitation. On the other hand, Derrida believes that we need to revise and broaden the Kantian perspective so that through the inclusion of migrants, refugees and other social groups, they are given the opportunity to be recognised as equal members of the respective state. Furthermore, in his article “The Right to Philosophy from a Cosmopolitan Point of View”, Derrida explicitly alludes to Kant's essay and argues that the right to philosophy is universal. He presents it, in its relation to law and ethics, as a politics of thought — an experience that entails both provocation and reciprocal respect, while also affirming an irreducible autonomy.