Joel Thiago Klein
Professor of Philosophy at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR)
Degree and Master in Philosophy from the Federal University of Santa Maria (2008) and Doctorate in Philosophy from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (2012), with a doctoral internship at the Humboldt University of Berlin. Professor of Modern Philosophy, Ethics and Political Philosophy at the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), where he teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses. He is also a permanent member of the Graduate Course in Philosophy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). He completed his postdoctoral studies at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich with a CAPES/Alexander von Humboldt fellowship for experienced researchers. Editor of Studia Kantiana (journal of the Brazilian Kant Society since 08/2015, qualis A2). Member of the Board of the Brazilian Kant Society (2014-2018; 2018-2022; 2023-2026). Sustaining member of the Kant Working Group of ANPOF. Associate member of the Philosophy Center of the University of Lisbon. CNPq Productivity Fellow since 2016. Former CAPES and DAAD fellow. His publications include the book Kant and the Idea of a Universal History (Loyola, 2016) and articles published in the main Brazilian philosophy journals (such as Ethic@, Analytica, Kriterion, Veritas, Discurso, Transformação, Dois Pontos, Cadernos de Filosofia Alemã, Dissertatio, Studia Kantiana and Manuscrito) and in important international journals (such as Kant-Studien, Kant Yearbook, Kantian Review, Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia, Revista Latinoamericana de Filosofia, Philosophica, among others). He also has several publications in international collective volumes from publishers such as OLMS, De Gruyter, Palgrave Macmillan, Cambridge Schollars, Duncker & Humblot, and Routledge. He has edited 34 journal volumes (Studia Kantiana, Ethic@, Dois Pontos, and Princípios). In addition to his research on Kant's theoretical and practical philosophy (from a historical and systematic perspective), he works on epistemology, democracy, philosophy of law, philosophy of history, and theories of justice. He has supervised 15 master's theses and is currently supervising 6 graduate students (3 master's and 3 Ph.D. students) and 2 postdocs.
Research Projects
Kantian Perspectives on Social Irrationality
PROBAL (PROBAL - CAPES/DAAD) | 2022-2025
The collaborative research project aims to analyze, problematize, and evaluate various aspects of human nature with respect to the sources of social irrationality and their possible solutions, as presented in the philosophy of Kant and the Kantian heritage (especially Rawls and Habermas). At first glance, it may seem that Kantian philosophy has no relevance to social rationality, a field dedicated to defining the most appropriate means to achieve social ends and the realization of certain values. It is within the scope of social rationality to investigate obstacles and define a systematically appropriate organization to overcome them. However, if the relationship between ends and means is not the central element of Kantian ethics, it does not follow that pragmatic rationality does not play an indispensable role for both social and moral ends. This was clearly emphasized by John Rawls, who, in constructing his liberal theory of the principles of justice for the fundamental structure of society, emphasized the role of social rationality and reasonableness. Also in Kant's Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View, numerous elements for a systematic analysis of social irrationality can be found. They clarify different dimensions of social irrationality, which are usually treated independently of each other, but when brought together and systematically linked, they constitute a radical critique of social irrationality and an alternative to methodological (epistemological, logical, and moral) egoism.
Right and State: Conceptual and Normative Relations in Kant's Legal Philosophy and their Contemporary Implications
CNPq | 2022-Ongoing
This research project aims to reconstruct and evaluate the moral, political, and legal foundations of Kant's philosophy of right in order to argue that there is no overlap, but rather an articulation between his theory of positive law and his theory of the state. In the context of the theory of positive law, the study focuses on the strictly legal and constitutional criteria constitutive of the concepts of law and positive law, which do not yet depend on a strictly moral element, but are based exclusively on a theory of action. In this sense, the thesis aims to develop the idea that Kant's theory of positive law has various points of contact with the legal philosophy of Hans Kelsen as well as with the normative legal positivism defended by Jeremy Waldron. In the context of the theory of the state, the project aims to analyze the legal, anthropological, and moral foundations of the creation of the state and the argumentative role played by the social contract. Thus, the legitimacy and limits of state action will be evaluated in light of the existence of claims to individual and collective rights prior to the state.
Possession and Property in Kant's Philosophy of Law: Analysis and Evaluation of their Normative Foundations and their Moral, Legal and Political Implications
2019 - Ongoing
This research project focuses on the analysis and evaluation of the concepts of possession and property in Kant's philosophy of law. It aims to analyze, from a historical-systematic perspective, the specific problems of the foundation of possession and property, in order to provide an interpretation that explains and justifies the nature and forms of property, as well as their consequences and limits for the state and political action. In addition, Kant's theory of property will be contextualized with other modern theories of property, especially those of Grotius, Hume, Locke, and Rousseau. Finally, the goal is to compare the Kantian proposal with models of the liberal state, the republican state, the socialist state, the welfare state, and also to explore an update regarding issues of intergenerational justice and intellectual property.
Epistemological and Methodological Foundations of the Critique of Pure Reason
2018 - Ongoing
The research project aims to map out the epistemological and methodological foundations that constitute the structure of the Critique of Pure Reason. It is a long- term project with the goal of writing a commentary on the work. It is also intended to assess the extent to which the CRP can be understood within the horizon of a constructivist methodology.
Anthropology and Teleology: Kant as Reader of Rousseau
2013 - 2017
The continuities and discontinuities between the philosophies of Rousseau and Kant will be explored, especially with regard to anthropological theory. The continuities and discontinuities between the philosophies of Rousseau and Kant will be studied, especially with regard to their anthropological theory. In this context, the cultural and political critique, the theorizing on the origin and status of evil and the possibility of its overcoming, as well as the introduction of the theme of history as a horizon for the recognition and construction of what would be the character of the human species, will come into play. One of the hypotheses to be pursued in this research is that Kant tries to overcome what he considers to be an aporia in Rousseau's thought by reintroducing a teleological theory along with the theory of perfectibility. One of the aims of this research is to investigate the theoretical significance of this return to anthropological theory from both Rousseau's and Kant's perspectives.
Commentaries on Kant's Works: Critique of Practical Reason
Lorenna Fyama Pereira Marques, Joel Thiago Klein (Orgs.). – Florianópolis: NéfipOnline, 2023, 517p.
The Critique of Practical Reason is a fundamental work in Kant's moral theory, and a Portuguese commentary that encompasses its literary unity presents itself as a relevant contribution both in the context of Brazilian Kantian studies and for the field of ethics. The Second Critique is a complex work that, in addition to introducing new concepts such as the fact of reason and the postulates of practical reason, presupposes various arguments and concepts developed in the Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and the Critique of Pure Reason. In the Critique of Practical Reason, Kant develops his mature theory of the relation between freedom and morality, of moral motivation and the role of the feeling of respect, of the primacy of the practical over the theoretical use of reason, and, finally, of the method of practical reason. This collaborative commentary brings together the efforts of several Brazilian scholars in an attempt to present and clarify the main arguments and concepts found in the work, as well as to explore their relationship with Kant's philosophical system. The aim of the book is to serve as a guide for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in getting to know the work in more detail, or even for those who want to get to know the main elements of Kantian moral philosophy.
Featured Publications
Commentaries on Kant's Works: Critique of Practical Reason
Egyle Hannah do Nascimento Lopes, Joel Thiago Klein (Orgs.). – Florianópolis: NétipOnline, 2022, 474 p.
The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, published in 1785, is Kant's first work devoted exclusively to moral philosophy. It has become an indispensable canon for understanding one of the most influential currents in ethics. Despite its brevity, the ideas it contains possess a depth and originality that make the work undeniably relevant. It is in this work that Kant first introduces central concepts such as the categorical imperative, autonomy, duty, and moral obligation. This volume aims to serve as a study and introductory guide for undergraduate and graduate students interested in studying Kantian moral philosophy or seeking a deeper knowledge of one of the major strands of ethics. Renowned Brazilian professors and researchers in the field have contributed to this commentary, providing the public with a detailed, comprehensive, and multifaceted analysis of the text.
Commentaries on Kant's Work: Towards Perpetual Peace
Pedro Henrique de Freitas Ferreira, Joel Thiago Klein (orgs.). - Florianópolis: NéfipOnline, 2022, 431 pp.
Published more than 200 years ago, Perpetual Peace has withstood the test of time and remains indispensable for those who wish to reflect not only on Kant's political and legal philosophy, but also on current political relations. It is a work of undeniable relevance to Kant's thought, since it contains some of the conditions and goals that Kant considered the noblest: from the agreement between law and morality to the establishment of peaceful relations between the different peoples of the world. Precisely these relations are indispensable for a proper understanding and evaluation of the political landscape of the 21st century. Are we not still in a period marked by wars in various fields, wars that we want to put an end to? The commentaries collected here aim to provide the public with an explanatory introduction to the main themes of Perpetual Peace. Each commentary is dedicated either to a part of the book or to concepts and historical contextualization. Connections to other works are also addressed, in an attempt to maintain the systematicity so dear to Kant. This work is the continuation of a project that seeks to contribute to the expansion and qualification of debates and teaching of Kantian philosophy in Brazil, offering free reflections to all those who may be interested through Néfiponline.
Readings of Rousseau
Cristina Foroni Consani, Joel T. Klein
Leituras de Rousseau [recurso eletrônico] – Florianópolis: NéfipOnline, 2022, 319 p.
Rousseau is a fascinating writer. His writing is passionate, fluid, and has the ability to easily capture the attention of his readers. However, as one immerses oneself in the study of his texts, one encounters the complexity of his thought, with its ambiguities and subtleties, often leading to the question of whether one is dealing with paradoxes. The purpose of this book is to delve into Rousseau's political thought, to explore its ambiguities, and to ask whether they can indeed be considered paradoxes or whether they can be accommodated by a more comprehensive and nuanced reading of his work. These readings of Rousseau may be considered somewhat heterodox, however, because the intention is also to establish a connection between his thought and themes that have emerged in contemporary political philosophy. The aim is to show how Rousseau's work is appropriated by the great political thinkers of his time and by contemporary philosophers who see in his writings, albeit in embryonic form, fundamental elements for thinking about democracy, individual freedom, and their reconciliation with collective interests. These include aspects that link him to republicanism and liberalism, the debate on the limits of property and social justice, social criticism, civic education, and human nature.
Cosmopolitanism
From the Kantian Legacy to Contemporary Approaches
Cristina Foroni Consani (Hrsg.), Joel T. Klein (Hrsg.), Soraya Nour Sckell (Hrsg.) - Beiträge zur Politischen Wissenschaft (BPW), Band 198, 2021. 1 Abb.; 326 S.
This book investigates several dimensions of the concept of cosmopolitanism since Kant. The first of these dimensions is a world vision that considers the construction of a »cosmopolitan self« as a question of justice. The second is the idea that a local political-legal order is fully democratic only if it respects the environment and the human rights of all people of the world, regardless of their citizenship. The third dimension concerns the practice of crossborder associations between individuals, institutionalized or not (cosmopolitics, as Balibar called it). The fourth considers individuals as subjects of international law, as in the case of individual petitions concerning human rights through the European Court of Human Rights and individual responsibility in international criminal law. Finally, the fifth dimension is a form of ecological consciousness based on the relationship between the self and the cosmos, which would imply a profound revision of modern anthropocentric concepts.
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Kant and the Idea of a Universal History
1st ed. Florianópolis: NEFIPO, 2012. 825 pp.
"Kant's philosophy of history represents not only one of the most sophisticated attempts to give meaning to the history of the human race, but also a challenge to our contemporary mentality, animated by pessimism and disappointment with illusions about the moral progress of humanity. It is therefore important to accept this challenge and to confront ourselves with Kantian thinking about history. Joel Klein invites us to do just that [...] I don't know of any other exegetical attempt so complete and systematic in relation to the writings of the philosophy of history, and I dare say that this book represents an absolutely original contribution not only in the national but also in the international context".
Alessandro Pinzani.
Commentaries on Kant's works: Critique of Pure Reason
1. ed. Florianópolis: NEFIPO, 2012. v. 1. 825 p.
Few books have left as profound a mark on the history of philosophy as the Critique of Pure Reason. Its influence is extensive, evident, and undeniable. Therefore, understanding this work, as important as it is challenging, is a necessary task for anyone wishing to study philosophy, whether from the perspective of its history or its problems. It serves as a watershed moment, giving rise, on one side, to a variety of critical positions and, on the other, to interpretations that have embraced, more or less broadly, the "spirit of the Copernican revolution in thinking."
The aim of this book is not simple: to reconcile a rigorous analysis of Kant's text with a review of some of the main works of secondary literature, along with an attempt to make the text clearer and more understandable. This goal has been pursued in its own way by each of the contributors, recognized professors and researchers in the field. This book also includes the translation of some articles already published in other journals and books, which have been added here due to their thematic relevance.
Kant and the construction of pure reason: an analogy with a chemical experiment
Manuscrito, v. 45, p. 1-48, 2023.
DOI: doi.org/10.1590/0100-6045.2023.V46N1.JK
This paper defends a constructive interpretation of the Critique of Pure Reason, which is built in analogy with an experimental construction that Kant believes to characteristic of chemistry. I also argue for a way to reconcile the methodological perspective of the constructivist method with that of transcendental reflection. I therefore provide a constructive explanation for what Kant describes as being pure reason and the argument of the transcendental deduction. I propose to frame the different perspectives in such a way that the experimental construction is the ratio cognoscendi of pure reason, while pure reason is the ratio essendi of the experimental construction. O’Neill (1989, 2015) is one of the most important scholars that have argued for a constructivist reading of the Critique of pure reason (CPR). In this paper I develop and explore new aspects of this line of interpretation. One of the main criticisms raised against constructivist readings of Kant’s philosophy is an alleged commitment to subjectivism or voluntarism (cf. Kleingeld & Willaschek 2019). This concern led some scholars to rename their position as constitutivist instead (Korsgaard 2009; Sensen 2013, 2017; Formosa 2011). Constitutivism, is intended to be a sort of constructivism capable of avoiding voluntarism. However, it becomes difficult, sometimes, to differentiate between the constitutivist and foundationalist positions, which are based on transcendental reflection and imply a sort of realist perspective on reason. The same preoccupation applies to the constructivist interpretation of the CPR. In order to deal with this issue, the following questions must be addressed: how can constructivism justify the necessity and universality of transcendental principles of pure reason without compromising the normative and procedural aspects of the construction? How to reconcile arguments based on the analysis of representations and faculties with a constructivist procedure? Or even, how may transcendental reflection, as a view of the possibility of a priori cognition, be rendered compatible with a constructive procedure? This paper is divided into three sections, followed by brief final remarks. The first section outlines the main characteristics of constructivism and relates them to Kant’s positions about the nature of philosophy and its method. The second part argues for a type of experimental constructivism that might serve as a guiding analogy to understand the method underlying the CPR. Thirdly, I will show how the transcendental subject and pure reason are derived from this experimental construction. The conclusion briefly points out some advantages of this position.
The limits of the concept of law: reflections on kantian legal positivism in relation to Kelsen’s and Hart’s positivism
ETHIC@ (UFSC), v. 21, p. 507-543, 2023.
DOI: doi.org/10.5007/1677-2954.2022e91877
In this paper, I argue that the model of legal positivism supported by Kant's philosophy of law can justify imposing limits on the concept of the validity of law in a manner that Kelsen's and Hart's positivism cannot. This limitation enables the differentiation between barbaric states, lacking any legal framework, and despotic states, where law exists despite the absence of justice. Building on this distinction, one can advocate for a positivist theory of law that establishes non-moral normative criteria for the validity of a legal system. Therefore, it is contended that the positivist models of Kelsen and Hart are inferior in their ability to grasp legal normativity.
Enlightenment as the normative principle of social rationality
Studia Kantiana, v. 21, p. 99-117, 2023.
ISSN eletrônico: 2317-7462
This paper argues that Kant’s philosophy entails a normative concept of social rationality distinct from other normative concepts such as moral and juridical rationality. I also argue that the normative demands of social rationality are embodied in the regulative idea of enlightenment which implies a profound intersubjective and moral character that unfolds in multiple layers and perspectives.
The kantian legacy in Kelsen’s philosophy of international law
Consani, C. F; Klein, J. T. Seqüência - Estudos Jurídicos e Políticos, v. 44 n. 93. Florianópolis: 2023.
DOI: doi.org/10.5007/2177-7055.2023.e79080
This article defends a narrow theoretical relationship between Kant and Kelsen in the field of the philosophy of international law. We argue for a theoretical heritage concerning the concepts of sovereignty, monism, and the requirement of international law as a necessary element for achieving peace. The methodology used is hermeneutical and analytic-conceptual.
Kant and the idea of intergenerational justice
In. Pinzani, A.; Caranti, L. (Eds.). Kant and the Problem of Politics: Rethinking the Contemporary World. Routledge, 2022.
ISBN 9780367471576
In this paper I argue that Kantian practical philosophy contains solid elements from which we can justify a theory of intergenerational justice. Even though Kant never developed this issue systematically, I present a line of reasoning that sheds light on robust intergenerational moral claims that might potentially lead to an intergenerational formulation of the categorical imperative. This paper also stresses the institutional path demanded by intergenerational justice and points to the broader horizon opened up by the idea of a universal history. Thus, Kantian philosophy of history provides us with a normative context for an intergenerational justice grounded in a concept of law that bears in itself a diachronic requirement.
Permissive laws and teleology in Kant’s juridical and political philosophy
Kantian Review, 1-22, 2022.
DOI: doi:10.1017/S1369415421000510
In this article I argue that the current readings of permissive law fall into hermeneutical difficulties and do not completely explain Kant’s complex use of the concept. I argue that the shortcomings of these interpretations can only be overcome by relating permissive law to practical teleology. That teleological thinking has a role in Kant’s moral thought by way of history is not new. Here, however, I argue that the system of rights itself is in some manner teleologically situated. This interpretation allows us to understand that Kant’s Doctrine of Right plays the role of a realist utopia.
Kant on Legal Positivism and The Juridical State
Kant Yearbook, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 73-105, 2021.
DOI: doi.org/10.1515/kantyb-2021-0004
In this paper I argue that Kant’s political and juridical philosophy justifies a type of normative legal positivism that implies specific notions of law and legal freedom which determine and restrict the sphere of action of judges and jurists. Finally, I defend that, according to Kant’s practical philosophy, the normative connection between justice and law is not supposed to be carried out at the juridical level, as a meta-juridical theory, but at the political one, making it a meta-political theory.
On Serpents and Doves: The systematic relationship between prudence and morality in Kant's political philosophy
Kant-Studien, v. 101, p. 78-104, 2021.
DOI: doi.org/10.1515/kant-2021-0003
This paper argues that the political adage “Be ye prudent as serpents and guileless as doves” involves three different types of relation between prudence and morality, namely: unification (Vereinigung), subordination (Unterordnung), and association (Beigesellung). I maintain that these relations are set up according to the same principle that determines the relationship between mechanical and teleological causality in the third Critique. Thus, I argue that morality and prudence are much more systematically related within the system of critical philosophy than is normally assumed in the literature and that this is made possible by way of an intimate relationship between prudence and teleological judgment.
Kant's Constitution of a moral image of the world
Kriterion, v. 60, p. 103-125, 2019.
DOI: doi.org/10.1590/0100-512X2019n14206jtk
In this paper, I argue that the idea of a universal history is systematically legitimized in Kant’s transcendental system of philosophy by way of the concept of a need [Bedürfnis] for pure practical reason. In this sense, the idea of a universal history is a fundamental part of the moral image of the world that emerges from Kant’s whole philosophy, and it is crucial for understanding both the possibility of the system of pure reason, as well the full development of Kant’s moral philosophy, especially for political philosophy.
Critical sssessments on Nozick’s libertarianism from the point of view of kantian moral philosophy
Revista Latinoamericana de Filosofía, v. 43, p. 65-104, 2017.
This article presents a critical assessment of Nozick’s libertarian theory from the perspective of Kantian moral philosophy. The criticisms are di-vided into three sections. The first challenges the libertarian justification for the original acquisition of holdings and the right to property. The second evaluates the presuppositions and difficulties with the principle of transfer of holdings. The third section examines how the principle of rectification works in the context of Nozick’s libertarian theory. At the end it is concluded that despite Nozick’s claim of an affiliation with Kantian moral philosophy, there is a deep gap between both moral perspectives, so that libertarianism would be for Kantian philosophy only a theory of moral selfishness.
The relationship between ethics and law in Kant's political philosophy
Manuscrito (UNICAMP), v. 37, p. 161-210, 2014.
This article discusses the relationship between law and ethics in Kantian political philosophy. Unlike the dominant interpretation, I attempt to show that, in order for politics to achieve its goals, good will must be present. Two theses are defended here: first, that there is no gap between the political theses of the 1780s and those of the 1790s regarding an abandonment of the need for good will in the field of politics, i.e., the good will still remains a necessary condition for carrying out a republican constitution. Against an exclusively liberal interpretation, the second thesis argues that Kantian republicanism allows the state to take institutional measures to ensure the moral enlightenment of its citizens.
Die Weltgeschichte im Kontext der Kritik der Urteilskraft
Kant-Studien, v. 104, p. 188-212, 2013.
DOI: doi.org/10.1515/kant-2013-0013
In this paper, I shall defend the thesis that the idea of a universal history in Kant’s third Critique is not legitimated from a theoretical and systematic pointof view but instead from a practical point of view. In order to sustain this interpretation, I shall reconstruct parts of arguments from the entire Critique of Teleological Judgment. First, I shall argue that in the Analytic as in the Dialectic, the external purposiveness can legitimize only a teleological history of nature but not a universal history. Second, I defend that in the Methodology, the idea of a universal history is grounded in an interest of pure practical reason.