Kant and the Enlightenment

Abstract

In his Critique of Judgement, Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) includes a discussion on rhetoric. In this work, he divides the fine arts into the art of speech and the formative arts (§ 51). The art of speech is subdivided into rhetoric and poetry. The former consists in having a beautiful style in one’s speech and writing, while the latter means poetry in the broadest sense of the word. According to Kant the fine arts in general and the art of speech in particular should be characterized by a great measure of freedom. Furthermore they should be liberal arts in a double sense: they must not be practised for financial gain nor for achieving any effect. Insofar as it is a fine art, rhetoric has the function of entertaining an audience.