The German Prime Minister criticized Mr. Putin for misquoting philosopher Kant

According to RT Radio (Russia), German Prime Minister Olaf Scholz on April 23 criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for quoting German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

Speaking at the 300th anniversary of Kant’s birth, the German chancellor said Putin had misquoted the great thinker’s ideas.

German philosopher Immanuel Kant was born in 1724 in Koenigsberg, in the Kingdom of Prussia at that time, now Kaliningrad region (Russia).

He is famous for his work on ethics, aesthetics, and ontology, and is considered one of the pillars of classical German philosophy.

According to Prime Minister Scholz, Russian President Putin has no right to quote Kant, and Putin’s government is quoting and misusing this philosopher’s works, according to Prime Minister Scholz. Die Zeit (Germany) reported.

The German chancellor said Russia’s role in the war in Ukraine contradicted Kant’s core teachings, and reiterated Kant’s words about one country’s intervention in another country’s affairs.

Mr. Scholz also defended Kiev’s decision not to participate in peace negotiations with Moscow.

Citing one of Kant’s major works, the German chancellor said that “coercive” peace treaties are not the way to achieve “permanent peace”.

Previously, in January, speaking before university students in Kaliningrad, Mr. Putin called Kant “the greatest thinker of his time, and of ours.”

The Russian President also said that Kant’s call to “live by your own wisdom” is still more relevant today than ever.

Accordingly, Mr. Putin said a country must rely on its own intelligence, which does not mean “we do not care about the interests of other countries”, but “we will never allow Russia’s interests are ignored.”

Mr. Putin said that this argument has been forgotten by some of Russia’s neighboring countries, many of which are living on the “wisdom” of other countries.

“This will not bring them anything good,” RT quoted Mr. Putin as saying.