118 Kant: A Biographyhe understood them less and less as he grew older is very likely. That his
view of the social and political role of women was largely traditional is with¬
out a doubt also true, but it is not entirely so. Kant was influenced by more
progressive views, and he in turn influenced such views.^87 Given that in
Kant's time there were no female students, and that he encountered women
only in clearly circumscribed and mostly very formal social contexts, not
much more could be expected.
University business went on as usual during the years of the Russian
occupation. When Kypke died in 1758, and his position of full professor
of logic and metaphysics became open, Kant applied for it — again without
success. It was instead given to Buck, one of Knutzen's favorite students,
who had taught longer and was perhaps more deserving. Buck, Flottwell,
Hahn, Kant, Thiesen, and Watson had applied, but only the names of
Buck and Kant were forwarded to Petersburg. Buck was initially endorsed
as the most suitable candidate, but as a result of objections by Schulz, who
was the rector of the university during that year, Kant and Buck were both
recommended as competent.^88 Schulz supported Kant only after a meet¬
ing during which Schulz asked Kant "solemnly: Do you really fear God
with all your heart?"^89 The answer must have been satisfactory, though it
seems that Schulz did not so much favor Kant as he disapproved of most
of the other candidates. Indeed, one may wonder whether he really wanted
Kant, who looked to him much weaker than Buck, or whether he wanted to
make Buck look stronger by putting forward both names rather than Buck's
alone. In any case, some of the others, like Flottwell and Hahn, were un¬
acceptable to Schulz under any circumstances. Academic success continued
to elude Kant.
Kant and Hamann: "Either a Very Close
or a Very Distant Relation"While Kant was not a revolutionary in matters of gender or sex, he was a
nonconformist in matters of religion. This is shown again by some of the
events of 1759. Hamann, who had belonged to Kant's circle of acquain¬
tances at least since 1748, and who was close to several of Kant's friends,
had left Königsberg in 1752. After a number of years as Hofmeister, during
which he acquired a substantial debt, he entered the services of the mer¬
chant house of Berens in Riga. He had already become one of the closest
friends of Johann Christoph Berens (1729-1792) during his years of study
at the University of Königsberg. In 1757 the company sent him to London,