The Elegant Magister 133nection (nexus)."^161 On the other hand, "the status post mortem is very
probable, the entire world would equal nothing without rational beings,"
and so on.^162
Kant's presentation of the concepts, arguments, explanations, and hy¬
potheses, and of his own theory, was very condensed. Different points fol¬
lowed each other in rapid succession, and it must have been difficult for
the young students to follow him. Part of the effect he had on his students
had thus more to do with feeling. They became persuaded "that things
of the highest importance were being said about matters of the utmost
urgency: things which at all costs [they] must understand," but to their
chagrin they could not understand, and so they made it their business to
try to understand.^163 Herder himself found another way out. He told Car¬
oline Herder:
My soul could not be well in this realm of death, of lifeless concepts without basis
and ground. After each lecture in metaphysics I ran into the open with a poet - or I
read Rousseau or a similar writer, in order to waken and lose these impressions...
for they hurt me.^164
He wrote the draft of an "An Essay on Being," which, though often thought
to be pure Herder, is probably closer to Kant's ideas at that time than tra¬
ditionally thought.^165 Herder: "Being cannot be proven - the existence of
God cannot be proven — no idealist can be refuted — all existential propo¬
sitions, the largest part of human cognition cannot be proven — rather, every¬
thing uncertain; no! not uncertain [even though] not at all provable .. ,"^166
A number of poems have survived in which Herder put Kant's and
Rousseau's ideas into verse. Indeed, Kant had at least one of these read
during his lectures.^167
There can be little doubt that Kant was an inspiring lecturer during this
period. Nor can there be much doubt that he was interested not only in
teaching philosophical theories to his students, but also in teaching them
how to live, by recommending a certain way of life. He then thought that
philosophical reflection had to have an important place in life, but that it
was neither all nor perhaps even the most important thing. Elegance and
appreciation of the beautiful in nature and literature were more important
to him than dry book knowledge. Herder also drew attention to this, call¬
ing Kant the "observer of society," who looked "for the great and beautiful
in man and in human characters, and the temperaments and motivations
of the sexes, and virtues and finally of national characters." He praised
Kant's nuanced views and observations in psychological matters, calling