Kant: A Biography

78 Kant: A Biography

his experiments had shown "how useful it [electricity] was also in the med¬
ical sciences."'^5 His pride was his collection of 243 "physical and mathe¬
matical instruments," acquired throughout his life.^76
Teske not only introduced Kant to experimental physics, but he also
formed his early views on the matter of electricity. This is significant, for
Kant never gave up his basic view of the nature of electricity and fire, and
in this way Teske's influence continued throughout Kant's life. His thesis
for the degree of Magister was entitled "Succinct Exposition of Some
Meditations on Fire," and dealt with just those subject matters that a
student of Teske might be expected to work on. Accordingly, it is Teske
who must be considered Kant's Doktorvater, and his praise of the disser¬
tation must have meant much to Kant at the time.
Teske's courses in experimental physics were quite impressive. Johann
Friedrich Lauson, in a feeble attempt at poetry, described how Teske used
equipment to memorable effect, producing electric charges to create heat,
sparks, and flashes, electrifying his students, lighting alcohol, and pro¬
ducing a glow in a wire even under water. Lauson's poem does not make
clear precisely what conclusions Teske drew from his experiments, but we
know he thought that electricity and lightning were of the same nature. He
knew how to entertain his students with effects of electricity, but he did
not lead any of them to become a great scientist.n Kant was enough at¬
tracted by Teske's investigations of electricity and fire to write his disser¬
tation on this topic. Though Teske claimed that he had learned from Kant's
dissertation, we may safely assume that it was informed not just by the lit¬
erature to which he refers, but also by Teske's speculations and calculations.
Regrettably, Teske has received little attention from Kant scholars.
One of the best known and most influential philosophers at Königsberg
was Knutzen. Many former students were proud to have studied with him.
Thus Hamann said in his autobiography:

I was a student of the famous Knutzen in all parts of philosophy, mathematics, and in
private lectures on algebra, and I was a member of the physico-theological society that
was founded by him, but did not succeed.^78

Although Kant never mentioned him in any of his writings, Knutzen is usu¬
ally thought to have had the greatest influence on Kant. Borowski claimed
that "Knutzen meant most to him among all his teachers, and he delin¬
eated the course of... [Kant] and others that would allow them to become
original thinkers and not mere followers."^79 Kraus observed that Knutzen
was the only one "who could have had an influence on his [Kant's] genius,"