The Inaugural Dissertation: “Genuine Metaphysics without Any Admixture of the Sensible”

In January of 1770 Kant was offered a position at the University of Jena. Given his response to the University of Erlangen, it would have been very surprising if he had accepted. In any case, later that year the long-awaited opportunity for advancement in Königsberg came closer. On March 15,1770, Langhansen, professor of mathematics, the man who had administered his entrance exam to the university, passed away. Kant lost no time. In a letter dated March 16, Kant submitted a request to Berlin for consideration in the matter. He did not want Langhansen's position. Instead, he suggested an exchange. Christiani, who had taught moral philosophy as well as mathematics until then, and who was the son-in-law of Langhansen, should take over the free position. Kant adduced as a further reason for this the fact that the professor of mathematics was traditionally also the inspector of the Collegium Fridericianum, and that Christiani had the greatest claim to this position. Since this position came with good benefits, as well as with a free apartment at the school, Christiani would likely be interested. Kant was not. Should a switch between himself and Christiani not be possible, he suggested a switch between himself and professor Buck, who held the position of professor of logic and metaphysics, and who was also associate professor of mathematics.