Wir dürfen aber den Untergang eines Weltgebäudes nicht als einen wahren Verlust der Natur bedauren. Sie beweiset ihren Reichthum in einer Art von Verschwendung … Der Mensch, der das Meisterstück der Schöpfung zu sein scheint, ist selbst von diesem Gesetze nicht ausgenommen.
Immanuel Kant was an early and influential theorist on race. What place a theory of race could have within his system is, however, far from clear. Empirical knowledge about human diversity seems not to be the kind of thing that may find its way into morally acceptable maxims. Kant's understanding of the a priori nature of the moral seems to prevent any account or theory of human difference from leading to prejudice or discrimination. On the other hand, Kant defends race it-self as an a priori concept, and the specific content of his anthropology seems to justify the exclusion of non-whites from moral concern in a new and dangerous way.