The critical gap: on the integration of the core ideas of Alexander Pope’s essay on man in Immanuel Kant’s philosophy

After having unveiled the hidden influence of Pope and his Essay on Man on Kant in the first article, The hidden influence on Kant, this second article examines the “critical gap” presented by the data, which refers to the absence of explicit mention of Pope in Kant’s works during the decade of the three Critiques. I argue that, despite this lack of direct references, Pope’s central ideas, such as the Great Chain of Being, optimism, pride and love, were absorbed and integrated into Kant’s philosophy. The article analyzes how Kant integrated the Great Chain of Being into his philosophical system, focusing on the subtle presence of Pope’s influence during the critical period and on Newton and Rousseau justifying Pope’s theorem, providing empirical bases for order and regularity in nature, as well as insights into freedom and morality. Furthermore, the article explores how Kant reinterpreted the concept of optimism, rejecting the term itself but absorbing its essence into his own moral philosophy. Understanding Pope’s significant and lasting influence on Kant is crucial to a more complete and integrated understanding of Kantian philosophy as a unit and a whole.