The central aim of this essay is to portray Kant’s notion of Witz as it unfolds from his Lectures on Anthropology, in a decisive stage of his intellectual evolution (1772–96). This aim is sub-divided into two parallel objectives: first, to sketch a brief history of the concept of Witz, thus showing how Witz came to evolve from having a rational connotation to having an imaginative connotation, and how it came to be a pregnant philosophical issue, as well as an aesthetic principle. Secondly, to show how Kant read that singular course in the evolution of Witz; how, in his view, Witz and the power of judgement, imagination, and intellect are indeed opposed, but also how there is a necessity to unite both opposing parts; a convergence which is not only advantageous for both parts, but serves a greater purpose: to create an unsuspected link between imagination and understanding, as well as between philosophy and poetry.

中文翻译：

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康德的威茨概念

本文的主要目的是描述康德在其思想发展的决定性阶段（1772-96年）中从他的人类学讲座中展现出的维茨概念。该目标可细分为两个平行的目标：首先，概述Witz概念的简要历史，从而展示Witz如何从具有理性的内涵演变为具有想象力的内涵，以及如何成为怀胎。哲学问题，以及美学原则。其次，展示康德如何在Witz的发展过程中阅读这一奇异的过程；在他看来，维茨与判断力，想象力和理智的力量的确是如何对立的，还需要如何使两个相对的部分联合起来？融合不仅对两个部分都有利，而且具有更大的目的：