The present article offers an analysis of the impact of Kant’s work on contemporary aesthetics by focusing on the concept of metaphor. The author provides a brief explanation for the popularity of metaphor as a research area, and suggests that much of the thinking behind this research can be traced back to Kant. He also points to the essential role of metaphor in contemporary aesthetics. The author argues that Kant’s argumentation in the third Critique is heavily dependent on metaphor. This point draws out the epistemological and cognitive significance of metaphor, and also brings to light new points of relevance between Kant and contemporary aesthetics. The author relates his conclusions to the aesthetic theories of Lyotard, Derrida, and Habermas, and suggests how the ‘metaphorical Kant’ might affect their theses.