Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason': A Reader's Guide

by James Luchte

Continuum's Reader's Guides are clear, concise and accessible introductions to classic works of philosophy. Each book explores the major themes, historical and philosophical context and key passages of a major philosophical text, guiding the reader toward a thorough understanding of often demanding material. Ideal for undergraduate students, the guides provide an essential resource for anyone who needs to get to grips with a philosophical text. Kant's Critique of Pure Reason is arguably the most important work of philosophy of the last two centuries. It is a classic text that is encountered by virtually every student of philosophy. As such, this is a hugely important and exciting, yet notoriously challenging, piece of philosophical writing. In Kant's 'Critique of Pure Reason': A Reader's Guide , James Luchte offers a clear and thorough account of this key philosophical work. The book offers a detailed review of the key themes and a lucid commentary that will enable readers to rapidly navigate the text. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of the text as a whole, the guide explores the complex and important ideas inherent in the text and provides a cogent survey of the reception and influence of Kant's hugely important work.

Genres: Philosophy

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Dschreiber · Rating 1 out of 5]

You can do better than this book for a guide to Kant's Critique. Do the blurbs promise something "clear and concise"? Don't get your hopes up on that count. This is an academic who has completely forgotten how to write clearly, who deliberately wraps up his meaning in thick layers of verbiage. For example, "With the dissolution of the paradox, to his satisfaction, we are confronted with the raw facticity of Kant amid his lifeworld." Or try this on for size: "Bataille situates the dominion of reason, and specifically of economic reason, in a historical juxtaposition with the archaic economy of the Gift. Bataille traces a notion of the sacred that exceeded reason, which through sacrifice externalised the factical violence of existence in a ritual which consisted in the destruction of the 'useful'. In this act, the transcendental dimension of existence is disclosed as the topos of the useless." Are you impressed? 'Facticity' is one of the author's favourite words, because it sounds grander than a simple 'the fact that.' Another favourite is the Greek 'topos.'

No, you can do much better than this book. Leave the author impressing himself with his kaleidoscope of words, and find another guide to Kant. Coplestone's history of philosophy is well done, although it might not be as detailed as you want. For a much more detailed approach you might look at Kant's Critique of Pure Reason - a Commentary for Students by T. Wilkerson (Oxford, 1976 ). It is deliberately written for university students in an accessible style, carefully discusses the arguments, and genuinely tries to open the Critique to the reader. Keep in mind, though, that Wilkerson, in trying to make sense of Kant, leans heavily on the re-interpretations Kant by the analytic philosopher P. F. Strawson in his book The Bounds of Sense

[Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes it confuzzles more than it helps.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, but not a definitive guide.