Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Easy to Read Selection of Kant Writings, May 6, 2004
This review is from: Basic Writings of Kant (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)
My review is more by accident then intentional logging on to write a review. While surfing around, I stumbled here to check out a couple of reviews and noticed some with astonishing errors; either due to a lack of writing a detailed review or just not understanding Kant's ideas. The problem may also lie in that anthologies don't carry the full selection of a person's arguments (although with one reviewer it is just an obvious case of silly ignorant ramblings) Wood's book is readable and it is true that Kant is never an easy read, but neither are most Prussian Philosophers of the same era. Whatever Kant's metaphysical faults are, he is not a relativist, but tried, although many have asserted unsuccessfully, to construct an objective moral framework on reason alone (although Kant did believe in God and asserted that the Christian religion was the closet to a true objective construct; however, that is precisely the problem of anthologies, because all they do is give one a snap shot of someone's work. Further, Kant asserted God as a practical necessity if humans were going to reach the highest good (summum bonum). Lastly, is trying to limit the role of reason to make room for faith. He limits knowledge by demonstrating that reason belongs in the empirical realm (phenomenal) and the things-in-itself are actually in the noumenal world beyond the reach of the senses. For someone as lengthy as Kant, short reviews cannot do justice. If one gets this book, then they should also get "The Cambridge Companion to Kant" also sold on Amazon and edited by Kant scholar Guyer.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An effective compilation, with all of the essays necessary for a basic understanding of Kant., February 27, 2006
This review is from: Basic Writings of Kant (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)
With a thourough reading of this text, it is entirely possible to extract, not just the jist, but a fundamental understanding of the philosophy of Kant. Although it is true that no compilation of writings, which is forced to express the ideas of a philosopher such as Kant in a manageable way, can provide an understanding required for a masters or doctoral thesis, the Basic Writings of Kant is translated in such a way and contains the necessary essays for higher-level undergraduate understanding.
By examining the development of Kant's ideas throughout each essay, it is possible to understand the unity of metaphysical, empirical, and moral concepts in a digestable and useful way. Although one may see fault in Kant's philosophy regarding any of these facets, this text provides the means for an understanding of Kant's philosopy and solid ground by which to dispute his ideas.
One distinction, which might be useful in reading this text, is to note that the essay "Critique of Practical Reason" is better understood as the "Critique of (Pure) Practical Reason". It should be understood that Kant felt that the boundaries in which both practical and theoretical reason, lie is within the limits of the mind itself.
Also, regarding Kant's chauvinism, a close reading of "What Is Englightenment?", might shed some light on those who seem to have heard what they wanted to hear in his referrence to the "fairer sex". Aside from that passage, I can not actually think of another example of his even mentioning gender differences. Feel free to correct me, if you can provide me with some new information, or something that I've forgotten.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kant the philosophical revolutionary, July 2, 2006
This review is from: Basic Writings of Kant (Modern Library Classics) (Paperback)
This is an excellent survey of Kant's groundbreaking constributions to epistemology and moral philosophy. I would, however, support Karl Popper's observation that the best way to understand the transcendental idealism of Kant is to first study Schopenhauer. An ideal introduction to Schopenhauer (and Kant) is Bryan Magee's 'The Philosophy of Schopenhauer'. Then read Schopenhauer's 'On the Fourfold Root of Principle of Sufficient Reason', and then his 'The World as Will and Representation'. Schopenhauer is a peerless prose stylist and conceptual architect and he explains the philosophy of Kant (and it's limitations) better than Kant does himself. Once you have familiarised yourself with Schopenhauer, Kant's comparatively opaque and desultory prose (with occasional flashes of brilliance) is readily accessible. Kant's staggering intellectual achievement in moving beyond the apparent epistemological dead end of Hume is sufficient motivation for making the effort to read the Critique of Pure Reason. In the other works in this volume Kant developed his (in my view)flawed moral philosophy, based as it is on the supposed sovereignty of reason over the will - with its famous 'catagorical imperative'. While this is less impressive than his epistemology, it is still interesting and well worth reading. The translations offered here are clear and the selections from Kant's works are judicious. Altogether a great book at a great price, which will richly reward the serious reader.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
