Socrates Meets Kant: The Father of Philosophy Meets His Most Influential Modern Child [Paperback]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

Immanuel Kant is one of the greatest philosophers in history. But, as Peter Kreeft notes in this book, Kant is really two philosophers - a philosopher about how we know things (epistemology) and a philosopher of right and wrong (ethics). If he had written only on either topic, he would still be the most important and influential of the modern philosophers. The combination of the two, though, makes for a formidable thinker, one it would take a figure such as the Father of Philosophy, the relentless Socrates, to confront.

Confront he does, in Peter Kreeft's next installment of the popular Socrates Meets series. Set in the afterlife, the conversation between the two great minds lays out the key issues. Kreeft's Socrates reflects what the historical philosopher would likely have made of Kant's ideas, while also recognizing the greatness, genius, and insightfulness of Kant. The result of their dialogues is a helpful, highly readable, even amusing book, useful for beginner as well as master.

Kant's philosophy of knowing truly is a ''Copernican revolution in philosophy'' as he dubbed it. His ethics was intended to set out the rational grounds for morality. Did he achieve his goals? What would Socrates say about the matter? Dr. Kreeft has written a book no student of modern thought should be without.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Immanuel Kant is one of the greatest philosophers in history. As Peter Kreeft here notes, Kant is really two philosophers – a philosopher concerned with how we know things (epistemology) and a philosopher of right and wrong (ethics). If he had written only on either topic, he would still be the most important and influential of the modern philosophers. The combination of the two, though, makes for a formidable thinker, one it would take a figure such as Socrates to confront.
    Kreeft’s Socrates reflects what the historical philosopher would likely have made of Kant’s ideas, while also recognizing the greatness, genius, and insightfulness of Kant. The result is a helpful, highly readable, even amusing book. Kant’s philosopher of knowing truly is a “Copernican revolution in philosophy,” as he himself dubbed it. His ethics intended to set out the rational grounds for morality. Did he achieve his goals? What would Socrates say about the matter?

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1586173480
• ISBN-13: 978-1586173487
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

--------- AUDIO LECTURES --------- $1 each (MP3)

http://www.amazon.com

Search for
Peter Kreeft MP3


RECORDED LECTURES:
http://peterkreeft.com/audio.htm

---
---"Beauty" -- The branch of philosophy dealing with aesthetics.
---"C. S. Lewis and Mere Christianity" -- C.S. Lewis' masterpiece
---"Christianity in Lord of the Rings" -- The cleverly disguised role of God
---"Culture War" -- A call to arms, mapping key enemies and battlefields
---"Existence of God" -- A magnificent overview of the arguments
---"Good, True, Beautiful" -- C.S. Lewis on three great transcendentals
---"Happiness" -- How do you get it? Christ's version vs. the world's
---"Heaven" -- The heart's deepest longing
---"Hollywood Screenwriting" -- Encouragement to film's creative storytellers
---"If Einstein Had Been a Surfer" -- Rediscovering intuitive thinking
---"Lord, Liar, or Lunatic" -- The famous argument for Christ's identity
---"Problem of Pain" -- C.S. Lewis's brilliant exposition on suffering and evil
---"Sex in Heaven" -- Imaging the fire of God's love
---"Sexual Reconnection" -- Healing the link between sex & love
---"Shocking Beauty" -- The live character of Christ
---
---
Lecture scheduling and more info:
http://www.peterkreeft.com



--

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Humerous introduction to Kant January 31, 2010

By Toki Mike VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Peter Kreeft always informs in his well written books on philosophy and theology. This book, like the others in this series, has Socrates in heaven using the Socratic method on a famous philosopher with both insight and humor. In this book, he questions one of the three most influential Western philosophers, Immanuel Kant. Since Kant is famous both for his metaphysics in "Critique of Pure Reason" and his Categorical Imperative, Socrates asks him questions about both topics, making this book about twice as long as others in the series. I recommend this book for anyone interested in philosophy and for bewildered philosophy students like myself who are intimidated by Kant's heavy prose.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A sympathetic but unrelenting cross-examination of Kant March 1, 2011

By R. S. Corzine VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Peter Kreeft imagines a "conversation beyond the grave" in which Socrates, History's great questioner, cross-examines Immanuel Kant on his two landmark books, the "Critique of Pure Reason" and "Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals." Especially if you are among the many people who have started but never had the intestinal fortitude to finish Kant's turgid tomes, this book is a godsend. Kreeft's Socrates is sympathetic but unrelenting, just like Plato's. But he also has the benefit of hindsight.

Kant is one of the most influential thinkers of the modern age, a true "maker of the modern mind;" many of our contemporaries are his unwitting disciples and intellectual descendants. Like it or not, we live in the aftermath of his self-described "Copernican revolution in philosophy." Given, then, that it is foolish to ignore him and painful to read him, we owe Dr. Kreeft a great debt of gratitude for this lucid critical explication of his thought. As in the earlier volumes, Dr. Kreeft is careful to engage Kant in his own words and on his own terms; this is no strong man vs. straw man contest. An excellent addition to the series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and useful introduction to Kant October 2, 2012

By Keith Buhler

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Peter Kreeft's winsome and conversational approach to philosophy should not belie his precision and thorough understanding of the philosophers he analyzes.

Immanuel Kant is as difficult to read (without background knowledge) as he is important to understand. His influence in the modern world, not only in abstract philosophy but in morality, religion, and politics, cannot be overstated (hence Kreeft's subtitle).

Herein Socrates, the dogged inquisitor, plies Kant for a simplified, non-technical summary of his views, and subjects each answer to the evaluation of self-consistency. With regard to the truth of Kant's answers, Socrates the character may at times seem to reflect (too much) the theological framework of Kreeft, but the historical Socrates was indeed religious.

Kreeft is able thereby to tell a story that is interesting in its own right (What would it be like for Socrates to meet Kant in the afterlife?) while summarizing Kant's major views on epistemology (the science of knowledge) and ethics (the science of goodness), their implications, and providing a critical analysis.

As with most of Kreeft's lectures, essays, and books, this is a fun and useful read.