Wiley-Blackwell Kant's Critique of Pure Reason: An Orientation to the Central Theme

This fresh orientation to Kant's Critique of Pure Reason presents his central theme, the development of his Transcendental Idealism, as a ground-breaking response to perceived weaknesses in his predecessors' accounts of experiential knowledge. Traces the central theme of the Critique, the development of Kant's Transcendental Idealism. Offers new and original readings of the central arguments in both the Transcendental Aesthetic and the Transcendental Analytic. Appraises the success and failure of Kant's project in the Critique. Review "Kant's Critique of Pure Reason is the watershed of modern philosophy. Anthony Savile's approach to the central argument of this great work is as brilliant as it is concise. It makes Kant truly accessible to the student and general reader while offering much food for thought for the seasoned professional." Paul D Guyer, Professor of Philosophy & Florence R.C. Murray Professor, University of Pennsylvania <!--end--> "Anthony Savile's account of the Aesthetic and Analytic, elegantly written with a light touch, is a valuable addition to the literature on the Critique of Pure Reason. It provides a careful, sympathetic, and concise interpretation of transcendental idealism which students at all levels will find both instructive and enjoyable to read." Graham Bird, Manchester University From the Inside Flap This searching orientation to Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason presents the central theme, the development of his Transcendental Idealism, as a response to perceived weaknesses in his predecessors’ accounts of experiential knowledge. Anthony Savile offers lucid new readings of the central arguments in both the Transcendental Aesthetic and the Transcendental Analytic, making clear the fundamental systematic components of Kant’s vision. The book appraises the success and the failure of Kant’s overall critical project. It shows how, for all its merits and despite Kant's departure from previous ways of thinking, he was still unhappily in thrall to some of their key assumptions, and how this ultimately wrecked his attempts to institute a ‘Copernican Revolution.' As far as possible, the author engages directly with Kant’s ideas and those of his predecessors, independently of the enormous secondary literature that surrounds the Critique. From the Back Cover This searching orientation to Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason presents the central theme, the development of his Transcendental Idealism, as a response to perceived weaknesses in his predecessors’ accounts of experiential knowledge. Anthony Savile offers lucid new readings of the central arguments in both the Transcendental Aesthetic and the Transcendental Analytic, making clear the fundamental systematic components of Kant’s vision. The book appraises the success and the failure of Kant’s overall critical project. It shows how, for all its merits and despite Kant's departure from previous ways of thinking, he was still unhappily in thrall to some of their key assumptions, and how this ultimately wrecked his attempts to institute a ‘Copernican Revolution.' As far as possible, the author engages directly with Kant’s ideas and those of his predecessors, independently of the enormous secondary literature that surrounds the Critique. About the Author Anthony Savile is Professor of Philosophy at King's College, University of London and also teaches at Charles University, Prague. His previous books include The Test of Time (1982) and Leibniz's Monadology (2000).