Blackwell Reference Online

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E pistemology, metaphysics Kant 's greatest masterpiece, one of the most important books in the history of Western philosophy. It fundamentally shaped the development of modern philosophy. For Kant, a critique was a critical examination, and pure reason was contrasted with empirical reason, with pure reason seeking to provide knowledge independent of experience. Kant saw a critique of pure reason as a critical examination of these claims of pure reason conducted by pure reason itself. While the logical use of reason unifies knowledge already gained through other faculties, pure reason tries to add to our knowledge through its own labors, and thus becomes the source of dialectical error. Pure reason is also the name that followers of Wolff gave to their philosophy, which was dominant in Kant's time. Kant's criticism of pure reason has both of these aspects in mind. The first Critique is an examination of the limits and conditions of human theoretical reason. It was first published in 1781, but very extensively revised for its second edition in 1787. The first edition is designated A and the second edition B. In modern editions and translations, the page numbers of both editions are normally marked in the margin. The book is divided into two parts: the Transcendental Doctrine of Elements and the Transcendental Doctrine of Methods. The former occupies five-sixths of the book, ... log in or subscribe to read full text