The Collected Works of Immanuel Kant (ePub)

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), a central figure in modern philosophy, was born in Königsberg, Prussia. Renowned for his comprehensive and systematic work in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics, Kant's philosophy is epitomized by the critical investigation of reason itself. His seminal work, 'Critique of Pure Reason' (1781), seeks to understand the limits and scope of human knowledge, positing that while much of our experience is structured by our mental faculties, there are fundamental limits to what we can comprehend. This critical approach inaugurated a new era of philosophical inquiry, often referred to as the Copernican Revolution in philosophy, signifying the paradigm shift to a new method of thinking about knowledge and reality.

Kant's ethical theory, primarily presented in 'Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals' (1785) and 'Critique of Practical Reason' (1788), introduces the notion of the categorical imperative, an ethical guideline by which all actions can be judged. His later works, such as 'Critique of Judgment' (1790), explore aesthetics and teleology. Kant's 'The Collected Works' encompass these important texts and others, offering a comprehensive view of his thought. His rigorous analysis of the faculties of human understanding and moral reasoning has had a profound and lasting influence on myriad philosophical disciplines and continues to be a central topic of study in contemporary philosophical education.