Introducing Kant

Introducing Kant | Peter Kreeft | The opening pages of Socrates Meets Kant: The Father of Philosophy Meets His Most Influential Modern Child | Ignatius Insight

Introduction

Kant is really two philosophers: (1) the epistemologist of The Critique of Pure Reason and (2) the ethicist of the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals [sometimes translated as The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals or Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals]. That's why this book is almost as twice as long as the others in the Socrates Meets series. That's also why I have modified Socrates' style of argument a little bit and made it more short and direct than it is in Plato.
 
It is also longer because Kant is probably the most important philosopher since Thomas Aquinas. If he had written only half of what he wrote—either half, the epistemology or the ethics—he would still be the most important and influential of all modern philosophers. As it is, his epistemology is truly the "Copernican revolution in philosophy", as he termed it: the most fundamental revolution in the whole history of epistemology; and his ethics is the most important one since Aristotle's. No other modern philosopher can rival his influence in either field, much less both. Only the revolution of Descartes in epistemology and the revolution of Nietzsche in ethics might be thought to rival that of Kant in being radical. Yet Descartes' epistemological revolution was radical mainly in method rather than content, and it only paved the way for Kant's much more radical, "Copernican" one; and Kant's revolution in ethics was the necessary foundation to (unwittingly) pave the way for Nietzsche's extreme reaction against it.

There are thinkers who accept the essential claims of Kant's epistemology but not his ethics. There are thinkers who accept his ethics but not his epistemology. There are thinkers who accept both. And there are thinkers who reject the fundamental claims of both. This book is critical of Kant in both areas (though not equally critical: it is more critical of the epistemology than of the ethics) because that is what I think the position of the historical Socrates would be. Yet at the same time I think he would recognize Kant's greatness, genius, genuine contributions, and profound rightness on many points.

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Comments

[Mark Brumley]

I just can't put down Kreeft's book on Kant.

[Brian J. Schuettler]

I can't believe you said that.

[Rich Leonardi]

Kant's cant can't withstand Kreeft's critique.

[Thomas]

On behalf of readers everywhere allow me to say "Booooo!" to those groan worthy puns.

I took a class on Kant with Father Tacelli at BC and I still get motion sick every time I think about it.

[Jackson]

Is Kreeft's Kant piquant, or still teukantic.... er teutonic? Sorry. I couldn't help it.

[Mark Brumley]

1st prize goes to Rich. Jackson gets a close 2nd, though.

[Jackson]

hehehe...