Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason - Essential Study Guide for Philosophy Students | Perfect for University Courses & Self-Study

The nice thing about this book is that the reader feels like the author is "reading the critique" with the reader herself. Major argumentative difficulties are taken up as they occur, and Gardner analyses Kant's support for his framework keenly.Another pleasant aspect of Gardner's reading is his attempt to show how Kant's transcendental idealism is systematic, that is, how the first Critique is not merely a compendium of conveniently assembled arguments (as some great interpreters like P.F. Strawson have claimed). Rather, by viewing Kant's project as a "metaphysics of experience" in light of the "Copernican revolution" (in which objects must conform, in some way, to the subjects who know them), Gardner unapologetically reviews the plausibility of Kant's views as a system, not as a list of claims that are supported via analytic argumentation.At times, I found Gardner's criticism of Kant's arguments somewhat dense and over-compressed. That said, this is not surprising for such a guide, and the most important arguments/developments in the book, like the Refutation of Idealism and the Transcendental Deduction, are given a full, critical, and clear treatment.For those looking to catch the Kant's overall meaning in the Critique, this book is highly recommended. Its brevity is also laudable. The guide is accessible to those with a basic knowledge of modern philosophy, though not for complete philosophy novices.