Description:
A concise yet rich biography of the great eighteenth-century German philosopher.
The great German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) lived with a single-minded dedication to the moral education of humanity. This concise biography highlights Kant as someone who embodied extreme intellectual ambition and unshakable self-discipline. Robert Wicks explores the long-term influence of Kant's pietistic upbringing, the initial frustrations in his search for intellectual fame, his impressive friendships, and his reactions to momentous historical events such as the French Revolution. He also critically considers the accusations that Kant was sexist, antisemitic, and racist, and he describes his final years and philosophical legacy. This is an accessible, illuminating account of Kant's complex philosophical ideas in the context of his life and times.
Brief description:
Robert Wicks is professor of philosophy at the University of Auckland. His books include Introduction to Existentialism: From Kierkegaard to 'The Seventh Seal.'
Review Quotes:
"Written for the general reader, Wick's brisk biography of Kant gives us three valuable things: a sense of the man, a generous set of discussions of his writings, and the needed context--historical, philosophical, and scientific--to better appreciate why Kant's ideas were so important in his day and are still 'a big deal' in our own."
--Steve Naragon, editor of "Portraits of Kant"