Kant’s Critique of Practical Reason

Published in English for the first time, Kant’s Critique of Practical Reason is a slightly abridged and updated edition of Professor Höffe’s groundbreaking work originally published in German. In the book, the author systematically introduces one of the most important areas of Kant's philosophy, and relates its basic ideas to the debates of today.  

The first part introduces the four driving forces that motivated Kant’s practical philosophy and which are still relevant today: Enlightenment, critique, morality and cosmopolitanism. The second part demonstrates the extent to which Kant revolutionised moral philosophy. In the third part, the author explains the provocations that lie at the heart of Kant’s practical philosophy. The remaining parts deal with political philosophy, the philosophy of history, and Kant’s thinking about religion and education.

‘In this thorough study, Otfried Höffe, one of Europe's most cited philosophers, goes well beyond an account of the second Critique, He makes a convincing argument that all of Kant's critical philosophy is devoted to a sophisticated defense, with great contemporary relevance, of the primacy of practical reason in general.’

Karl Ameriks, McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, University of Notre Dame

‘Otfried Höffe’s book is a tour de force that is thought provoking and erudite in equal measure, ranging from well-known themes in Kant’s ethics and political philosophy to his theory of education and philosophy of religion. Compulsory reading for anyone interested in the lasting legacy of the European Enlightenment.’

Jens Timmermann, Professor of Moral Philosophy, The University of St Andrews