Critique of Pure Reason

Rating:
Summary: Kant you write better
Review: "Immanual Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable." In what? did he drink?

This book, the first critique, is genius; there's no disputing that. But how valuable is this particular edition or translation. This is perhaps the only case where, I think, Hackett didn't hack it.

There are an abundance of footnotes, there are references to Kemp Smith, there are references to the Meiklejohn, there are just damn too many references.

This edition may serve the Kant scholar well, but not the student. The words used to replace the "confusing ones" used by Kemp Smith are no less confusing.

But Kant is Kant, and he will remain stable even after a long night of translating alcohol.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful translation of a beautiful work
Review: Pluhar's translation is wonderful. The extensive annotation makes the whole work perfectly clear, offering alternative translations and pointing out the technical German vocabulary (so essential to understanding Kant). The work flows beautifully, and though the material was dense, I could hardly put it down at times. If you're just starting Kant, do not start here. I'd suggest the excellent series by W.T. Jones called A History of Western Philosophy (specifically volume four). Read and reread it. Understand the basics about Kant, then, when you have the proper grounding, go on to the Critique. It will reward careful study.

Rating:
Summary: A literary challenge
Review: This Critique is long, difficult, and dry; however, at the same time it is brilliant. Many who rate this book below 4 stars just simply do not have the education or intellect to understand it. I recommend studying early modern philosophy from Descartes to Hume; then, you may be able to comprehend Kant's deep thinking. To this day, I display this book proudly as a trophy, and a thought bible.