Kant's Reform of Metaphysics

Reviews / Votes

'De Boer has succeeded in writing a much-needed account of Kant's critical philosophy as the salvation - not the destruction - of metaphysics, correcting the epistemological focus of over a century of Kant scholarship. Her illuminating rereading in light of the metaphysics of Wolff and Baumgarten and her scrupulous reconstruction of the system of pure reason that Kant intended but never completed makes this book essential reading for anybody interested in Kant's philosophy.' Paul Franks, Yale University 'De Boer shows in detail how Kant's Critical aim was to reform metaphysics as a system, not to reject it altogether. An especially valuable feature of her discussion is its focus on Kant's concern with Wolff's philosophy and the meta-metaphysical question of how metaphysics as a science of pure reason is possible at all.' Karl Ameriks, University of Notre Dame 'By contextualizing Kant's Critique of Pure Reason against the background of Wolffian philosophy, de Boer innovatively argues that Kant's Critique should be interpreted as a reform (rather than simply a destruction) of traditional metaphysics. In the course of her overall argument, de Boer helps further our understanding of 18th-century figures like Wolff and Baumgarten, while also casting new light on aspects of Kant's own thought. De Boer's book should appeal both to scholars of Kant's theoretical philosophy and historians of 18th-century philosophical thought more generally.' Reed Winegar, Fordham University 'I highly recommend Kant's Reform of Metaphysics. De Boer has written an exemplary work of contemporary Kant scholarship.' J. Colin McQuilla, Journal of the History of Philosophy '[The] book offers a rich discussion of how Kant's conception of metaphysics can be clarified by situating his thought in relation to the thought of his contemporaries and predecessors. Readers interested in any of the above topics will find much to engage with and each chapter serves as a useful starting point if one wants to better appreciate the historical context of Kant's thinking on these specific issues.' Michael Walschots, Kant Studien