Immanuel Kant taught and wrote prolifically about physical geography yet never travelled farther than forty miles from his home in Königsberg. Appropriately, his philosophy strenuously denies that all knowledge is derived from experience, insisting instead that all experience must conform to knowledge. Kant’s aim was to restore metaphysics. According to Kant, space and time are subjective; along with various ‘categories,’ they help us to see the phenomena of the world – though never in its true reality.
Here is a concise, expert account of Kant’s life and philosophical ideas – entertainingly written and easy to understand. Also included are selections from Kant’s work, suggested further reading, and chronologies that place Kant in the context of the broader scheme of philosophy.
Paul Strathern has lectured in philosophy and mathematics and now lives and writes in London. A Somerset Maugham prize winner, he is also the author of books on history and travel as well as five novels. His articles have appeared in a great many publications including the Observer (London) and the Irish Times. His own degree in philosophy was earned at Trinity College, Dublin.