Although Kant is known for his development of critical philosophy, this anthology seeks to demonstrate the importance of examining works from his early precritical phase as a means of tracing the evolution of his thought. Despite undoubtedly novel concepts in Kant's mature critical philosophy, there are certain continuous themes that link his youthful precritical works with his later, more famous works. The essays in this collection, each from a different perspective, agree on this essential point. Among the issues considered is the idea of negation in Kant's early work, his notions of the beautiful and sublime in connection with morality, the relationship between J. G. Herder and Kant, the relation of his Inaugural Dissertation to his later critical philosophy, and the interpretation of Kant's works as a Copernican revolution in philosophy.
The contributors are Karl Ameriks, Alfred Denker, Marion Heinz, Pierre Kerszberg, Rudolf Makkreel, Joseph Margolis, Andrew Norris, Angelica Nuzzo, Peter Reill, Tom Rockmore, Susan Shell, and John Zammito.
