Douglas Burnham

An extended philosophical analysis of the concept of judgement, important in many areas of contemporary philosophy, including epistemology, the philosophy of value and aesthetics. Kant's philosophy understands judgement in different ways in the cognition of nature, the appreciation of natural beauty, and in the determination of moral action. This book aims to explore these three 'philosophies' of judgement, producing in the process a new and creative reading of Kant's work. The result is a unique book-length study of judgement in general. At the core of this reading is an interpretation of how Kant understands reflection, presentation and activity. Novel aspects include accounts of the transcendental object, the implications of considering cognition as an activity, the structure of sensible givenness, Kant on the sublime, and the moral argument. The book draws upon ideas from within the Continental philosophy tradition, particularly from Nietzsche, Heidegger and Deleuze. To Nietzsche there is devoted a whole chapter on the subject of sensation and physics, which aims to expand upon and illuminate parallel discussions in the reading of Kant. Readers will find much of interest in this wide-ranging text, including treatments of key features in Kant's epistemology, philosophy of mind, aesthetics, philosophy of religion as well as his practical philosophy. Features * The first book to consider Kant's account of judgement in general. * A unique interpretation of Kant, employing philosophers in the Continental tradition - e.g Nietzsche, Heidegger and Deleuze. * Contains a sustained study of Nietzsche on the subject of sensation and physics.

This is the first book to combine an introduction to Philosophy as a degree subject with the practical study and assessment skills that the student is likely to need. It begins by helping a student to make an informed choice about which philosophy course to apply for and goes on to introduce the subject via key problems and philosophers. It expertly guides the reader towards philosophical thinking as an activity and offers practical advice for developing techniques specific to the study of philosophy. Features * Gives brief biographies of major philosophers * Provides clear definitions of key terms and guidance on further reading * Includes sample essays and examination questions * Covers time-management and self-motivation skills * Offers tips on making use of contact time with tutors

Kant's third Critique, the Critique of Judgement, is regarded as one of the most influential books in the history of aesthetics. This book is designed as a reader's guide for students trying to work their way, step-by-step, through Kant's text. It is also a guide to the text-in-context in that it sets Kant's concepts, language and aims in the context of Kant's philosophy in general and the late eighteenth century. This is one of the first comprehensive introductions to Kant's Critique of Judgement. Not only does it include a detailed and full account of Kant's aesthetic theory (the beautiful, the sublime, genius and fine art), it incorporates an extended discussion of the 'Critique of Teleological Judgement', a treatment of Kant's overall conception of the text and its place in the wider critical system. Designed as an introduction, suitable for undergraduate and first--year postgraduate use, the book assumes no prior knowledge of Kant, or any other particular philosophy. As such, it could be used as an introduction to Kant in general from the point of view of the third Critique. Moreover, it stays with the historical Kant, avoiding 'updating' arguments that sound more like recent theories and including sections of the text that are sometimes neglected. In these ways, the book will be useful as a starting point for understanding Kant's relationship to the eighteenth century and his legacy throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The choice of text is the Pluhar translation in the Hackett edition. However, throughout, Douglas Burnham provides alternative translations of key terms and phrases, making the book independent of any particular translation of Kant's text. Features * A comprehensive and introductory level text * Useful for understanding Kant's critical system as a whole, and his historical influence * Includes: - translations of key words in brackets in the text - helpful summary boxes at the end of every section of every chapter - a glossary of key terms with definitions and alternative translations