What is Immanuel Kant's Critique of Practical Reason?

Published in 1788, the Critique of Practical Reason is Immanuel Kant's second major critical work and a foundational text in moral philosophy. It builds upon his earlier ethical writings to develop an account of the will as determinable by the moral law alone, while integrating these ethical views into his broader system of critical philosophy. The book explores themes such as respect for the moral law and the concept of the highest good.

What we know

• The Critique of Practical Reason was published in 1788 by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. [1, 2]
• It is the second of Kant's three major critiques, following the Critique of Pure Reason and preceding the Critique of Judgment. [2, 3]
• The work was intended to develop Kant's account of the will as capable of acting from the moral law alone. [2]
• It places ethical views within the larger framework of Kant's critical philosophy, expanding on themes like the feeling of respect for the moral law and the highest good. [2]

Where to go next

• whenWhat was Kant's first critique about?
• what followedHow does the Critique of Judgment complete Kant's critical system?
• the bigger pictureWhat is Immanuel Kant's overall philosophical framework?
• compared withWhat earlier work did Kant publish on moral philosophy?
• how it workedHow does reason serve as the source of morality in Kant's view?
• an unexpected connectionHow does an inquiry into pure reason connect to moral philosophy?Kant's theoretical investigation into the limits of human knowledge and metaphysics in his first critique sets the stage for his subsequent development of practical reason and moral law.

Sources

• [1]Critique of Practical Reason (Wikidata Q870851) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Critique of Practical Reason · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Critique of Judgment · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Critique of Pure Reason · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Immanuel Kant · CC BY-SA 4.0