Immanuel Kant: The Mind Behind 'Critique Of Pure Reason' (1724 - 1804)

Immanuel Kant, born in 1724, was a German philosopher whose work has profoundly influenced modern philosophy. His seminal work, "Critique of Pure Reason," published in 1781, revolutionized the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Kant's philosophy centered on the concept of transcendental idealism, which posited that knowledge is structured by the mind and shaped by a priori categories. He introduced the categorical imperative as a moral principle, advocating for moral actions based on duty rather than consequences. Kant's ideas continue to be a cornerstone of philosophical inquiry, shaping debates on rationalism, empiricism, and the nature of human understanding.