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Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics

Immanuel Kant · 1783

Kant's 1783 restatement of the Critique of Pure Reason, written to make his ideas more accessible and to defend them against critics.

Kant's own popular restatement of his philosophy, defending it from critics and crediting Hume's influence on his thought.

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Title page of the French 1866 translation by J. Tissot: 'Prolégomènes à toute métaphysique future qui aura le droit de se présenter comme science', with Kant's name and publisher Librairie Philosophique de Ladrange, Paris.
Immanuel Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics, 1783. Title page shown is from an 1866 French translation.

About this source

What it is

This is a book written by Immanuel Kant and published in 1783, two years after his Critique of Pure Reason. It restates the Critique's main conclusions in a shorter, more accessible way, and ends with a response to an unfavourable review of the Critique.

Why it matters

Kant was disappointed that the Critique had been poorly received, so he wrote the Prolegomena to defend and clarify his critical philosophy. In it he famously credits the philosopher David Hume with waking him from his 'dogmatic slumber' by questioning the idea of causality. The book shows Kant working out how to explain his difficult ideas to a wider audience.

Look closer

  • Why might a philosopher write a simpler version of a difficult book soon after publishing it?
  • What does Kant's reaction to criticism tell us about how new ideas are received?
  • How might explaining an idea differently change how people understand it?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Immanuel Kant on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Title page of the 1781 first edition of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. Blackletter title reads Critik der reinen Vernunft, von Immanuel Kant, Professor in Königsberg. Below: Riga, verlegts Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, 1781, with a floral wreath ornament.Book

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Printed page in German blackletter type headed 'Beantwortung der Frage: Was ist Aufklärung?' with the opening lines of Kant's essay, beginning 'Aufklärung ist der Ausgang des Menschen aus seiner selbst verschuldeten Unmündigkeit.' Page footer reads '2ter Band'.Book

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Answering the Question: What Is Enlightenment?

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Title page of Kant's Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, printed in black Fraktur blackletter: 'Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten, von Immanuel Kant', with a decorative rococo ornament, a rule, and 'Riga, bey Johann Friedrich Hartknoch 1785' on a cream page.Book

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Title page of Kant's 'Zum ewigen Frieden' printed in black Fraktur type. Text reads 'Zum ewigen Frieden. Ein philosophischer Entwurf von Immanuel Kant', with publication line 'Königsberg, bey Friedrich Nicolovius, 1795' at the bottom.Book

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Title page of the 1788 German edition of Kant's Critique of Practical Reason: 'Critik der practischen Vernunft von Immanuel Kant', with a floral wreath ornament, 'Riga, bey Johann Friedrich Hartknoch 1788', and a purple library stamp at bottom right.Book

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