The Continuum companion to Kant /

Students and scholars of Kant are already blessed with a host of recent, authoritative "companion" titles from the likes of Cambridge and Blackwell, so it's tempting to treat yet another survey of Kant's philosophy as somewhat superfluous. However, this Continuum Companion stands on its own because of its novel structure. Eschewing the typically lengthy essays written by eminent Kant scholars, this collection is built like a true reference source. It features brief, alphabetical, cross-referenced articles written by dozens of lesser-known scholars on hundreds of core concepts and aimed squarely at novice researchers. Unfortunately, though Kant's major works and philosophical influences are covered nicely, many core concepts in Kantian thought are treated inadequately, if at all. For example, there are no stand-alone entries for phenomena, noumena, or the thing-in-itself; all are subsumed in a three-page entry on transcendental idealism. As such, the companion offers only the broadest and most cursory overview of Kant's philosophy. Howard Caygill's A Kant Dictionary (CH, Jan'96, 33-2458) features the same encyclopedic qualities in a far more comprehensive and scholarly presentation. As a quick reference tool, this companion has some merit, but more robust reference works are readily available. Summing Up: Optional. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers. L. A. Wilkinson University of Tennessee at Chattanooga